diff --git a/cli/app/deploy.go b/cli/app/deploy.go
index 23541fdd6..41d2bad59 100644
--- a/cli/app/deploy.go
+++ b/cli/app/deploy.go
@@ -152,7 +152,6 @@ checkout as-is. Recipe commit hashes are also supported as values for
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
-		appPkg.ExposeAllEnv(stackName, compose, app.Env)
 		appPkg.SetRecipeLabel(compose, stackName, app.Recipe.Name)
 		appPkg.SetChaosLabel(compose, stackName, internal.Chaos)
 		if internal.Chaos {
@@ -171,6 +170,9 @@ checkout as-is. Recipe commit hashes are also supported as values for
 		}
 		appPkg.SetVersionLabel(compose, stackName, versionLabel)
 
+		newRecipeWithDeployVersion := fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", app.Recipe.Name, toDeployVersion)
+		appPkg.ExposeAllEnv(stackName, compose, app.Env, newRecipeWithDeployVersion)
+
 		envVars, err := appPkg.CheckEnv(app)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatal(err)
diff --git a/cli/app/rollback.go b/cli/app/rollback.go
index 921a338fa..43ceb3a82 100644
--- a/cli/app/rollback.go
+++ b/cli/app/rollback.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package app
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
 	appPkg "coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/app"
@@ -177,7 +178,9 @@ beforehand. See "abra app backup" for more.`),
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
-		appPkg.ExposeAllEnv(stackName, compose, app.Env)
+		newRecipeWithDowngradeVersion := fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", app.Recipe.Name, chosenDowngrade)
+		appPkg.ExposeAllEnv(stackName, compose, app.Env, newRecipeWithDowngradeVersion)
+
 		appPkg.SetRecipeLabel(compose, stackName, app.Recipe.Name)
 		appPkg.SetChaosLabel(compose, stackName, internal.Chaos)
 		if internal.Chaos {
diff --git a/cli/app/upgrade.go b/cli/app/upgrade.go
index daaf232da..0f73352bb 100644
--- a/cli/app/upgrade.go
+++ b/cli/app/upgrade.go
@@ -190,7 +190,9 @@ beforehand. See "abra app backup" for more.`),
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
-		appPkg.ExposeAllEnv(stackName, compose, app.Env)
+		newRecipeWithUpgradeVersion := fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", app.Recipe.Name, chosenUpgrade)
+		appPkg.ExposeAllEnv(stackName, compose, app.Env, newRecipeWithUpgradeVersion)
+
 		appPkg.SetRecipeLabel(compose, stackName, app.Recipe.Name)
 		appPkg.SetChaosLabel(compose, stackName, internal.Chaos)
 		if internal.Chaos {
diff --git a/pkg/app/app.go b/pkg/app/app.go
index c094db9a8..dc91797c5 100644
--- a/pkg/app/app.go
+++ b/pkg/app/app.go
@@ -502,7 +502,11 @@ func GetAppComposeConfig(recipe string, opts stack.Deploy, appEnv envfile.AppEnv
 }
 
 // ExposeAllEnv exposes all env variables to the app container
-func ExposeAllEnv(stackName string, compose *composetypes.Config, appEnv envfile.AppEnv) {
+func ExposeAllEnv(
+	stackName string,
+	compose *composetypes.Config,
+	appEnv envfile.AppEnv,
+	toDeployVersion string) {
 	for _, service := range compose.Services {
 		if service.Name == "app" {
 			log.Debug(i18n.G("adding env vars to %s service config", stackName))
@@ -510,6 +514,11 @@ func ExposeAllEnv(stackName string, compose *composetypes.Config, appEnv envfile
 				_, exists := service.Environment[k]
 				if !exists {
 					value := v
+					if k == "TYPE" || k == "RECIPE" {
+						// NOTE(d1): don't use the wrong version from the app env
+						//           since we are deploying a new version
+						value = toDeployVersion
+					}
 					service.Environment[k] = &value
 					log.Debug(i18n.G("%s: %s: %s", stackName, k, value))
 				}