Make terraform apply -refresh-only trigger an Apply phase that republishes outputs to dependent stacks.
Currently, terraform apply -refresh-only in Spacelift does not cause the platform to re-upload the outputs blob to the dependency system. As a result, even when Terraform state changes and new output values exist, downstream stacks continue using stale cached outputs until a full Apply (or dummy output change) is performed.
Requested Behavior
Make terraform apply -refresh-only behave like a normal Apply in terms of output publishing, even if no resources are changed. The run should:
Re-upload the stack’s outputs to Spacelift’s dependency system, and
Trigger dependency propagation for downstream stacks if outputs differ from the previous cached blob.
Value / Benefit
Allows safe, no-change “output refresh” runs to keep dependencies in sync.
Reduces manual work (no dummy outputs or forced code changes).
Prevents stale dependency values and confusion between UI state vs. dependency cache.
Improves reliability for customers automating dependency-based workflows.
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Comments1
Black Breeze
Oct 9, 2025
Can you please explain why would the dependencies change if no resources do? It feels like we need to take a step back and understand this from a broader perspective - perhaps we’re trying to fix a symptom while the problem is a bit deeper?