diff --git a/pkg/app/app_test.go b/pkg/app/app_test.go
index 45a428c3..2d867b7a 100644
--- a/pkg/app/app_test.go
+++ b/pkg/app/app_test.go
@@ -3011,72 +3011,6 @@ baz 	4       	Fri Nov  1 08:40:07 2019	DEPLOYED	mychart3-3.1.0	3.1.0      	defau
 			},
 			deleted:     []exectest.Release{},
 			concurrency: 1,
-			log: `processing file "helmfile.yaml" in directory "."
-changing working directory to "/path/to"
-first-pass rendering starting for "helmfile.yaml.part.0": inherited=&{default map[] map[]}, overrode=<nil>
-first-pass uses: &{default map[] map[]}
-first-pass rendering output of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
- 0: 
- 1: releases:
- 2: - name: baz
- 3:   chart: stable/mychart3
- 4:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
- 5: - name: foo
- 6:   chart: stable/mychart1
- 7:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
- 8:   needs:
- 9:   - bar
-10: - name: bar
-11:   chart: stable/mychart2
-12:   disableValidation: true
-13: 
-
-first-pass produced: &{default map[] map[]}
-first-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0": {default map[] map[]}
-vals:
-map[]
-defaultVals:[]
-second-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
- 0: 
- 1: releases:
- 2: - name: baz
- 3:   chart: stable/mychart3
- 4:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
- 5: - name: foo
- 6:   chart: stable/mychart1
- 7:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
- 8:   needs:
- 9:   - bar
-10: - name: bar
-11:   chart: stable/mychart2
-12:   disableValidation: true
-13: 
-
-merged environment: &{default map[] map[]}
-3 release(s) found in helmfile.yaml
-
-Affected releases are:
-  bar (stable/mychart2) UPDATED
-  baz (stable/mychart3) UPDATED
-  foo (stable/mychart1) UPDATED
-
-processing 2 groups of releases in this order:
-GROUP RELEASES
-1     default//baz, default//bar
-2     default//foo
-
-processing releases in group 1/2: default//baz, default//bar
-processing releases in group 2/2: default//foo
-getting deployed release version failed: Failed to get the version for: mychart1
-
-UPDATED RELEASES:
-NAME   CHART             VERSION
-baz    stable/mychart3     3.1.0
-bar    stable/mychart2     3.1.0
-foo    stable/mychart1          
-
-changing working directory back to "/path/to"
-`,
 		},
 		//
 		// install with upgrade and --skip-diff-on-install
@@ -3121,72 +3055,6 @@ baz 	4       	Fri Nov  1 08:40:07 2019	DEPLOYED	mychart3-3.1.0	3.1.0      	defau
 			},
 			deleted:     []exectest.Release{},
 			concurrency: 1,
-			log: `processing file "helmfile.yaml" in directory "."
-changing working directory to "/path/to"
-first-pass rendering starting for "helmfile.yaml.part.0": inherited=&{default map[] map[]}, overrode=<nil>
-first-pass uses: &{default map[] map[]}
-first-pass rendering output of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
- 0: 
- 1: releases:
- 2: - name: baz
- 3:   chart: stable/mychart3
- 4:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
- 5: - name: foo
- 6:   chart: stable/mychart1
- 7:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
- 8:   needs:
- 9:   - bar
-10: - name: bar
-11:   chart: stable/mychart2
-12:   disableValidation: true
-13: 
-
-first-pass produced: &{default map[] map[]}
-first-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0": {default map[] map[]}
-vals:
-map[]
-defaultVals:[]
-second-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
- 0: 
- 1: releases:
- 2: - name: baz
- 3:   chart: stable/mychart3
- 4:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
- 5: - name: foo
- 6:   chart: stable/mychart1
- 7:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
- 8:   needs:
- 9:   - bar
-10: - name: bar
-11:   chart: stable/mychart2
-12:   disableValidation: true
-13: 
-
-merged environment: &{default map[] map[]}
-3 release(s) found in helmfile.yaml
-
-Affected releases are:
-  bar (stable/mychart2) UPDATED
-  baz (stable/mychart3) UPDATED
-  foo (stable/mychart1) UPDATED
-
-processing 2 groups of releases in this order:
-GROUP RELEASES
-1     default//baz, default//bar
-2     default//foo
-
-processing releases in group 1/2: default//baz, default//bar
-processing releases in group 2/2: default//foo
-getting deployed release version failed: Failed to get the version for: mychart1
-
-UPDATED RELEASES:
-NAME   CHART             VERSION
-baz    stable/mychart3     3.1.0
-bar    stable/mychart2     3.1.0
-foo    stable/mychart1          
-
-changing working directory back to "/path/to"
-`,
 		},
 		//
 		// upgrades
@@ -3399,67 +3267,6 @@ bar 	4       	Fri Nov  1 08:40:07 2019	DEPLOYED	mychart2-3.1.0	3.1.0      	defau
 			},
 			// as we check for log output, set concurrency to 1 to avoid non-deterministic test result
 			concurrency: 1,
-			log: `processing file "helmfile.yaml" in directory "."
