diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index b467b2553..4653d065b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ _What's new?_
 * Add `Variables` and `Inputs` to dashboard `ExecutionStarted` event. ([#2606](https://github.com/turbot/steampipe/issues/2606))
 * Validate check output and export formats _before_ execution. ([#2619](https://github.com/turbot/steampipe/issues/2619)) 
 * When starting a plugin process, pass a SecureConfig, to silence the `nil SecureConfig` error. ([#2567](https://github.com/turbot/steampipe/issues/2567))
+* Optimise autocomplete by only loading completions on startup or when connection config changes, rather than every time a query is entered . ([#2561](https://github.com/turbot/steampipe/issues/2561))
 
 _Bug fixes_
 * Update `GetPathKeys` to treat key columns with `AnyOf` require property with the same precedence as `Required`. ([#254](https://github.com/turbot/steampipe-postgres-fdw/issues/254))
diff --git a/pkg/cloud/snapshot.go b/pkg/cloud/snapshot.go
index 67e0e56a2..2125f1b4c 100644
--- a/pkg/cloud/snapshot.go
+++ b/pkg/cloud/snapshot.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func uploadSnapshot(ctx context.Context, snapshot *dashboardtypes.SteampipeSnaps
 	}
 
 	// strip verbose/sensitive fields
-	stripSnapshotForUpload(cloudSnapshot)
+	dashboardtypes.StripSnapshot(cloudSnapshot)
 
 	req := steampipecloud.CreateWorkspaceSnapshotRequest{Data: *cloudSnapshot, Tags: tags, Visibility: &visibility}
 	req.SetTitle(title)
@@ -116,28 +116,6 @@ func uploadSnapshot(ctx context.Context, snapshot *dashboardtypes.SteampipeSnaps
 	return snapshotUrl, nil
 }
 
-func stripSnapshotForUpload(snapshot *steampipecloud.WorkspaceSnapshotData) {
-	propertiesToStrip := []string{
-		"sql",
-		"source_definition",
-		"documentation",
-		"search_path",
-		"search_path_prefix"}
-	for _, p := range snapshot.Panels {
-		panel := p.(map[string]any)
-		properties, _ := panel["properties"].(map[string]any)
-		for _, property := range propertiesToStrip {
-			// look both at top level and under properties
-			delete(panel, property)
-			if properties != nil {
-				delete(properties, property)
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	// clear top level search path
-	snapshot.SearchPath = []string{}
-}
-
 func resolveSnapshotTitle(snapshot *dashboardtypes.SteampipeSnapshot) string {
 	if titleArg := viper.GetString(constants.ArgSnapshotTitle); titleArg != "" {
 		return titleArg
diff --git a/pkg/dashboard/dashboardtypes/snapshot.go b/pkg/dashboard/dashboardtypes/snapshot.go
index a25f7947c..ceff09bd8 100644
--- a/pkg/dashboard/dashboardtypes/snapshot.go
+++ b/pkg/dashboard/dashboardtypes/snapshot.go
@@ -37,3 +37,40 @@ func (s *SteampipeSnapshot) AsCloudSnapshot() (*steampipecloud.WorkspaceSnapshot
 
 	return res, nil
 }
+
+func (s *SteampipeSnapshot) AsStrippedJson(indent bool) ([]byte, error) {
+	res, err := s.AsCloudSnapshot()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if err = StripSnapshot(res); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if indent {
+		return json.MarshalIndent(res, "", "  ")
+	}
+	return json.Marshal(res)
+}
+
+func StripSnapshot(snapshot *steampipecloud.WorkspaceSnapshotData) error {
+	propertiesToStrip := []string{
+		"sql",
+		"source_definition",
+		"documentation",
+		"search_path",
+		"search_path_prefix"}
+	for _, p := range snapshot.Panels {
+		panel := p.(map[string]any)
+		properties, _ := panel["properties"].(map[string]any)
+		for _, property := range propertiesToStrip {
+			// look both at top level and under properties
+			delete(panel, property)
+			if properties != nil {
+				delete(properties, property)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	// clear top level search path
+	snapshot.SearchPath = []string{}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/export/snapshot_exporter.go b/pkg/export/snapshot_exporter.go
index 0939b74bc..6fdafe65c 100644
--- a/pkg/export/snapshot_exporter.go
+++ b/pkg/export/snapshot_exporter.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package export
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/turbot/steampipe/pkg/constants"
 	"github.com/turbot/steampipe/pkg/dashboard/dashboardtypes"
@@ -15,16 +14,15 @@ type SnapshotExporter struct {
 
 func (e *SnapshotExporter) Export(_ context.Context, input ExportSourceData, filePath string) error {
 	snapshot, ok := input.(*dashboardtypes.SteampipeSnapshot)
-
 	if !ok {
 		return fmt.Errorf("SnapshotExporter inp-ut must be *dashboardtypes.SteampipeSnapshot")
 	}
-	snapshotStr, err := json.MarshalIndent(snapshot, "", "  ")
+	snapshotBytes, err := snapshot.AsStrippedJson(false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	res := strings.NewReader(fmt.Sprintf("%s\n", string(snapshotStr)))
+	res := strings.NewReader(fmt.Sprintf("%s\n", string(snapshotBytes)))
 
 	return Write(filePath, res)
 }