diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8dcf828a..cbe5ce9f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ should be followed to generate the OpenEmbedded recipes for `meta-ros`.
 $ superflore-gen-oe-recipes --help
 usage: Deploy ROS packages into OpenEmbedded Linux [-h]
                                                    [--ros-distro ROS_DISTRO]
-                                                   [--dry-run] [--pr-only] [--no-branch]
+                                                   --dry-run [--pr-only] [--no-branch]
                                                    [--output-repository-path OUTPUT_REPOSITORY_PATH]
                                                    [--only ONLY [ONLY ...]]
                                                    [--pr-comment PR_COMMENT]
@@ -189,8 +189,12 @@ This command will clone the `ros/meta-ros` repo into a subfolder under
 distro, commit them, and issue a pull request for `ros/meta-ros`. The
 `--ros-distro` flag must be supplied.
 
-If you don't want to issue a PR for `ros/meta-ros`, you should add
-the `--dry-run` flag. You can issue the PR later by using the `--pr-only` flag.
+Generating bitbake recipes without specifying `--dry-run` is not
+supported. This is because it is almost inevitable that
+changes to the metadata under recipes-bbappend will be required.
+Only when these have been made and the images build and pass
+the sanity test should a pull request be created.
+You can issue the PR later by using the `--pr-only` flag.
 
 If you want to use an existing repo instead of cloning one, specify
 `--output-repository-path OUTPUT_REPOSITORY_PATH`.
diff --git a/superflore/generators/bitbake/run.py b/superflore/generators/bitbake/run.py
index abd95bf3..ae5b1fe5 100644
--- a/superflore/generators/bitbake/run.py
+++ b/superflore/generators/bitbake/run.py
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 
 from rosinstall_generator.distro import get_distro
 from superflore.CacheManager import CacheManager
-from superflore.exceptions import NoGitHubAuthToken
 from superflore.generate_installers import generate_installers
 from superflore.generators.bitbake.gen_packages import regenerate_pkg
 from superflore.generators.bitbake.ros_meta import RosMeta
@@ -45,7 +44,9 @@ def main():
     overlay = None
     preserve_existing = True
     parser = get_parser(
-        'Deploy ROS packages into OpenEmbedded Linux', exclude_all=True)
+        'Deploy ROS packages into OpenEmbedded Linux',
+        exclude_all=True,
+        require_dryrun=True)
     parser.add_argument(
         '--tar-archive-dir',
         help='location to store archived packages',
@@ -55,9 +56,6 @@ def main():
     pr_comment = args.pr_comment
     skip_keys = set(args.skip_keys) if args.skip_keys else set()
     selected_targets = None
-    if not args.dry_run:
-        if 'SUPERFLORE_GITHUB_TOKEN' not in os.environ:
-            raise NoGitHubAuthToken()
     if args.pr_only:
         if args.dry_run:
             parser.error('Invalid args! cannot dry-run and file PR')
diff --git a/superflore/parser.py b/superflore/parser.py
index 9f6d5ba3..750d09e0 100644
--- a/superflore/parser.py
+++ b/superflore/parser.py
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@
 
 
 # set up a parser and return it
-def get_parser(tool_tip, is_generator=True, exclude_all=False):
+def get_parser(
+    tool_tip, is_generator=True, exclude_all=False, require_dryrun=False
+):
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(tool_tip)
     if is_generator:
         parser.add_argument(
@@ -33,6 +35,7 @@ def get_parser(tool_tip, is_generator=True, exclude_all=False):
         parser.add_argument(
             '--dry-run',
             help='run without filing a PR to remote',
+            required=require_dryrun,
             action="store_true"
         )
         parser.add_argument(