diff --git a/flytekit/remote/remote.py b/flytekit/remote/remote.py
index b7cd1bdb8b..cbf24615e9 100644
--- a/flytekit/remote/remote.py
+++ b/flytekit/remote/remote.py
@@ -927,7 +927,7 @@ def _(
 
     def wait(
         self,
-        execution: typing.Union[FlyteWorkflowExecution, FlyteNodeExecution, FlyteTaskExecution],
+        execution: FlyteWorkflowExecution,
         timeout: typing.Optional[timedelta] = None,
         poll_interval: typing.Optional[timedelta] = None,
     ):
@@ -941,7 +941,7 @@ def wait(
         time_to_give_up = datetime.max if timeout is None else datetime.utcnow() + timeout
 
         while datetime.utcnow() < time_to_give_up:
-            execution = self.sync(execution)
+            execution = self.sync_workflow_execution(execution)
             if execution.is_complete:
                 return execution
             time.sleep(poll_interval.total_seconds())
@@ -952,24 +952,32 @@ def wait(
     # Sync Execution State #
     ########################
 
-    @singledispatchmethod
     def sync(
         self,
-        execution: typing.Union[FlyteWorkflowExecution, FlyteNodeExecution, FlyteTaskExecution],
+        execution: FlyteWorkflowExecution,
         entity_definition: typing.Union[FlyteWorkflow, FlyteTask] = None,
-    ):
-        """Sync a flyte execution object with its corresponding remote state.
-
-        This method syncs the inputs and outputs of the execution object and all of its child node executions.
-
-        :param execution: workflow execution to sync.
-        :param entity_definition: optional, reference entity definition which adds more context to this execution entity
+        sync_nodes: bool = True,
+    ) -> FlyteWorkflowExecution:
+        """
+        This function was previously a singledispatchmethod. We've removed that but this function remains
+        so that we don't break people.
+
+        :param execution:
+        :param entity_definition:
+        :param sync_nodes: By default sync will fetch data on all underlying node executions (recursively,
+          so subworkflows will also get picked up). Set this to False in order to prevent that (which
+          will make this call faster).
+        :return: Returns the same execution object, but with additional information pulled in.
         """
-        raise NotImplementedError(f"Execution type {type(execution)} cannot be synced.")
+        if not isinstance(execution, FlyteWorkflowExecution):
+            raise ValueError(f"remote.sync should only be called on workflow executions, got {type(execution)}")
+        return self.sync_workflow_execution(execution, entity_definition, sync_nodes)
 
-    @sync.register
-    def _(
-        self, execution: FlyteWorkflowExecution, entity_definition: typing.Union[FlyteWorkflow, FlyteTask] = None
+    def sync_workflow_execution(
+        self,
+        execution: FlyteWorkflowExecution,
+        entity_definition: typing.Union[FlyteWorkflow, FlyteTask] = None,
+        sync_nodes: bool = True,
     ) -> FlyteWorkflowExecution:
 
         """Sync a FlyteWorkflowExecution object with its corresponding remote state."""
@@ -988,14 +996,14 @@ def _(
 
         # sync closure, node executions, and inputs/outputs
         execution._closure = self.client.get_execution(execution.id).closure
-        execution._node_executions = {
-            node.id.node_id: self.sync(FlyteNodeExecution.promote_from_model(node), flyte_entity)
-            for node in iterate_node_executions(self.client, execution.id)
-        }
+        if sync_nodes:
+            execution._node_executions = {
+                node.id.node_id: self.sync_node_execution(FlyteNodeExecution.promote_from_model(node), flyte_entity)
+                for node in iterate_node_executions(self.client, execution.id)
+            }
         return self._assign_inputs_and_outputs(execution, execution_data, flyte_entity.interface)
 
-    @sync.register
-    def _(
+    def sync_node_execution(
         self, execution: FlyteNodeExecution, entity_definition: typing.Union[FlyteWorkflow, FlyteTask] = None
     ) -> FlyteNodeExecution:
         """Sync a FlyteNodeExecution object with its corresponding remote state."""
@@ -1010,7 +1018,7 @@ def _(
         execution._closure = self.client.get_node_execution(execution.id).closure
         if execution.metadata.is_parent_node:
             execution._subworkflow_node_executions = [
-                self.sync(FlyteNodeExecution.promote_from_model(node), entity_definition)
+                self.sync_node_execution(FlyteNodeExecution.promote_from_model(node), entity_definition)
                 for node in iterate_node_executions(
                     self.client,
                     workflow_execution_identifier=execution.id.execution_id,
@@ -1019,7 +1027,7 @@ def _(
             ]
         else:
             execution._task_executions = [
-                self.sync(FlyteTaskExecution.promote_from_model(t))
+                self.sync_task_execution(FlyteTaskExecution.promote_from_model(t))
                 for t in iterate_task_executions(self.client, execution.id)
             ]
         execution._interface = self._get_node_execution_interface(execution, entity_definition)
@@ -1029,8 +1037,7 @@ def _(
             execution.interface,
         )
 
-    @sync.register
-    def _(
+    def sync_task_execution(
         self, execution: FlyteTaskExecution, entity_definition: typing.Union[FlyteWorkflow, FlyteTask] = None
     ) -> FlyteTaskExecution:
         """Sync a FlyteTaskExecution object with its corresponding remote state."""
diff --git a/tests/flytekit/integration/remote/test_remote.py b/tests/flytekit/integration/remote/test_remote.py
index d0af4933f3..2b61f220c6 100644
--- a/tests/flytekit/integration/remote/test_remote.py
+++ b/tests/flytekit/integration/remote/test_remote.py
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def test_monitor_workflow_execution(flyteclient, flyte_workflows_register, flyte
     poll_interval = datetime.timedelta(seconds=1)
     time_to_give_up = datetime.datetime.utcnow() + datetime.timedelta(seconds=60)
 
-    execution = remote.sync(execution)
+    execution = remote.sync_workflow_execution(execution)
     while datetime.datetime.utcnow() < time_to_give_up:
 
         if execution.is_complete:
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ def test_monitor_workflow_execution(flyteclient, flyte_workflows_register, flyte
             execution.outputs
 
         time.sleep(poll_interval.total_seconds())
-        execution = remote.sync(execution)
+        execution = remote.sync_workflow_execution(execution)
 
         if execution.node_executions:
             assert execution.node_executions["start-node"].closure.phase == 3  # SUCCEEEDED