diff --git a/.drone.yml b/.drone.yml
index 601a89f8..17c563ad 100644
--- a/.drone.yml
+++ b/.drone.yml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ steps:
       event: tag
 
   - name: release
-    image: goreleaser/goreleaser:v1.19.2
+    image: goreleaser/goreleaser:v1.18.2
     environment:
       GITEA_TOKEN:
         from_secret: goreleaser_gitea_token
diff --git a/cli/app/deploy.go b/cli/app/deploy.go
index da50050f..44bbfd0c 100644
--- a/cli/app/deploy.go
+++ b/cli/app/deploy.go
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ recipes.
 			}
 		}
 
+		isLatestHash := false
 		version := deployedVersion
 		if version == "unknown" && !internal.Chaos {
 			catl, err := recipe.ReadRecipeCatalogue(conf)
@@ -114,6 +115,7 @@ recipes.
 				if err != nil {
 					logrus.Fatal(err)
 				}
+				isLatestHash = true
 				version = formatter.SmallSHA(head.String())
 				logrus.Warn("no versions detected, using latest commit")
 				if err := recipe.EnsureLatest(app.Recipe, conf); err != nil {
@@ -129,7 +131,7 @@ recipes.
 			}
 		}
 
-		if version != "unknown" && !internal.Chaos {
+		if version != "unknown" && !internal.Chaos && !isLatestHash {
 			if err := recipe.EnsureVersion(app.Recipe, version); err != nil {
 				logrus.Fatal(err)
 			}
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..69c646af 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
@@ -236,9 +236,10 @@ func Get(recipeName string, conf *runtime.Config) (Recipe, error) {
 
 	meta, err := GetRecipeMeta(recipeName, conf)
 	if err != nil {
-		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "does not exist") {
+		switch err.(type) {
+		case RecipeMissingFromCatalogue:
 			meta = RecipeMeta{}
-		} else {
+		default:
 			return Recipe{}, err
 		}
 	}
@@ -252,6 +253,11 @@ 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 +345,11 @@ 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)
@@ -368,7 +379,12 @@ func EnsureLatest(recipeName string, conf *runtime.Config) error {
 
 	meta, err := GetRecipeMeta(recipeName, conf)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		switch err.(type) {
+		case RecipeMissingFromCatalogue:
+			meta = RecipeMeta{}
+		default:
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	var branch plumbing.ReferenceName
@@ -584,6 +600,11 @@ 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)
@@ -719,6 +740,14 @@ func VersionsOfService(recipe, serviceName string, conf *runtime.Config) ([]stri
 	return versions, nil
 }
 
+// RecipeMissingFromCatalogue signifies a recipe is not present in the catalogue.
+type RecipeMissingFromCatalogue struct{ err string }
+
+// Error outputs the error message.
+func (r RecipeMissingFromCatalogue) Error() string {
+	return r.err
+}
+
 // GetRecipeMeta retrieves the recipe metadata from the recipe catalogue.
 func GetRecipeMeta(recipeName string, conf *runtime.Config) (RecipeMeta, error) {
 	catl, err := ReadRecipeCatalogue(conf)
@@ -728,7 +757,9 @@ func GetRecipeMeta(recipeName string, conf *runtime.Config) (RecipeMeta, error)
 
 	recipeMeta, ok := catl[recipeName]
 	if !ok {
-		return RecipeMeta{}, fmt.Errorf("recipe %s does not exist?", recipeName)
+		return RecipeMeta{}, RecipeMissingFromCatalogue{
+			err: fmt.Sprintf("recipe %s does not exist?", recipeName),
+		}
 	}
 
 	if err := EnsureExists(recipeName, conf); err != nil {
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
+	}
+}
diff --git a/renovate.json b/renovate.json
index c6b1b7ba..bd95ddef 100644
--- a/renovate.json
+++ b/renovate.json
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
     "gomodTidy"
   ],
   "ignoreDeps": [
-    "github.com/urfave/cli"
+    "github.com/urfave/cli",
+    "goreleaser/goreleaser"
   ]
 }
diff --git a/tests/integration/.envrc.sample b/tests/manual/.envrc.sample
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/.envrc.sample
rename to tests/manual/.envrc.sample
diff --git a/tests/integration/.gitignore b/tests/manual/.gitignore
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/.gitignore
rename to tests/manual/.gitignore
diff --git a/tests/integration/README.md b/tests/manual/README.md
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/README.md
rename to tests/manual/README.md
diff --git a/tests/integration/app.sh b/tests/manual/app.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/app.sh
rename to tests/manual/app.sh
diff --git a/tests/integration/autocomplete.sh b/tests/manual/autocomplete.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/autocomplete.sh
rename to tests/manual/autocomplete.sh
diff --git a/tests/integration/catalogue.sh b/tests/manual/catalogue.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/catalogue.sh
rename to tests/manual/catalogue.sh
diff --git a/tests/integration/cmd.sh b/tests/manual/cmd.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/cmd.sh
rename to tests/manual/cmd.sh
diff --git a/tests/integration/common.sh b/tests/manual/common.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/common.sh
rename to tests/manual/common.sh
diff --git a/tests/integration/install.sh b/tests/manual/install.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/install.sh
rename to tests/manual/install.sh
diff --git a/tests/integration/recipe.sh b/tests/manual/recipe.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/recipe.sh
rename to tests/manual/recipe.sh
diff --git a/tests/integration/records.sh b/tests/manual/records.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/records.sh
rename to tests/manual/records.sh
diff --git a/tests/integration/server.sh b/tests/manual/server.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/server.sh
rename to tests/manual/server.sh
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_all.sh b/tests/manual/test_all.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/test_all.sh
rename to tests/manual/test_all.sh
diff --git a/tests/integration/testfunctions.sh b/tests/manual/testfunctions.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/integration/testfunctions.sh
rename to tests/manual/testfunctions.sh