diff --git a/cook.sh b/cook.sh
index ac18a7e01..5c0ac2914 100755
--- a/cook.sh
+++ b/cook.sh
@@ -33,7 +33,11 @@ function usage {
 }
 
 function op {
-    echo -e "\033[01;38;5;215mcook - $1 $2\033[0m" >&2
+    if [ ! "$COOK_QUIET" = "1" ]
+    then
+        echo -e "\033[01;38;5;215mcook - $1 $2\033[0m" >&2
+    fi
+
     case "$2" in
         dist)
             op $1 fetch
diff --git a/update-packages.sh b/update-packages.sh
index e0a4f793c..a5b8e2255 100755
--- a/update-packages.sh
+++ b/update-packages.sh
@@ -18,15 +18,15 @@ do
         ./cook.sh $recipe dist
         publish="${publish} $recipe"
     else
-        oldver=$(./cook.sh $recipe gitversion)
+        oldver=$(COOK_QUIET=1 ./cook.sh $recipe gitversion)
         ./cook.sh $recipe fetch
-        newver=$(./cook.sh $recipe gitversion)
+        newver=$(COOK_QUIET=1 ./cook.sh $recipe gitversion)
         if [ "$oldver" = "$newver" ]
         then
             echo "$recipe: up to date (version $newver)."
         else
             echo "$recipe: updating $oldver -> $newver..."
-    	    ./cook.sh $recipe dist
+            ./cook.sh $recipe unstage untar dist
             publish="${publish} $recipe"
         fi
     fi