-changing working directory to "/path/to"
-first-pass rendering starting for "helmfile.yaml.part.0": inherited=&{default map[] map[]}, overrode=<nil>
-first-pass uses: &{default map[] map[]}
-first-pass rendering output of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
- 0: 
- 1: releases:
- 2: - name: bar
- 3:   chart: stable/mychart2
- 4:   namespace: ns2
- 5:   tillerNamespace: tns2
- 6:   needs:
- 7:   - tns1/foo
- 8: - name: foo
- 9:   chart: stable/mychart1
-10:   namespace: ns1
-11:   tillerNamespace: tns1
-12: 
-
-first-pass produced: &{default map[] map[]}
-first-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0": {default map[] map[]}
-vals:
-map[]
-defaultVals:[]
-second-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
- 0: 
- 1: releases:
- 2: - name: bar
- 3:   chart: stable/mychart2
- 4:   namespace: ns2
- 5:   tillerNamespace: tns2
- 6:   needs:
- 7:   - tns1/foo
- 8: - name: foo
- 9:   chart: stable/mychart1
-10:   namespace: ns1
-11:   tillerNamespace: tns1
-12: 
-
-merged environment: &{default map[] map[]}
-2 release(s) found in helmfile.yaml
-
-Affected releases are:
-  bar (stable/mychart2) UPDATED
-  foo (stable/mychart1) UPDATED
-
-processing 2 groups of releases in this order:
-GROUP RELEASES
-1     default/tns1/foo
-2     default/tns2/bar
-
-processing releases in group 1/2: default/tns1/foo
-processing releases in group 2/2: default/tns2/bar
-
-UPDATED RELEASES:
-NAME   CHART             VERSION
-foo    stable/mychart1     3.1.0
-bar    stable/mychart2     3.1.0
-
-changing working directory back to "/path/to"
-`,
 		},
 		//
 		// deletes: deleting all releases in the correct order
@@ -3724,89 +3531,6 @@ my-release 	4       	Fri Nov  1 08:40:07 2019	DEPLOYED	raw-3.1.0	3.1.0      	def
 			},
 			// as we check for log output, set concurrency to 1 to avoid non-deterministic test result
 			concurrency: 1,
-			log: `processing file "helmfile.yaml" in directory "."
