diff --git a/src/commands/agent/create.ts b/src/commands/agent/create.ts
index b3c9c05..ce9f0c8 100644
--- a/src/commands/agent/create.ts
+++ b/src/commands/agent/create.ts
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@
  * For full license text, see LICENSE.txt file in the repo root or https://opensource.org/licenses/BSD-3-Clause
  */
 
+import * as fs from 'node:fs';
 import { SfCommand, Flags } from '@salesforce/sf-plugins-core';
 import { Messages } from '@salesforce/core';
-import { Duration, sleep } from '@salesforce/kit';
 import { MultiStageOutput } from '@oclif/multi-stage-output';
 import { colorize } from '@oclif/core/ux';
+import { Agent, AgentCreateConfig } from '@salesforce/agents';
 
 Messages.importMessagesDirectoryFromMetaUrl(import.meta.url);
 const messages = Messages.loadMessages('@salesforce/plugin-agent', 'agent.create');
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ export default class AgentCreate extends SfCommand<AgentCreateResult> {
   public static readonly summary = messages.getMessage('summary');
   public static readonly description = messages.getMessage('description');
   public static readonly examples = messages.getMessages('examples');
+  public static readonly requiresProject = true;
   public static state = 'beta';
 
   public static readonly flags = {
@@ -60,31 +62,33 @@ export default class AgentCreate extends SfCommand<AgentCreateResult> {
     });
 
     mso.goto(jsonParsingStage);
-    await sleep(Duration.milliseconds(200));
+    const agentConfig = {
+      ...(JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(flags['job-spec'], 'utf8')) as AgentCreateConfig),
+      name: flags.name,
+    };
 
     mso.goto('Generating GenAiPlanner metadata');
-    await sleep(Duration.milliseconds(200));
-
+    // make agent.create emit events so we can update MSO?
     mso.goto('Creating agent in org');
 
-    // POST to /services/data/{api-version}/connect/attach-agent-topics
-
-    // To simulate time spent on the server generating the spec.
-    await sleep(Duration.seconds(5));
+    const agent = new Agent(flags['target-org'].getConnection(flags['api-version']), this.project!);
+    const created = await agent.create(agentConfig);
 
     mso.goto('Retrieving agent metadata');
-    await sleep(Duration.seconds(3));
+    // await sleep(Duration.seconds(3));
 
     mso.stop();
 
     this.log(
-      colorize(
-        'green',
-        `Successfully created ${flags.name} in ${flags['target-org'].getUsername() ?? 'the target org'}.`
-      )
+      created.isSuccess
+        ? colorize(
+            'green',
+            `Successfully created ${flags.name} in ${flags['target-org'].getUsername() ?? 'the target org'}.`
+          )
+        : colorize('red', `failed to create agent ${flags.name}: ${created.errorMessage ?? ''}`)
     );
     this.log(`Use ${colorize('dim', `sf org open agent --name ${flags.name}`)} to view the agent in the browser.`);
 
-    return { isSuccess: true };
+    return { isSuccess: created.isSuccess };
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/commands/agent/generate/spec.ts b/src/commands/agent/generate/spec.ts
index e26ebae..2467bda 100644
--- a/src/commands/agent/generate/spec.ts
+++ b/src/commands/agent/generate/spec.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import ansis from 'ansis';
 import select from '@inquirer/select';
 import inquirerInput from '@inquirer/input';
 import figures from '@inquirer/figures';
-import { Agent, SfAgent } from '@salesforce/agents';
+import { Agent, AgentCreateConfig, SfAgent } from '@salesforce/agents';
 
 Messages.importMessagesDirectoryFromMetaUrl(import.meta.url);
 const messages = Messages.loadMessages('@salesforce/plugin-agent', 'agent.generate.spec');
@@ -169,7 +169,11 @@ export default class AgentCreateSpec extends SfCommand<AgentCreateSpecResult> {
     const filePath = join(flags['output-dir'], flags['file-name']);
     writeFileSync(
       filePath,
-      JSON.stringify({ type, role, companyName, companyDescription, companyWebsite, JobSpec: agentSpec }, null, 4)
+      JSON.stringify(
+        { type, role, companyName, companyDescription, companyWebsite, jobSpec: agentSpec } as AgentCreateConfig,
+        null,
+        4
+      )
     );
 
     this.spinner.stop();