diff --git a/pkg/recipe/git.go b/pkg/recipe/git.go
index 7a695fd3..f34337f1 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/git.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/git.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package recipe
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
@@ -67,6 +68,9 @@ func (r Recipe) EnsureExists() error {
 
 // EnsureVersion checks whether a specific version exists for a recipe.
 func (r Recipe) EnsureVersion(version string) (bool, error) {
+	if strings.Contains(version, "+ unstaged changes") {
+		return true, errors.New("A chaos version is configured. \nMaybe your coworker deployed a local version of the recipe?\nOr did you forget to add --chaos?")
+	}
 	isChaosCommit := false
 
 	if err := gitPkg.EnsureGitRepo(r.Dir); err != nil {
diff --git a/tests/integration/app_deploy_env_version.bats b/tests/integration/app_deploy_env_version.bats
index 0522ea05..d56ccc30 100644
--- a/tests/integration/app_deploy_env_version.bats
+++ b/tests/integration/app_deploy_env_version.bats
@@ -25,6 +25,17 @@ teardown(){
   _reset_app
 }
 
+# bats test_tags=slow
+@test "fails to deploy + unstaged changes version" {
+  run sed -i 's/TYPE=abra-test-recipe.*/TYPE=git.coopcloud.tech\/coop-cloud\/abra-test-recipe:111111 + unstaged changes/g' \
+    "$ABRA_DIR/servers/$TEST_SERVER/$TEST_APP_DOMAIN.env"
+  assert_success
+
+  run $ABRA app deploy "$TEST_APP_DOMAIN" --no-input
+  assert_failure
+  assert_output --partial 'A chaos version is configured. \nMaybe your coworker deployed a local version of the recipe?\nOr did you forget to add --chaos?'
+}
+
 # bats test_tags=slow
 @test "deploy version written to env" {
   run $ABRA app deploy "$TEST_APP_DOMAIN" "0.1.0+1.20.0" --no-input --no-converge-checks