diff --git a/cli/internal/validate.go b/cli/internal/validate.go
index 36f72679..7a66444d 100644
--- a/cli/internal/validate.go
+++ b/cli/internal/validate.go
@@ -42,10 +42,8 @@ func ValidateRecipe(c *cli.Context, opts ...runtime.Option) recipe.Recipe {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if conf.EnsureRecipeLatest {
-		if err := recipe.EnsureLatest(recipeName, conf); err != nil {
-			logrus.Fatal(err)
-		}
+	if err := recipe.EnsureLatest(recipeName, conf); err != nil {
+		logrus.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
 	logrus.Debugf("validated %s as recipe argument", recipeName)
@@ -110,10 +108,8 @@ func ValidateRecipeWithPrompt(c *cli.Context, opts ...runtime.Option) recipe.Rec
 		logrus.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	if conf.EnsureRecipeLatest {
-		if err := recipe.EnsureLatest(recipeName, conf); err != nil {
-			logrus.Fatal(err)
-		}
+	if err := recipe.EnsureLatest(recipeName, conf); err != nil {
+		logrus.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
 	logrus.Debugf("validated %s as recipe argument", recipeName)
diff --git a/pkg/recipe/recipe.go b/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
index d7b015ae..cd47f820 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
@@ -339,6 +339,10 @@ 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.EnsureRecipeLatest {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	recipeDir := path.Join(config.RECIPES_DIR, recipeName)
 
 	isClean, err := gitPkg.IsClean(recipeDir)