diff --git a/cli/app/logs.go b/cli/app/logs.go
index 008be8f7..b1cd992c 100644
--- a/cli/app/logs.go
+++ b/cli/app/logs.go
@@ -84,7 +84,11 @@ var appLogsCommand = cli.Command{
 	Before:       internal.SubCommandBefore,
 	BashComplete: autocomplete.AppNameComplete,
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-		conf := runtime.New(runtime.WithOffline(internal.Offline))
+		conf := runtime.New(
+			runtime.WithOffline(internal.Offline),
+			runtime.WithEnsureRecipeExists(false),
+		)
+
 		app := internal.ValidateApp(c, conf)
 
 		cl, err := client.New(app.Server)
diff --git a/cli/app/new.go b/cli/app/new.go
index 40927d1f..ac8e194c 100644
--- a/cli/app/new.go
+++ b/cli/app/new.go
@@ -58,7 +58,11 @@ var appNewCommand = cli.Command{
 	Before:    internal.SubCommandBefore,
 	ArgsUsage: "[<recipe>]",
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-		conf := runtime.New(runtime.WithOffline(internal.Offline))
+		conf := runtime.New(
+			runtime.WithOffline(internal.Offline),
+			runtime.WithEnsureRecipeUpToDate(false),
+		)
+
 		recipe := internal.ValidateRecipeWithPrompt(c, conf)
 
 		if err := recipePkg.EnsureUpToDate(recipe.Name, conf); err != nil {
diff --git a/cli/recipe/release.go b/cli/recipe/release.go
index 01c109f1..82d490f4 100644
--- a/cli/recipe/release.go
+++ b/cli/recipe/release.go
@@ -60,7 +60,11 @@ your SSH keys configured on your account.
 	Before:       internal.SubCommandBefore,
 	BashComplete: autocomplete.RecipeNameComplete,
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-		conf := runtime.New(runtime.WithOffline(internal.Offline))
+		conf := runtime.New(
+			runtime.WithOffline(internal.Offline),
+			runtime.WithEnsureRecipeUpToDate(false),
+		)
+
 		recipe := internal.ValidateRecipeWithPrompt(c, conf)
 
 		imagesTmp, err := getImageVersions(recipe)
diff --git a/cli/recipe/sync.go b/cli/recipe/sync.go
index b6576237..39f4189d 100644
--- a/cli/recipe/sync.go
+++ b/cli/recipe/sync.go
@@ -43,7 +43,11 @@ auto-generate it for you. The <recipe> configuration will be updated on the
 local file system.
 `,
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-		conf := runtime.New(runtime.WithOffline(internal.Offline))
+		conf := runtime.New(
+			runtime.WithOffline(internal.Offline),
+			runtime.WithEnsureRecipeUpToDate(false),
+		)
+
 		recipe := internal.ValidateRecipeWithPrompt(c, conf)
 
 		mainApp, err := internal.GetMainAppImage(recipe)
diff --git a/cli/recipe/version.go b/cli/recipe/version.go
index b42afb94..4852a93f 100644
--- a/cli/recipe/version.go
+++ b/cli/recipe/version.go
@@ -22,7 +22,11 @@ var recipeVersionCommand = cli.Command{
 	Before:       internal.SubCommandBefore,
 	BashComplete: autocomplete.RecipeNameComplete,
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-		conf := runtime.New(runtime.WithOffline(internal.Offline))
+		conf := runtime.New(
+			runtime.WithOffline(internal.Offline),
+			runtime.WithEnsureRecipeUpToDate(false),
+		)
+
 		recipe := internal.ValidateRecipe(c, conf)
 
 		catalogue, err := recipePkg.ReadRecipeCatalogue(conf)
diff --git a/pkg/recipe/recipe.go b/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
index 64ce637b..2b0a9fde 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
@@ -252,6 +252,11 @@ func Get(recipeName string, conf *runtime.Config) (Recipe, error) {
 
 // EnsureExists ensures that a recipe is locally cloned
 func EnsureExists(recipeName string, conf *runtime.Config) error {
+	if !conf.RecipeExists {
+		logrus.Debug("skipping ensuring recipe locally exists")
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	recipeDir := path.Join(config.RECIPES_DIR, recipeName)
 
 	if _, err := os.Stat(recipeDir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
@@ -339,6 +344,11 @@ func EnsureVersion(recipeName, version string) error {
 
 // EnsureLatest makes sure the latest commit is checked out for a local recipe repository
 func EnsureLatest(recipeName string, conf *runtime.Config) error {
+	if !conf.RecipeLatest {
+		logrus.Debug("skipping ensuring recipe is synced with remote")
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	recipeDir := path.Join(config.RECIPES_DIR, recipeName)
 
 	isClean, err := gitPkg.IsClean(recipeDir)
@@ -584,6 +594,11 @@ func GetStringInBetween(recipeName, str, start, end string) (result string, err
 
 // EnsureUpToDate ensures that the local repo is synced to the remote
 func EnsureUpToDate(recipeName string, conf *runtime.Config) error {
+	if !conf.RecipeLatest {
+		logrus.Debug("skipping ensuring recipe is synced with remote")
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	recipeDir := path.Join(config.RECIPES_DIR, recipeName)
 
 	isClean, err := gitPkg.IsClean(recipeDir)
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/config.go b/pkg/runtime/config.go
index d4518203..cd0fa2a9 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/config.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/config.go
@@ -2,14 +2,23 @@ package runtime
 
 import "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 
+// Config is a runtime behaviour modifier.
 type Config struct {
-	Offline bool
+	Offline      bool // Whether or not Abra should prefer local / offline access
+	RecipeExists bool // Whether or not Abra should ensure the recipe is locally cloned
+	RecipeLatest bool // Whether or not Abra should ensure the recipe has the latest commit
 }
 
+// Option is a runtime configuration option.
 type Option func(c *Config)
 
+// New creates a new runtime configuration.
 func New(opts ...Option) *Config {
-	conf := &Config{Offline: false}
+	conf := &Config{
+		Offline:      false,
+		RecipeExists: true,
+		RecipeLatest: true,
+	}
 
 	for _, optFunc := range opts {
 		optFunc(conf)
@@ -18,6 +27,8 @@ func New(opts ...Option) *Config {
 	return conf
 }
 
+// WithOffline ensures Abra attempts to prefer local file system and offline
+// access.
 func WithOffline(offline bool) Option {
 	return func(c *Config) {
 		if offline {
@@ -26,3 +37,23 @@ func WithOffline(offline bool) Option {
 		c.Offline = offline
 	}
 }
+
+// WithEnsureRecipeExists ensures recipe exists locally.
+func WithEnsureRecipeExists(exists bool) Option {
+	return func(c *Config) {
+		if exists {
+			logrus.Debugf("runtime config: ensuring recipe exists")
+		}
+		c.RecipeExists = exists
+	}
+}
+
+// WithEnsureRecipeUpToDate ensures recipe is synced with the remote.
+func WithEnsureRecipeUpToDate(upToDate bool) Option {
+	return func(c *Config) {
+		if upToDate {
+			logrus.Debugf("runtime config: ensuring recipe is synced with remote")
+		}
+		c.RecipeLatest = upToDate
+	}
+}