diff --git a/cli/recipe/version.go b/cli/recipe/version.go
index baa1c4f7..c29859e0 100644
--- a/cli/recipe/version.go
+++ b/cli/recipe/version.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package recipe
 
 import (
+	"sort"
+
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/cli/internal"
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/autocomplete"
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/formatter"
@@ -9,6 +11,16 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
+func sortServiceByName(versions [][]string) func(i, j int) bool {
+	return func(i, j int) bool {
+		// NOTE(d1): corresponds to the `tableCol` definition below
+		if versions[i][1] == "app" {
+			return true
+		}
+		return false
+	}
+}
+
 var recipeVersionCommand = cli.Command{
 	Name:        "versions",
 	Aliases:     []string{"v"},
@@ -19,6 +31,7 @@ var recipeVersionCommand = cli.Command{
 		internal.DebugFlag,
 		internal.OfflineFlag,
 		internal.NoInputFlag,
+		internal.MachineReadableFlag,
 	},
 	Before:       internal.SubCommandBefore,
 	BashComplete: autocomplete.RecipeNameComplete,
@@ -32,28 +45,37 @@ var recipeVersionCommand = cli.Command{
 
 		recipeMeta, ok := catl[recipe.Name]
 		if !ok {
-			logrus.Fatalf("%s recipe doesn't exist?", recipe.Name)
+			logrus.Fatalf("%s is not published on the catalogue?", recipe.Name)
 		}
 
-		tableCol := []string{"Version", "Service", "Image", "Tag"}
-		table := formatter.CreateTable(tableCol)
+		if len(recipeMeta.Versions) == 0 {
+			logrus.Fatalf("%s has no catalogue published versions?", recipe.Name)
+		}
 
 		for i := len(recipeMeta.Versions) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
-			for tag, meta := range recipeMeta.Versions[i] {
+			tableCols := []string{"Version", "Service", "Image", "Tag"}
+			table := formatter.CreateTable(tableCols)
+			for version, meta := range recipeMeta.Versions[i] {
+				var versions [][]string
 				for service, serviceMeta := range meta {
-					table.Append([]string{tag, service, serviceMeta.Image, serviceMeta.Tag})
+					versions = append(versions, []string{version, service, serviceMeta.Image, serviceMeta.Tag})
+				}
+
+				sort.Slice(versions, sortServiceByName(versions))
+
+				for _, version := range versions {
+					table.Append(version)
+				}
+
+				if internal.MachineReadable {
+					table.JSONRender()
+				} else {
+					table.SetAutoMergeCellsByColumnIndex([]int{0})
+					table.Render()
 				}
 			}
 		}
 
-		table.SetAutoMergeCells(true)
-
-		if table.NumLines() > 0 {
-			table.Render()
-		} else {
-			logrus.Fatalf("%s has no published versions?", recipe.Name)
-		}
-
 		return nil
 	},
 }
diff --git a/tests/integration/recipe_version.bats b/tests/integration/recipe_version.bats
index 5d5bfca7..5efc9f5d 100644
--- a/tests/integration/recipe_version.bats
+++ b/tests/integration/recipe_version.bats
@@ -10,3 +10,28 @@ setup() {
   assert_success
   assert_output --partial '2.3.2+1.20.3-rootless'
 }
+
+@test "error if not present in catalogue" {
+  run $ABRA recipe versions "$TEST_RECIPE"
+  assert_failure
+  assert_output --partial "is not published on the catalogue"
+}
+
+@test "versions listed in correct order" {
+  latestVersion=$(jq -r '.gitea.versions[-1] | keys[0]' < "$ABRA_DIR/catalogue/recipes.json")
+  refute [ -z "$latestVersion" ];
+
+  run bash -c '$ABRA recipe versions gitea --machine | jq -r ".[0].Version" | head -n 1'
+  assert_success
+  assert_output "$latestVersion"
+}
+
+@test "app is first service listed" {
+  run bash -c '$ABRA recipe versions gitea --machine | jq -r ".[0].Service" | uniq'
+  assert_success
+  assert_output 'app'
+
+  run bash -c '$ABRA recipe versions gitea --machine | jq -r ".[1].Service" | uniq'
+  assert_success
+  assert_output 'db'
+}