-changing working directory to "/path/to"
-first-pass rendering starting for "helmfile.yaml.part.0": inherited=&{default map[] map[]}, overrode=<nil>
-first-pass uses: &{default map[] map[]}
-first-pass rendering output of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
- 0: 
- 1: 
- 2: 
- 3: releases:
- 4: - name: kubernetes-external-secrets
- 5:   chart: incubator/raw
- 6:   namespace: kube-system
- 7: 
- 8: - name: external-secrets
- 9:   chart: incubator/raw
-10:   namespace: default
-11:   labels:
-12:     app: test
-13:   needs:
-14:   - kube-system/kubernetes-external-secrets
-15: 
-16: - name: my-release
-17:   chart: incubator/raw
-18:   namespace: default
-19:   labels:
-20:     app: test
-21:   needs:
-22:   - default/external-secrets
-23: 
-
-first-pass produced: &{default map[] map[]}
-first-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0": {default map[] map[]}
-vals:
-map[]
-defaultVals:[]
-second-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
- 0: 
- 1: 
- 2: 
- 3: releases:
- 4: - name: kubernetes-external-secrets
- 5:   chart: incubator/raw
- 6:   namespace: kube-system
- 7: 
- 8: - name: external-secrets
- 9:   chart: incubator/raw
-10:   namespace: default
-11:   labels:
-12:     app: test
-13:   needs:
-14:   - kube-system/kubernetes-external-secrets
-15: 
-16: - name: my-release
-17:   chart: incubator/raw
-18:   namespace: default
-19:   labels:
-20:     app: test
-21:   needs:
-22:   - default/external-secrets
-23: 
-
-merged environment: &{default map[] map[]}
-2 release(s) matching app=test found in helmfile.yaml
-
-Affected releases are:
-  external-secrets (incubator/raw) UPDATED
-  my-release (incubator/raw) UPDATED
-
-processing 2 groups of releases in this order:
-GROUP RELEASES
-1     default/default/external-secrets
-2     default/default/my-release
-
-processing releases in group 1/2: default/default/external-secrets
-processing releases in group 2/2: default/default/my-release
-
-UPDATED RELEASES:
-NAME               CHART           VERSION
-external-secrets   incubator/raw     3.1.0
-my-release         incubator/raw     3.1.0
-
-changing working directory back to "/path/to"
-`,
 		},
 		{
 			// see https://github.com/roboll/helmfile/issues/919#issuecomment-549831747
diff --git a/pkg/app/testdata/testapply/helm2:_upgrade_when_tns2/bar_needs_tns1/foo/log b/pkg/app/testdata/testapply/helm2:_upgrade_when_tns2/bar_needs_tns1/foo/log
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8009ba64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/app/testdata/testapply/helm2:_upgrade_when_tns2/bar_needs_tns1/foo/log
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+processing file "helmfile.yaml" in directory "."
+changing working directory to "/path/to"
+first-pass rendering starting for "helmfile.yaml.part.0": inherited=&{default map[] map[]}, overrode=<nil>
+first-pass uses: &{default map[] map[]}
+first-pass rendering output of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
+ 0: 
+ 1: releases:
+ 2: - name: bar
+ 3:   chart: stable/mychart2
+ 4:   namespace: ns2
+ 5:   tillerNamespace: tns2
+ 6:   needs:
+ 7:   - tns1/foo
+ 8: - name: foo
+ 9:   chart: stable/mychart1
+10:   namespace: ns1
+11:   tillerNamespace: tns1
+12: 
+
+first-pass produced: &{default map[] map[]}
+first-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0": {default map[] map[]}
+vals:
+map[]
+defaultVals:[]
+second-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
+ 0: 
+ 1: releases:
+ 2: - name: bar
+ 3:   chart: stable/mychart2
+ 4:   namespace: ns2
+ 5:   tillerNamespace: tns2
+ 6:   needs:
+ 7:   - tns1/foo
+ 8: - name: foo
+ 9:   chart: stable/mychart1
+10:   namespace: ns1
+11:   tillerNamespace: tns1
+12: 
+
+merged environment: &{default map[] map[]}
+2 release(s) found in helmfile.yaml
+
+Affected releases are:
+  bar (stable/mychart2) UPDATED
+  foo (stable/mychart1) UPDATED
+
+invoking preapply hooks for 2 groups of releases in this order:
+GROUP RELEASES
+1     default/tns2/bar
+2     default/tns1/foo
+
+invoking preapply hooks for releases in group 1/2: default/tns2/bar
+invoking preapply hooks for releases in group 2/2: default/tns1/foo
+processing 2 groups of releases in this order:
+GROUP RELEASES
+1     default/tns1/foo
+2     default/tns2/bar
+
+processing releases in group 1/2: default/tns1/foo
+processing releases in group 2/2: default/tns2/bar
+
+UPDATED RELEASES:
+NAME   CHART             VERSION
+foo    stable/mychart1     3.1.0
+bar    stable/mychart2     3.1.0
+
+changing working directory back to "/path/to"
diff --git a/pkg/app/testdata/testapply/install-with-upgrade-with-skip-diff-on-install/log b/pkg/app/testdata/testapply/install-with-upgrade-with-skip-diff-on-install/log
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..63c2b747
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/app/testdata/testapply/install-with-upgrade-with-skip-diff-on-install/log
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+processing file "helmfile.yaml" in directory "."
