diff --git a/cli/app/new.go b/cli/app/new.go
index 72c25e68..657ff513 100644
--- a/cli/app/new.go
+++ b/cli/app/new.go
@@ -185,6 +185,15 @@ var AppNewCommand = &cobra.Command{
 			newAppServer = "local"
 		}
 
+		if recipeVersion == "" {
+			head, err := recipe.Head()
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Fatalf("failed to retrieve latest commit for %s: %s", recipe.Name, err)
+			}
+
+			recipeVersion = formatter.SmallSHA(head.String())
+		}
+
 		log.Infof("%s created (version: %s)", appDomain, recipeVersion)
 
 		if len(appSecrets) > 0 {
diff --git a/tests/integration/app_new.bats b/tests/integration/app_new.bats
index cc0283e2..7516d807 100644
--- a/tests/integration/app_new.bats
+++ b/tests/integration/app_new.bats
@@ -250,3 +250,22 @@ teardown(){
     "$ABRA_DIR/servers/$TEST_SERVER/$TEST_APP_DOMAIN.env"
   assert_success
 }
+
+# bats test_tags=slow
+@test "app new, no releases, latest commit" {
+  currentHash=$(_get_current_hash)
+  _remove_tags
+
+  run $ABRA app new "$TEST_RECIPE" \
+    --no-input \
+    --server "$TEST_SERVER" \
+    --domain "$TEST_APP_DOMAIN" \
+    --secrets \
+  assert_success
+  assert_exists "$ABRA_DIR/servers/$TEST_SERVER/$TEST_APP_DOMAIN.env"
+  # assert_output --partial "version: ${currentHash:0:8}"
+
+  run grep -q "TYPE=$TEST_RECIPE:${currentHash:0:8}" \
+    "$ABRA_DIR/servers/$TEST_SERVER/$TEST_APP_DOMAIN.env"
+  assert_success
+}