diff --git a/cli/app/rollback.go b/cli/app/rollback.go
index 223ceda7..a13acbc8 100644
--- a/cli/app/rollback.go
+++ b/cli/app/rollback.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ recipes.
 		conf := runtime.New()
 
 		if !internal.Chaos {
-			if err := recipe.EnsureUpToDate(app.Recipe); err != nil {
+			if err := recipe.EnsureUpToDate(app.Recipe, conf); err != nil {
 				logrus.Fatal(err)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/cli/app/upgrade.go b/cli/app/upgrade.go
index 8ea8f4b0..2784d9f4 100644
--- a/cli/app/upgrade.go
+++ b/cli/app/upgrade.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ recipes.
 		}
 
 		if !internal.Chaos {
-			if err := recipe.EnsureUpToDate(app.Recipe); err != nil {
+			if err := recipe.EnsureUpToDate(app.Recipe, conf); err != nil {
 				logrus.Fatal(err)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/cli/catalogue/catalogue.go b/cli/catalogue/catalogue.go
index b4699a88..5e255d48 100644
--- a/cli/catalogue/catalogue.go
+++ b/cli/catalogue/catalogue.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/formatter"
 	gitPkg "coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/git"
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/recipe"
+	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/go-git/go-git/v5"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
@@ -54,6 +55,8 @@ keys configured on your account.
 	ArgsUsage: "[<recipe>]",
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
 		recipeName := c.Args().First()
+		conf := runtime.New()
+
 		if recipeName != "" {
 			internal.ValidateRecipe(c)
 		}
@@ -79,7 +82,7 @@ keys configured on your account.
 
 		if !internal.SkipUpdates {
 			logrus.Warn(logMsg)
-			if err := recipe.UpdateRepositories(repos, recipeName); err != nil {
+			if err := recipe.UpdateRepositories(repos, recipeName, conf); err != nil {
 				logrus.Fatal(err)
 			}
 		}
@@ -97,7 +100,7 @@ keys configured on your account.
 				continue
 			}
 
-			versions, err := recipe.GetRecipeVersions(recipeMeta.Name)
+			versions, err := recipe.GetRecipeVersions(recipeMeta.Name, conf)
 			if err != nil {
 				logrus.Warn(err)
 			}
diff --git a/cli/internal/deploy.go b/cli/internal/deploy.go
index 3993aecd..da4b26cb 100644
--- a/cli/internal/deploy.go
+++ b/cli/internal/deploy.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func DeployAction(c *cli.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	if !Chaos {
-		if err := recipe.EnsureUpToDate(app.Recipe); err != nil {
+		if err := recipe.EnsureUpToDate(app.Recipe, conf); err != nil {
 			logrus.Fatal(err)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/cli/internal/new.go b/cli/internal/new.go
index b05f2937..5ad8ca88 100644
--- a/cli/internal/new.go
+++ b/cli/internal/new.go
@@ -122,7 +122,8 @@ func ensureServerFlag() error {
 func NewAction(c *cli.Context) error {
 	recipe := ValidateRecipeWithPrompt(c, runtime.WithEnsureRecipeLatest(false))
 
-	if err := recipePkg.EnsureUpToDate(recipe.Name); err != nil {
+	conf := runtime.New(runtime.WithEnsureRecipeLatest(false))
+	if err := recipePkg.EnsureUpToDate(recipe.Name, conf); err != nil {
 		logrus.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/cli/recipe/fetch.go b/cli/recipe/fetch.go
index b124c80c..3968f418 100644
--- a/cli/recipe/fetch.go
+++ b/cli/recipe/fetch.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/cli/internal"
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/autocomplete"
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/recipe"
+	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
@@ -21,6 +22,8 @@ var recipeFetchCommand = cli.Command{
 	BashComplete: autocomplete.RecipeNameComplete,
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
 		recipeName := c.Args().First()
+		conf := runtime.New()
+
 		if recipeName != "" {
 			internal.ValidateRecipe(c)
 			return nil // ValidateRecipe ensures latest checkout
@@ -31,7 +34,7 @@ var recipeFetchCommand = cli.Command{
 			logrus.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
-		if err := recipe.UpdateRepositories(repos, recipeName); err != nil {
+		if err := recipe.UpdateRepositories(repos, recipeName, conf); err != nil {
 			logrus.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
diff --git a/cli/recipe/lint.go b/cli/recipe/lint.go
index f9e8e6a5..e5e440d3 100644
--- a/cli/recipe/lint.go
+++ b/cli/recipe/lint.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/formatter"
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/lint"
 	recipePkg "coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/recipe"
+	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
@@ -25,8 +26,9 @@ var recipeLintCommand = cli.Command{
 	BashComplete: autocomplete.RecipeNameComplete,
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
 		recipe := internal.ValidateRecipe(c)
+		conf := runtime.New()
 
