diff --git a/pkg/envfile/envfile_test.go b/pkg/envfile/envfile_test.go
index 3fca108e..f669ce90 100644
--- a/pkg/envfile/envfile_test.go
+++ b/pkg/envfile/envfile_test.go
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ func TestEnvVarCommentsRemoved(t *testing.T) {
 
 	envVar, exists = envSample["SECRET_TEST_PASS_TWO_VERSION"]
 	if !exists {
-		t.Fatal("WITH_COMMENT env var should be present in .env.sample")
+		t.Fatal("SECRET_TEST_PASS_TWO_VERSION env var should be present in .env.sample")
 	}
 
 	if strings.Contains(envVar, "length") {
diff --git a/tests/integration/app_new.bats b/tests/integration/app_new.bats
index 6899270e..463071e9 100644
--- a/tests/integration/app_new.bats
+++ b/tests/integration/app_new.bats
@@ -51,25 +51,22 @@ teardown(){
   assert_success
   assert_exists "$ABRA_DIR/servers/$TEST_SERVER/$TEST_APP_DOMAIN.env"
 
-  assert_equal $(_get_tag_hash 0.3.0+1.21.0) $(_get_current_hash)
-
   run grep -q "TYPE=$TEST_RECIPE:0.3.0+1.21.0" \
     "$ABRA_DIR/servers/$TEST_SERVER/$TEST_APP_DOMAIN.env"
   assert_success
 }
 
 @test "create new app with chaos commit" {
-  run $ABRA app new "$TEST_RECIPE" 1e83340e \
+  tagHash=$(_get_tag_hash "0.3.0+1.21.0")
+
+  run $ABRA app new "$TEST_RECIPE" "$tagHash" \
     --no-input \
     --server "$TEST_SERVER" \
     --domain "$TEST_APP_DOMAIN"
   assert_success
   assert_exists "$ABRA_DIR/servers/$TEST_SERVER/$TEST_APP_DOMAIN.env"
 
-  currentHash=$(_get_current_hash)
-  assert_equal 1e83340e ${currentHash:0:8}
-
-  run grep -q "TYPE=$TEST_RECIPE:1e83340e" \
+  run grep -q "TYPE=$TEST_RECIPE:${tagHash}" \
     "$ABRA_DIR/servers/$TEST_SERVER/$TEST_APP_DOMAIN.env"
   assert_success
 }
diff --git a/tests/integration/app_ps.bats b/tests/integration/app_ps.bats
index 17e0e5c5..4f82abd4 100644
--- a/tests/integration/app_ps.bats
+++ b/tests/integration/app_ps.bats
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ teardown(){
 @test "show ps report" {
   _deploy_app
 
+  _ensure_env_version "$(_latest_release)"
+
   run $ABRA app ps "$TEST_APP_DOMAIN"
   assert_success
   assert_output --partial 'app'
diff --git a/tests/integration/helpers/recipe.bash b/tests/integration/helpers/recipe.bash
index b50da5e4..bbd68342 100644
--- a/tests/integration/helpers/recipe.bash
+++ b/tests/integration/helpers/recipe.bash
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 _latest_release(){
-  echo $(git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" tag -l | tail -n 1)
+  echo $(git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" tag -l --sort=v:refname | tail -n 1)
 }
 
 _fetch_recipe() {
@@ -22,15 +22,6 @@ _reset_recipe(){
   _fetch_recipe
 }
 
-_ensure_latest_version(){
-  latestRelease=$(_latest_release)
-
-  if [ ! $latestRelease = "$1" ]; then
-    echo "expected latest recipe version of '$1', saw: $latestRelease"
-    return 1
-  fi
-}
-
 _ensure_catalogue(){
   if [[ ! -d "$ABRA_DIR/catalogue" ]]; then
     run git clone https://git.coopcloud.tech/toolshed/recipes-catalogue-json.git $ABRA_DIR/catalogue
diff --git a/tests/integration/recipe_release.bats b/tests/integration/recipe_release.bats
index 52a9e1a5..7113e1a4 100644
--- a/tests/integration/recipe_release.bats
+++ b/tests/integration/recipe_release.bats
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ setup(){
 