+changing working directory to "/path/to"
+first-pass rendering starting for "helmfile.yaml.part.0": inherited=&{default map[] map[]}, overrode=<nil>
+first-pass uses: &{default map[] map[]}
+first-pass rendering output of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
+ 0: 
+ 1: releases:
+ 2: - name: baz
+ 3:   chart: stable/mychart3
+ 4:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
+ 5: - name: foo
+ 6:   chart: stable/mychart1
+ 7:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
+ 8:   needs:
+ 9:   - bar
+10: - name: bar
+11:   chart: stable/mychart2
+12:   disableValidation: true
+13: 
+
+first-pass produced: &{default map[] map[]}
+first-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0": {default map[] map[]}
+vals:
+map[]
+defaultVals:[]
+second-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
+ 0: 
+ 1: releases:
+ 2: - name: baz
+ 3:   chart: stable/mychart3
+ 4:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
+ 5: - name: foo
+ 6:   chart: stable/mychart1
+ 7:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
+ 8:   needs:
+ 9:   - bar
+10: - name: bar
+11:   chart: stable/mychart2
+12:   disableValidation: true
+13: 
+
+merged environment: &{default map[] map[]}
+3 release(s) found in helmfile.yaml
+
+Affected releases are:
+  bar (stable/mychart2) UPDATED
+  baz (stable/mychart3) UPDATED
+  foo (stable/mychart1) UPDATED
+
+invoking preapply hooks for 2 groups of releases in this order:
+GROUP RELEASES
+1     default//foo
+2     default//baz, default//bar
+
+invoking preapply hooks for releases in group 1/2: default//foo
+invoking preapply hooks for releases in group 2/2: default//baz, default//bar
+processing 2 groups of releases in this order:
+GROUP RELEASES
+1     default//baz, default//bar
+2     default//foo
+
+processing releases in group 1/2: default//baz, default//bar
+processing releases in group 2/2: default//foo
+getting deployed release version failed: Failed to get the version for: mychart1
+
+UPDATED RELEASES:
+NAME   CHART             VERSION
+baz    stable/mychart3     3.1.0
+bar    stable/mychart2     3.1.0
+foo    stable/mychart1          
+
+changing working directory back to "/path/to"
diff --git a/pkg/app/testdata/testapply/install-with-upgrade-with-validation-control/log b/pkg/app/testdata/testapply/install-with-upgrade-with-validation-control/log
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..63c2b747
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/app/testdata/testapply/install-with-upgrade-with-validation-control/log
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+processing file "helmfile.yaml" in directory "."
