diff --git a/abra b/abra
index f12c287..d3d8e66 100755
--- a/abra
+++ b/abra
@@ -504,6 +504,7 @@ output_version_summary() {
 
   CONSENT_TO_UPDATE=$abra___update
   IS_AN_UPDATE="false"
+  UNABLE_TO_DETECT="false"
 
   IFS=':' read -ra COMPOSE_FILES <<< "$COMPOSE_FILE"
   for COMPOSE in "${COMPOSE_FILES[@]}"; do
@@ -534,6 +535,7 @@ output_version_summary() {
 
       else
         warning "Unable to detect deployed version of ${STACK_NAME}_${SERVICE}, please proceed with caution"
+        UNABLE_TO_DETECT="true"
       fi
     done
   done
@@ -541,8 +543,12 @@ output_version_summary() {
   if [[ $IS_AN_UPDATE == "true" ]]; then
     require_consent_for_update
   else
-    success "Nothing to deploy, you're on latest"
-    exit 0
+    # Note(decentral1se): in the cases where we couldn't detect a version we
+    # shouldn't block an update and the end-user can still make progress
+    if [[ ! $UNABLE_TO_DETECT == "true" ]]; then
+      success "Nothing to deploy, you're on latest"
+      exit 0
+    fi
   fi
 }