diff --git a/doc/release-notes/12174-handle-improvements.md b/doc/release-notes/12174-handle-improvements.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..09315f352f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/release-notes/12174-handle-improvements.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+This release offers improved support for Handles as persistent ids.
+
+The following issues are fixed:
+- When pid registration of persistent ids for files is enabled, Dataverse will create the handle as soon as the file is created (similary to other persistent id providers) (issue #12174);
+- When a new handle is created, for a dataset or file that is still a draft, it will be reserved and registered, but not visible publicly. The handle will become visible and the redirects will start working once it is published. This is also in line with how DOI providers work (issue #8881). 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/DataFile.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/DataFile.java
index e06fae4102a..6e92f71547a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/DataFile.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/DataFile.java
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
 public class DataFile extends DvObject implements Comparable {
     private static final Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(DatasetPage.class.getCanonicalName());
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public static final String TARGET_URL = "/file.xhtml?persistentId=";
+    public static final String TARGET_URL = "/citation?persistentId=";
     public static final char INGEST_STATUS_NONE = 65;
     public static final char INGEST_STATUS_SCHEDULED = 66;
     public static final char INGEST_STATUS_INPROGRESS = 67;
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/pidproviders/handle/HandlePidProvider.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/pidproviders/handle/HandlePidProvider.java
index 972ffe5d864..b0fd4969f26 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/pidproviders/handle/HandlePidProvider.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/pidproviders/handle/HandlePidProvider.java
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ public Throwable registerNewHandle(DvObject dvObject) {
                 timestamp, null, true, true, true, false), new HandleValue(1, "URL".getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8),
                 datasetUrl.getBytes(),
                 HandleValue.TTL_TYPE_RELATIVE, 86400,
-                timestamp, null, true, true, true, false)};
+                timestamp, null, true, true, false, false)};
 
             CreateHandleRequest req
                     = new CreateHandleRequest(handle.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8), val, auth);
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ private String getRegistrationUrl(DvObject dvObject) {
         logger.log(Level.FINE,"getRegistrationUrl");
         String siteUrl = SystemConfig.getDataverseSiteUrlStatic();
         String targetUrl = siteUrl + dvObject.getTargetUrl() + "hdl:" + dvObject.getAuthority()
-                + "/" + dvObject.getIdentifier();         
+                + "/" + dvObject.getIdentifier();
         return targetUrl;
     }
  
@@ -324,12 +324,6 @@ private String getAuthenticationHandle(String handlePrefix) {
             return "0.NA/" + handlePrefix;
         }
     }
-
-    @Override
-    public boolean alreadyRegistered(DvObject dvObject) {
-        String handle = getDvObjectHandle(dvObject);
-        return isHandleRegistered(handle);
-    }
     
     @Override
     public boolean alreadyRegistered(GlobalId pid, boolean noProviderDefault) throws Exception {
@@ -400,6 +394,10 @@ public List<String> getProviderInformation(){
 
     @Override
     public String createIdentifier(DvObject dvObject) throws Throwable {
+        if (dvObject.getIdentifier() == null || dvObject.getIdentifier().isEmpty()) {
+            dvObject = generatePid(dvObject);
+            logger.fine("generated identifier: " + getIdentifier(dvObject));
+        }
         Throwable result = registerNewHandle(dvObject);
         if (result != null)
             throw result;