diff --git a/cli/internal/cmd/BUILD.bazel b/cli/internal/cmd/BUILD.bazel
index b2717126a..be1428529 100644
--- a/cli/internal/cmd/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/cli/internal/cmd/BUILD.bazel
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ go_library(
         "//internal/logger",
         "//internal/retry",
         "//internal/sigstore",
-        "//internal/variant",
         "//internal/versions",
         "//internal/versionsapi",
         "//internal/versionsapi/fetcher",
diff --git a/cli/internal/cmd/configgenerate.go b/cli/internal/cmd/configgenerate.go
index d4128a441..27fc38e91 100644
--- a/cli/internal/cmd/configgenerate.go
+++ b/cli/internal/cmd/configgenerate.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/v2/internal/config"
 	"github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/v2/internal/constants"
 	"github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/v2/internal/file"
-	"github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/v2/internal/variant"
 	"github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/v2/internal/versions"
 	"github.com/siderolabs/talos/pkg/machinery/config/encoder"
 	"github.com/spf13/afero"
@@ -106,18 +105,6 @@ func createConfig(provider cloudprovider.Provider) *config.Config {
 		conf.StateDiskSizeGB = 10
 	}
 
-	// TODO(AB#2976): Replace hardcoded values with user input
-	switch provider {
-	case cloudprovider.AWS:
-		conf.AttestationVariant = variant.AWSNitroTPM{}.String()
-	case cloudprovider.Azure:
-		conf.AttestationVariant = variant.AzureSEVSNP{}.String()
-	case cloudprovider.GCP:
-		conf.AttestationVariant = variant.GCPSEVES{}.String()
-	case cloudprovider.QEMU:
-		conf.AttestationVariant = variant.QEMUVTPM{}.String()
-	}
-
 	return conf
 }
 
diff --git a/cli/internal/cmd/configgenerate_test.go b/cli/internal/cmd/configgenerate_test.go
index 291c93a73..71c593a38 100644
--- a/cli/internal/cmd/configgenerate_test.go
+++ b/cli/internal/cmd/configgenerate_test.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/v2/internal/constants"
 	"github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/v2/internal/file"
 	"github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/v2/internal/logger"
-	"github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/v2/internal/variant"
 	"github.com/edgelesssys/constellation/v2/internal/versions"
 	"github.com/spf13/afero"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
@@ -93,9 +92,6 @@ func TestConfigGenerateDefaultGCPSpecific(t *testing.T) {
 	cg := &configGenerateCmd{log: logger.NewTest(t)}
 	require.NoError(cg.configGenerate(cmd, fileHandler, cloudprovider.GCP))
 
-	// TODO(AB#2976): Remove this once attestation variants are dynamically created
-	wantConf.AttestationVariant = variant.GCPSEVES{}.String()
-
 	var readConfig config.Config
 	err := fileHandler.ReadYAML(constants.ConfigFilename, &readConfig)
 	assert.NoError(err)
diff --git a/cli/internal/cmd/create.go b/cli/internal/cmd/create.go
index 7e3f27efe..5eccd54fc 100644
--- a/cli/internal/cmd/create.go
+++ b/cli/internal/cmd/create.go
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ func (c *createCmd) create(cmd *cobra.Command, creator cloudCreator, fileHandler
 
 	c.log.Debugf("Loading configuration file from %q", flags.configPath)
 	conf, err := config.New(fileHandler, flags.configPath, flags.force)
+	c.log.Debugf("Configuration file loaded: %+v", conf)
 	var configValidationErr *config.ValidationError
 	if errors.As(err, &configValidationErr) {
 		cmd.PrintErrln(configValidationErr.LongMessage())
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 6734bcebb..eefd4fa9d 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	DebugCluster *bool `yaml:"debugCluster" validate:"required"`
 	// description: |
 	//   Attestation variant used to verify the integrity of a node.
-	AttestationVariant string `yaml:"attestationVariant" validate:"valid_attestation_variant"` // TODO: v2.8: Mark required
+	AttestationVariant string `yaml:"attestationVariant,omitempty" validate:"valid_attestation_variant"` // TODO: v2.8: Mark required
 	// description: |
 	//   Supported cloud providers and their specific configurations.
 	Provider ProviderConfig `yaml:"provider" validate:"dive"`