diff --git a/helm_helpers.go b/helm_helpers.go
index fdebd7aa..173ff182 100644
--- a/helm_helpers.go
+++ b/helm_helpers.go
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ func getTillerReleases(tillerNS string) tillerReleases {
 
 	exitCode, result := cmd.exec(debug, verbose)
 	if exitCode != 0 {
+		if !apply {
+			log.Println("INFO: " + strings.Replace(result, "Error: ", "", 1))
+			return tillerReleases{}
+		}
+
 		logError("ERROR: failed to list all releases in namespace [ " + tillerNS + " ]: " + result)
 	}
 	var out tillerReleases
diff --git a/init.go b/init.go
index 483de17a..daf2bad3 100644
--- a/init.go
+++ b/init.go
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ func init() {
 	flag.BoolVar(&noBanner, "no-banner", false, "don't show the banner")
 	flag.BoolVar(&noColors, "no-color", false, "don't use colors")
 	flag.BoolVar(&noFancy, "no-fancy", false, "don't display the banner and don't use colors")
+	flag.BoolVar(&noNs, "no-ns", false, "don't create namespaces")
 	flag.StringVar(&nsOverride, "ns-override", "", "override defined namespaces with this one")
 	flag.BoolVar(&skipValidation, "skip-validation", false, "skip desired state validation")
 	flag.BoolVar(&applyLabels, "apply-labels", false, "apply Helmsman labels to Helm state for all defined apps.")
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 81b59c32..fb573fed 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ var verbose bool
 var noBanner bool
 var noColors bool
 var noFancy bool
+var noNs bool
 var nsOverride string
 var checkCleanup bool
 var skipValidation bool
@@ -48,22 +49,26 @@ func main() {
 		checkCleanup = true
 	}
 
-	// add/validate namespaces
-	addNamespaces(s.Namespaces)
+	if apply {
+		// add/validate namespaces
+		if !noNs {
+			addNamespaces(s.Namespaces)
+		}
 
-	if r, msg := initHelm(); !r {
-		logError(msg)
-	}
+		if r, msg := initHelm(); !r {
+			logError(msg)
+		}
 
-	// check if helm Tiller is ready
-	for k, ns := range s.Namespaces {
-		if ns.InstallTiller || ns.UseTiller {
-			waitForTiller(k)
+		// check if helm Tiller is ready
+		for k, ns := range s.Namespaces {
+			if ns.InstallTiller || ns.UseTiller {
+				waitForTiller(k)
+			}
 		}
-	}
 
-	if _, ok := s.Namespaces["kube-system"]; !ok {
-		waitForTiller("kube-system")
+		if _, ok := s.Namespaces["kube-system"]; !ok {
+			waitForTiller("kube-system")
+		}
 	}
 
 	// add repos -- fails if they are not valid