 teardown() {
   _reset_recipe
+  _reset_tags
 }
 
 @test "validate recipe argument" {
@@ -31,8 +32,6 @@ teardown() {
 }
 
 @test "release patch bump" {
-  _ensure_latest_version "0.3.0+1.21.0"
-
   run $ABRA recipe upgrade "$TEST_RECIPE" --no-input --patch
   assert_success
 
@@ -40,6 +39,12 @@ teardown() {
   assert_success
   assert_output --partial 'image: nginx:1.21.6'
 
+  # NOTE(d1): ensure the latest tag is the one we expect
+  _remove_tags
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" tag \
+    -a "0.3.0+1.21.0" -m "fake: 0.3.0+1.21.0"
+  assert_success
+
   run $ABRA recipe sync "$TEST_RECIPE" --no-input --patch
   assert_success
   assert_output --partial 'synced label'
@@ -58,8 +63,6 @@ teardown() {
 }
 
 @test "release minor bump" {
-  _ensure_latest_version "0.3.0+1.21.0"
-
   run $ABRA recipe upgrade "$TEST_RECIPE" --no-input --minor
   assert_success
 
@@ -67,6 +70,12 @@ teardown() {
   assert_success
   assert_output --regexp 'image: nginx:1.2.*'
 
+  # NOTE(d1): ensure the latest tag is the one we expect
+  _remove_tags
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" tag \
+    -a "0.3.0+1.21.0" -m "fake: 0.3.0+1.21.0"
+  assert_success
+
   run $ABRA recipe sync "$TEST_RECIPE" --no-input --minor
   assert_success
   assert_output --partial 'synced label'
@@ -102,8 +111,6 @@ teardown() {
 }
 
 @test "release with next release note" {
-  _ensure_latest_version "0.3.0+1.21.0"
-
   _mkfile "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE/release/next" "those are some release notes for the next release"
 
   run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" add release/next
diff --git a/tests/integration/recipe_sync.bats b/tests/integration/recipe_sync.bats
index 6633f11f..33edaa0c 100644
--- a/tests/integration/recipe_sync.bats
+++ b/tests/integration/recipe_sync.bats
@@ -61,8 +61,6 @@ teardown(){
 }
 
 @test "sync patch label bump" {
-  _ensure_latest_version "0.3.0+1.21.0"
-
   run $ABRA recipe upgrade "$TEST_RECIPE" --no-input --patch
   assert_success
 
@@ -70,6 +68,12 @@ teardown(){
   assert_success
   assert_output --partial 'image: nginx:1.21.6'
 
+  # NOTE(d1): ensure the latest tag is the one we expect
+  _remove_tags
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" tag \
+    -a "0.3.0+1.21.0" -m "fake: 0.3.0+1.21.0"
+  assert_success
+
   run $ABRA recipe sync "$TEST_RECIPE" --no-input --patch
   assert_success
 
@@ -79,8 +83,6 @@ teardown(){
 }
 
 @test "sync minor label bump" {
-  _ensure_latest_version "0.3.0+1.21.0"
-
   run $ABRA recipe upgrade "$TEST_RECIPE" --no-input --minor
   assert_success
 
@@ -88,6 +90,12 @@ teardown(){
   assert_success
   assert_output --regexp 'image: nginx:1.2.*'
 
+  # NOTE(d1): ensure the latest tag is the one we expect
+  _remove_tags
+  run git -C "$ABRA_DIR/recipes/$TEST_RECIPE" tag \
+    -a "0.3.0+1.21.0" -m "fake: 0.3.0+1.21.0"
+  assert_success
+
   run $ABRA recipe sync "$TEST_RECIPE" --no-input --minor
   assert_success