-		if err := recipePkg.EnsureUpToDate(recipe.Name); err != nil {
+		if err := recipePkg.EnsureUpToDate(recipe.Name, conf); err != nil {
 			logrus.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
diff --git a/cli/recipe/upgrade.go b/cli/recipe/upgrade.go
index 8f7beeeb..dfbc849f 100644
--- a/cli/recipe/upgrade.go
+++ b/cli/recipe/upgrade.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/config"
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/formatter"
 	recipePkg "coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/recipe"
+	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/runtime"
 	"coopcloud.tech/tagcmp"
 	"github.com/AlecAivazis/survey/v2"
 	"github.com/docker/distribution/reference"
@@ -60,8 +61,9 @@ You may invoke this command in "wizard" mode and be prompted for input:
 	Before: internal.SubCommandBefore,
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
 		recipe := internal.ValidateRecipeWithPrompt(c)
+		conf := runtime.New()
 
-		if err := recipePkg.EnsureUpToDate(recipe.Name); err != nil {
+		if err := recipePkg.EnsureUpToDate(recipe.Name, conf); err != nil {
 			logrus.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
diff --git a/cli/updater/updater.go b/cli/updater/updater.go
index e00034c5..af849b99 100644
--- a/cli/updater/updater.go
+++ b/cli/updater/updater.go
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ func processRecipeRepoVersion(recipeName, version string, conf *runtime.Config)
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := recipe.EnsureUpToDate(recipeName); err != nil {
+	if err := recipe.EnsureUpToDate(recipeName, conf); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/recipe/recipe.go b/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
index cd47f820..1ec9112f 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
@@ -587,7 +587,11 @@ 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) error {
+func EnsureUpToDate(recipeName string, conf *runtime.Config) error {
+	if !conf.EnsureRecipeLatest {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	recipeDir := path.Join(config.RECIPES_DIR, recipeName)
 
 	isClean, err := gitPkg.IsClean(recipeDir)
@@ -932,10 +936,8 @@ func ReadReposMetadata() (RepoCatalogue, error) {
 }
 
 // GetRecipeVersions retrieves all recipe versions.
-func GetRecipeVersions(recipeName string, opts ...runtime.Option) (RecipeVersions, error) {
+func GetRecipeVersions(recipeName string, conf *runtime.Config) (RecipeVersions, error) {
 	versions := RecipeVersions{}
-	conf := runtime.New(opts...)
-
 	recipeDir := path.Join(config.RECIPES_DIR, recipeName)
 
 	logrus.Debugf("attempting to open git repository in %s", recipeDir)
@@ -1037,7 +1039,7 @@ func GetRecipeCatalogueVersions(recipeName string, catl RecipeCatalogue) ([]stri
 }
 
 // UpdateRepositories clones and updates all recipe repositories locally.
-func UpdateRepositories(repos RepoCatalogue, recipeName string) error {
+func UpdateRepositories(repos RepoCatalogue, recipeName string, conf *runtime.Config) error {
 	var barLength int
 	if recipeName != "" {
 		barLength = 1
@@ -1071,7 +1073,7 @@ func UpdateRepositories(repos RepoCatalogue, recipeName string) error {
 				logrus.Fatal(err)
 			}
 
-			if err := EnsureUpToDate(rm.Name); err != nil {
+			if err := EnsureUpToDate(rm.Name, conf); err != nil {
 				logrus.Fatal(err)
 			}
 
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/runtime.go b/pkg/runtime/runtime.go
index a8580738..e604b4e1 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/runtime.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/runtime.go
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ type Config struct {
 	EnsureRecipeLatest bool // ensure the local recipe has latest changes
 }
 
-// Option modified a Config.
+// Option modified a Config. The convetion for passing Options to functions is
+// so far, only used in internal/validate.go. A Config is then constructed and
+// passed down further into the code. This may change in the future but this is
+// at least the abstraction so far.
 type Option func(c *Config)
 
 // New instantiates a new Config.