diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/common/types.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/common/types.ts
index ec1fe98d1a1a4..6c1a34ae834a5 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/common/types.ts
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/common/types.ts
@@ -156,8 +156,7 @@ export type PackageListItem = Installable<RegistrySearchResult & PackageAddition
 export type PackagesGroupedByStatus = Record<InstallationStatus, PackageList>;
 export type PackageInfo = Installable<RegistryPackage & PackageAdditions>;
 
-export type Installation = SavedObject<InstallationAttributes>;
-export interface InstallationAttributes extends SavedObjectAttributes {
+export interface Installation extends SavedObjectAttributes {
   installed: AssetReference[];
 }
 
@@ -165,7 +164,7 @@ export type Installable<T> = Installed<T> | NotInstalled<T>;
 
 export type Installed<T = {}> = T & {
   status: InstallationStatus.installed;
-  savedObject: Installation;
+  savedObject: SavedObject<Installation>;
 };
 
 export type NotInstalled<T = {}> = T & {
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/get.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/get.ts
index 7b8d258b9e5bd..2617fa46b4e7e 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/get.ts
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/get.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 import { SavedObjectsClientContract } from 'src/core/server/';
 import { SAVED_OBJECT_TYPE_PACKAGES } from '../../common/constants';
-import { Installation, InstallationAttributes, Installed, NotInstalled } from '../../common/types';
+import { Installation, Installed, NotInstalled } from '../../common/types';
 import * as Registry from '../registry';
 import { createInstallableFrom } from './index';
 
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export async function getPackages(
     type: SAVED_OBJECT_TYPE_PACKAGES,
     id: `${name}-${version}`,
   }));
-  const results = await savedObjectsClient.bulkGet<InstallationAttributes>(searchObjects);
+  const results = await savedObjectsClient.bulkGet<Installation>(searchObjects);
   const savedObjects = results.saved_objects.filter(o => !o.error); // ignore errors for now
   const packageList = registryItems
     .map(item =>
@@ -74,13 +74,21 @@ export async function getPackageInfo(options: {
 export async function getInstallationObject(options: {
   savedObjectsClient: SavedObjectsClientContract;
   pkgkey: string;
-}): Promise<Installation | undefined> {
+}) {
   const { savedObjectsClient, pkgkey } = options;
   return savedObjectsClient
-    .get<InstallationAttributes>(SAVED_OBJECT_TYPE_PACKAGES, pkgkey)
+    .get<Installation>(SAVED_OBJECT_TYPE_PACKAGES, pkgkey)
     .catch(e => undefined);
 }
 
+export async function getInstallation(options: {
+  savedObjectsClient: SavedObjectsClientContract;
+  pkgkey: string;
+}) {
+  const savedObject = await getInstallationObject(options);
+  return savedObject?.attributes;
+}
+
 function sortByName(a: { name: string }, b: { name: string }) {
   if (a.name > b.name) {
     return 1;
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/index.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/index.ts
index 1b1851540de48..2286938a5b91a 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/index.ts
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/index.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
  */
 
+import { SavedObject } from '../../../../../../src/core/server';
 import {
   AssetType,
   // ElasticsearchAssetType,
@@ -41,7 +42,10 @@ export class PackageNotInstalledError extends Error {
 // only Kibana Assets use Saved Objects at this point
 export const savedObjectTypes: AssetType[] = Object.values(KibanaAssetType);
 
-export function createInstallableFrom<T>(from: T, savedObject?: Installation): Installable<T> {
+export function createInstallableFrom<T>(
+  from: T,
+  savedObject?: SavedObject<Installation>
+): Installable<T> {
   return savedObject
     ? {
         ...from,
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/install.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/install.ts
index 5159afa0ff816..748c9590f8d8f 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/install.ts
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/install.ts
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@
 
 import { SavedObject, SavedObjectsClientContract } from 'src/core/server/';
 import { SAVED_OBJECT_TYPE_PACKAGES } from '../../common/constants';
-import { AssetReference, InstallationAttributes, KibanaAssetType } from '../../common/types';
+import { AssetReference, Installation, KibanaAssetType } from '../../common/types';
 import { installIndexPattern } from '../lib/kibana/index_pattern/install';
 import * as Registry from '../registry';
 import { getObject } from './get_objects';
-import { getInstallationObject } from './index';
+import { getInstallation } from './index';
 
 export async function installPackage(options: {
   savedObjectsClient: SavedObjectsClientContract;
@@ -64,17 +64,17 @@ export async function saveInstallationReferences(options: {
   toSave: AssetReference[];
 }) {
   const { savedObjectsClient, pkgkey, toSave } = options;
-  const savedObject = await getInstallationObject({ savedObjectsClient, pkgkey });
-  const savedRefs = savedObject && savedObject.attributes.installed;
+  const installation = await getInstallation({ savedObjectsClient, pkgkey });
+  const savedRefs = installation?.installed || [];
   const mergeRefsReducer = (current: AssetReference[], pending: AssetReference) => {
     const hasRef = current.find(c => c.id === pending.id && c.type === pending.type);
     if (!hasRef) current.push(pending);
     return current;
   };
 
-  const toInstall = toSave.reduce(mergeRefsReducer, savedRefs || []);
+  const toInstall = toSave.reduce(mergeRefsReducer, savedRefs);
 
-  await savedObjectsClient.create<InstallationAttributes>(
+  await savedObjectsClient.create<Installation>(
     SAVED_OBJECT_TYPE_PACKAGES,
     { installed: toInstall },
     { id: pkgkey, overwrite: true }
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/remove.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/remove.ts
index b8e02e89d33a3..9e55eebfe5261 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/remove.ts
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/epm/server/packages/remove.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { SavedObjectsClientContract } from 'src/core/server/';
 import { SAVED_OBJECT_TYPE_PACKAGES } from '../../common/constants';
 import { AssetReference, AssetType, ElasticsearchAssetType } from '../../common/types';
 import { CallESAsCurrentUser } from '../lib/cluster_access';
-import { getInstallationObject, savedObjectTypes } from './index';
+import { getInstallation, savedObjectTypes } from './index';
 
 export async function removeInstallation(options: {
   savedObjectsClient: SavedObjectsClientContract;
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ export async function removeInstallation(options: {
   callCluster: CallESAsCurrentUser;
 }): Promise<AssetReference[]> {
   const { savedObjectsClient, pkgkey, callCluster } = options;
-  const installation = await getInstallationObject({ savedObjectsClient, pkgkey });
-  const installedObjects = (installation && installation.attributes.installed) || [];
+  const installation = await getInstallation({ savedObjectsClient, pkgkey });
+  const installedObjects = installation?.installed || [];
 
   // Delete the manager saved object with references to the asset objects
   // could also update with [] or some other state