diff --git a/pkg/git/clone.go b/pkg/git/clone.go
index c295766f..7b58a086 100644
--- a/pkg/git/clone.go
+++ b/pkg/git/clone.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/log"
 	"github.com/go-git/go-git/v5"
-	"github.com/go-git/go-git/v5/plumbing"
 )
 
 // Clone runs a git clone which accounts for different default branches.
@@ -17,28 +16,19 @@ func Clone(dir, url string) error {
 		log.Debugf("%s does not exist, attempting to git clone from %s", dir, url)
 
 		_, err := git.PlainClone(dir, false, &git.CloneOptions{
-			URL:           url,
-			Tags:          git.AllTags,
-			ReferenceName: plumbing.ReferenceName("refs/heads/master"),
-			SingleBranch:  true,
+			URL:  url,
+			Tags: git.AllTags,
+			// To be able to pull recipe from any branch
+			SingleBranch: false,
 		})
+
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Debugf("cloning %s default branch failed, attempting from main branch", url)
-
-			_, err := git.PlainClone(dir, false, &git.CloneOptions{
-				URL:           url,
-				Tags:          git.AllTags,
-				ReferenceName: plumbing.ReferenceName("refs/heads/main"),
-				SingleBranch:  true,
-			})
-			if err != nil {
-				if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "authentication required") {
-					name := filepath.Base(dir)
-					return fmt.Errorf("unable to clone %s, does %s exist?", name, url)
-				}
-
-				return err
+			if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "authentication required") {
+				name := filepath.Base(dir)
+				return fmt.Errorf("unable to clone %s, does %s exist?", name, url)
 			}
+
+			return err
 		}
 
 		log.Debugf("%s has been git cloned successfully", dir)
diff --git a/pkg/recipe/compose.go b/pkg/recipe/compose.go
index 736e5f70..2a3e8770 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/compose.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/compose.go
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ func (r Recipe) GetVersionLabelLocal() (string, error) {
 
 	for _, service := range config.Services {
 		for label, value := range service.Deploy.Labels {
+			log.Debugf("checking deploy label '%s' with value '%s' for correct formatting", label, value)
 			if strings.HasPrefix(label, "coop-cloud") && strings.Contains(label, "version") {
 				return value, nil
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/recipe/git.go b/pkg/recipe/git.go
index 7a695fd3..37782441 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/git.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/git.go
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ func (r Recipe) EnsureExists() error {
 // EnsureVersion checks whether a specific version exists for a recipe.
 func (r Recipe) EnsureVersion(version string) (bool, error) {
 	isChaosCommit := false
+	log.Debugf("ensuring version '%s' exists for recipe '%s'", version, r.Name)
 
 	if err := gitPkg.EnsureGitRepo(r.Dir); err != nil {
 		return isChaosCommit, err
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ func (r Recipe) EnsureVersion(version string) (bool, error) {
 		return isChaosCommit, err
 	}
 
-	tags, err := repo.Tags()
+	tags, err := repo.References()
 	if err != nil {
 		return isChaosCommit, err
 	}
@@ -117,11 +118,11 @@ func (r Recipe) EnsureVersion(version string) (bool, error) {
 
 	worktree, err := repo.Worktree()
 	if err != nil {
-		return isChaosCommit, nil
+		return isChaosCommit, err
 	}
 
 	if err := worktree.Checkout(opts); err != nil {
-		return isChaosCommit, nil
+		return isChaosCommit, err
 	}
 
 	log.Debugf("successfully checked %s out to %s in %s", r.Name, tagRef.Short(), r.Dir)
@@ -216,7 +217,7 @@ func (r Recipe) EnsureUpToDate() error {
 	opts := &git.PullOptions{
 		Force:         true,
 		ReferenceName: branch,
-		SingleBranch:  true,
+		SingleBranch:  false,
 	}
 
 	if err := worktree.Pull(opts); err != nil {