diff --git a/cli/internal/validate.go b/cli/internal/validate.go
index 933e7add..2ea6cd47 100644
--- a/cli/internal/validate.go
+++ b/cli/internal/validate.go
@@ -17,34 +17,34 @@ func ValidateRecipe(args []string, cmdName string) recipe.Recipe {
 		recipeName = args[0]
 	}
 
-	if recipeName == "" && !NoInput {
-		var recipes []string
+	var recipes []string
 
-		catl, err := recipe.ReadRecipeCatalogue(Offline)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatal(err)
-		}
+	catl, err := recipe.ReadRecipeCatalogue(Offline)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
 
-		knownRecipes := make(map[string]bool)
-		for name := range catl {
-			knownRecipes[name] = true
-		}
+	knownRecipes := make(map[string]bool)
+	for name := range catl {
+		knownRecipes[name] = true
+	}
 
-		localRecipes, err := recipe.GetRecipesLocal()
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Debugf("can't read local recipes: %s", err)
-		} else {
-			for _, recipeLocal := range localRecipes {
-				if _, ok := knownRecipes[recipeLocal]; !ok {
-					knownRecipes[recipeLocal] = true
-				}
+	localRecipes, err := recipe.GetRecipesLocal()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Debugf("can't read local recipes: %s", err)
+	} else {
+		for _, recipeLocal := range localRecipes {
+			if _, ok := knownRecipes[recipeLocal]; !ok {
+				knownRecipes[recipeLocal] = true
 			}
 		}
+	}
 
-		for recipeName := range knownRecipes {
-			recipes = append(recipes, recipeName)
-		}
+	for recipeName := range knownRecipes {
+		recipes = append(recipes, recipeName)
+	}
 
+	if recipeName == "" && !NoInput {
 		prompt := &survey.Select{
 			Message: "Select recipe",
 			Options: recipes,
@@ -58,11 +58,15 @@ func ValidateRecipe(args []string, cmdName string) recipe.Recipe {
 		log.Fatal("no recipe name provided")
 	}
 
+	if _, ok := knownRecipes[recipeName]; !ok {
+		log.Fatalf("no recipe '%s' exists?", recipeName)
+	}
+
 	chosenRecipe := recipe.Get(recipeName)
-	err := chosenRecipe.EnsureExists()
-	if err != nil {
+	if err := chosenRecipe.EnsureExists(); err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
+
 	_, err = chosenRecipe.GetComposeConfig(nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		if cmdName == "generate" {
diff --git a/cli/recipe/fetch.go b/cli/recipe/fetch.go
index 2a31e8b2..a5c1a368 100644
--- a/cli/recipe/fetch.go
+++ b/cli/recipe/fetch.go
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ var RecipeFetchCommand = &cobra.Command{
 			log.Fatal("cannot use [recipe] and --all/-a together")
 		}
 
-		ensureCtx := internal.GetEnsureContext()
 		if recipeName != "" {
 			r := recipe.Get(recipeName)
 			if _, err := os.Stat(r.Dir); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
@@ -91,6 +90,7 @@ var RecipeFetchCommand = &cobra.Command{
 		}
 
 		catlBar := formatter.CreateProgressbar(len(catalogue), "fetching latest recipes...")
+		ensureCtx := internal.GetEnsureContext()
 		for recipeName := range catalogue {
 			r := recipe.Get(recipeName)
 			if err := r.Ensure(ensureCtx); err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/recipe/git.go b/pkg/recipe/git.go
index 9a5dd95b..e430d71a 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/git.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/git.go
@@ -40,14 +40,14 @@ func (r Recipe) Ensure(ctx EnsureContext) error {
 
 	if !ctx.Offline {
 		if err := r.EnsureUpToDate(); err != nil {
-			log.Fatal(err)
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
 	if r.EnvVersion != "" && !ctx.IgnoreEnvVersion {
 		log.Debugf("ensuring env version %s", r.EnvVersion)
 		if strings.Contains(r.EnvVersion, "+U") {
-			log.Fatalf("can not redeploy chaos version (%s) without --chaos", r.EnvVersion)
+			return fmt.Errorf("can not redeploy chaos version (%s) without --chaos", r.EnvVersion)
 		}
 
 		if _, err := r.EnsureVersion(r.EnvVersion); err != nil {
diff --git a/tests/integration/helpers/app.bash b/tests/integration/helpers/app.bash
index c9da3294..62b7ae22 100644
--- a/tests/integration/helpers/app.bash
+++ b/tests/integration/helpers/app.bash
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 _new_app() {
+  _fetch_recipe
+
   run $ABRA app new "$TEST_RECIPE" \
     --no-input \
     --server "$TEST_SERVER" \