diff --git a/plugins/modules/pfsense_ca.py b/plugins/modules/pfsense_ca.py
index 0c1fb471..1dde9151 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/pfsense_ca.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/pfsense_ca.py
@@ -422,17 +422,18 @@ def _update(self):
         (dummy, stdout, stderr) = ('', '', '')
         if self.params['state'] == 'present':
             if self.params['method'] == 'existing':
-                # ca_import will base64 encode the cert + key  and will fix 'caref' for CAs that reference each other
+                # ca_import will base64 encode the cert + key and will fix 'caref' for CAs that reference each other
                 # $ca needs to be an existing reference (particularly 'refid' must be set) before calling ca_import
-                # key and serial are optional arguments.  TODO - handle key and serial
+                # key and serial are optional arguments. TODO - handle key and serial
                 (dummy, stdout, stderr) = self.pfsense.phpshell("""
-                    $ca =& lookup_ca('{refid}')['item'];
+                    $caent =& lookup_ca('{refid}');
+                    $ca =& $caent['item'];
                     ca_import($ca, '{cert}');
+                    config_set_path("ca/{{$caent['idx']}}", $ca);
                     write_config('Update CA reference');
                     ca_setup_trust_store();
                     cert_restart_services(ca_get_all_services('{refid}'));""".format(refid=self.target_elt.find('refid').text,
                                                                                      cert=base64.b64decode(self.target_elt.find('crt').text.encode()).decode()))
-
                 if self.refresh_crls:
                     (dummy, crl_stdout, crl_stderr) = self.pfsense.phpshell("""
                         require_once("openvpn.inc");
diff --git a/plugins/modules/pfsense_cert.py b/plugins/modules/pfsense_cert.py
index d2043c3a..19636458 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/pfsense_cert.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/pfsense_cert.py
@@ -340,17 +340,21 @@ def _log_fields(self, before=None):
     def _update(self):
         if self.params['state'] == 'present':
             if self.params['method'] == 'import':
+                prv_node = self.target_elt.find('prv')
+                raw_key = base64.b64decode(prv_node.text.encode()).decode() if (prv_node is not None and prv_node.text) else ""
                 # import certificate
                 return self.pfsense.phpshell("""
                     require_once('certs.inc');
-                    $cert =& lookup_cert('{refid}');
+                    $certent = lookup_cert('{refid}');
+                    $cert = $certent['item'];
                     cert_import($cert, '{cert}', '{key}');
+                    config_set_path("cert/{{$certent['idx']}}", $cert);
                     $savemsg = sprintf(gettext("Imported certificate %s"), $cert['descr']);
                     write_config($savemsg);
                     cert_restart_services(cert_get_all_services('{refid}'));
                     """.format(refid=self.target_elt.find('refid').text,
                                cert=base64.b64decode(self.target_elt.find('crt').text.encode()).decode(),
-                               key=base64.b64decode(self.target_elt.find('prv').text.encode()).decode()))
+                               key=raw_key))
             else:
                 # generate internal certificate
                 return self.pfsense.phpshell("""