diff --git a/cli/internal/validate.go b/cli/internal/validate.go
index 2a26fce5e..3819d9404 100644
--- a/cli/internal/validate.go
+++ b/cli/internal/validate.go
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ func ValidateApp(c *cli.Context) config.App {
 		logrus.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
+	if err := recipe.EnsureExists(app.Type); err != nil {
+		logrus.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
 	logrus.Debugf("validated '%s' as app argument", appName)
 
 	return app
diff --git a/cli/recipe/release.go b/cli/recipe/release.go
index bafa0760d..f9c10b194 100644
--- a/cli/recipe/release.go
+++ b/cli/recipe/release.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/cli/internal"
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/config"
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/recipe"
+	recipePkg "coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/recipe"
 	"coopcloud.tech/tagcmp"
 	"github.com/AlecAivazis/survey/v2"
 	"github.com/go-git/go-git/v5"
@@ -92,6 +93,11 @@ or a rollback of an app.
 		imagesTmp := getImageVersions(recipe)
 		mainApp := getMainApp(recipe)
 		mainAppVersion := imagesTmp[mainApp]
+
+		if err := recipePkg.EnsureExists(recipe.Name); err != nil {
+			logrus.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
 		if mainAppVersion == "" {
 			logrus.Fatal("main app version is empty?")
 		}