+changing working directory to "/path/to"
+first-pass rendering starting for "helmfile.yaml.part.0": inherited=&{default map[] map[]}, overrode=<nil>
+first-pass uses: &{default map[] map[]}
+first-pass rendering output of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
+ 0: 
+ 1: releases:
+ 2: - name: baz
+ 3:   chart: stable/mychart3
+ 4:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
+ 5: - name: foo
+ 6:   chart: stable/mychart1
+ 7:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
+ 8:   needs:
+ 9:   - bar
+10: - name: bar
+11:   chart: stable/mychart2
+12:   disableValidation: true
+13: 
+
+first-pass produced: &{default map[] map[]}
+first-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0": {default map[] map[]}
+vals:
+map[]
+defaultVals:[]
+second-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
+ 0: 
+ 1: releases:
+ 2: - name: baz
+ 3:   chart: stable/mychart3
+ 4:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
+ 5: - name: foo
+ 6:   chart: stable/mychart1
+ 7:   disableValidationOnInstall: true
+ 8:   needs:
+ 9:   - bar
+10: - name: bar
+11:   chart: stable/mychart2
+12:   disableValidation: true
+13: 
+
+merged environment: &{default map[] map[]}
+3 release(s) found in helmfile.yaml
+
+Affected releases are:
+  bar (stable/mychart2) UPDATED
+  baz (stable/mychart3) UPDATED
+  foo (stable/mychart1) UPDATED
+
+invoking preapply hooks for 2 groups of releases in this order:
+GROUP RELEASES
+1     default//foo
+2     default//baz, default//bar
+
+invoking preapply hooks for releases in group 1/2: default//foo
+invoking preapply hooks for releases in group 2/2: default//baz, default//bar
+processing 2 groups of releases in this order:
+GROUP RELEASES
+1     default//baz, default//bar
+2     default//foo
+
+processing releases in group 1/2: default//baz, default//bar
+processing releases in group 2/2: default//foo
+getting deployed release version failed: Failed to get the version for: mychart1
+
+UPDATED RELEASES:
+NAME   CHART             VERSION
+baz    stable/mychart3     3.1.0
+bar    stable/mychart2     3.1.0
+foo    stable/mychart1          
+
+changing working directory back to "/path/to"
diff --git a/pkg/app/testdata/testapply/upgrades_with_good_selector_with_--skip-needs=true/log b/pkg/app/testdata/testapply/upgrades_with_good_selector_with_--skip-needs=true/log
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3ca93c80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/app/testdata/testapply/upgrades_with_good_selector_with_--skip-needs=true/log
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+processing file "helmfile.yaml" in directory "."
+changing working directory to "/path/to"
+first-pass rendering starting for "helmfile.yaml.part.0": inherited=&{default map[] map[]}, overrode=<nil>
+first-pass uses: &{default map[] map[]}
+first-pass rendering output of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
+ 0: 
+ 1: 
+ 2: 
+ 3: releases:
+ 4: - name: kubernetes-external-secrets
+ 5:   chart: incubator/raw
+ 6:   namespace: kube-system
+ 7: 
+ 8: - name: external-secrets
+ 9:   chart: incubator/raw
+10:   namespace: default
+11:   labels:
+12:     app: test
+13:   needs:
+14:   - kube-system/kubernetes-external-secrets
+15: 
+16: - name: my-release
+17:   chart: incubator/raw
+18:   namespace: default
+19:   labels:
+20:     app: test
+21:   needs:
+22:   - default/external-secrets
+23: 
+
+first-pass produced: &{default map[] map[]}
+first-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0": {default map[] map[]}
+vals:
+map[]
+defaultVals:[]
+second-pass rendering result of "helmfile.yaml.part.0":
+ 0: 
+ 1: 
+ 2: 
+ 3: releases:
+ 4: - name: kubernetes-external-secrets
+ 5:   chart: incubator/raw
+ 6:   namespace: kube-system
+ 7: 
+ 8: - name: external-secrets
+ 9:   chart: incubator/raw
+10:   namespace: default
+11:   labels:
+12:     app: test
+13:   needs:
+14:   - kube-system/kubernetes-external-secrets
+15: 
+16: - name: my-release
+17:   chart: incubator/raw
+18:   namespace: default
+19:   labels:
+20:     app: test
+21:   needs:
+22:   - default/external-secrets
+23: 
+
+merged environment: &{default map[] map[]}
+2 release(s) matching app=test found in helmfile.yaml
+
+Affected releases are:
+  external-secrets (incubator/raw) UPDATED
+  my-release (incubator/raw) UPDATED
+
+invoking preapply hooks for 2 groups of releases in this order:
+GROUP RELEASES
+1     default/default/my-release
+2     default/default/external-secrets
+
+invoking preapply hooks for releases in group 1/2: default/default/my-release
+invoking preapply hooks for releases in group 2/2: default/default/external-secrets
+processing 2 groups of releases in this order:
+GROUP RELEASES
+1     default/default/external-secrets
+2     default/default/my-release
+
+processing releases in group 1/2: default/default/external-secrets
+processing releases in group 2/2: default/default/my-release
+
+UPDATED RELEASES:
+NAME               CHART           VERSION
+external-secrets   incubator/raw     3.1.0
+my-release         incubator/raw     3.1.0
+
+changing working directory back to "/path/to"