diff --git a/libs/cli/langgraph_cli/cli.py b/libs/cli/langgraph_cli/cli.py
index b884212ce..578bb69cc 100644
--- a/libs/cli/langgraph_cli/cli.py
+++ b/libs/cli/langgraph_cli/cli.py
@@ -1518,7 +1518,9 @@ def prepare(
             fg="cyan",
         )
         api_version = langgraph_cli.config.fetch_latest_api_version()
-        click.secho(f"Using version {api_version} for all distributed images.", fg="cyan")
+        click.secho(
+            f"Using version {api_version} for all distributed images.", fg="cyan"
+        )
 
     # pull latest images
     if pull:
diff --git a/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/cli/test_cli.py b/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/cli/test_cli.py
index 76b6b1ae3..f835b1971 100644
--- a/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/cli/test_cli.py
+++ b/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/cli/test_cli.py
@@ -943,6 +943,7 @@ def test_prepare_args_and_stdin_distributed_mode() -> None:
         port=port,
         watch=False,
         engine_runtime_mode="distributed",
+        api_version="0.7.67",
     )
 
     # API service should use langgraph-api base image
diff --git a/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/test_config.py b/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/test_config.py
index 241fb1c26..92b8cfe13 100644
--- a/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/test_config.py
+++ b/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/test_config.py
@@ -1787,7 +1787,9 @@ def test_config_to_compose_distributed_mode():
     # Executor service is present with correct base image
     assert "langgraph-executor:" in actual_compose_stdin
     assert "FROM langchain/langgraph-executor:0.7.67-py3.11" in actual_compose_stdin
-    assert 'entrypoint: ["sh", "/storage/executor_entrypoint.sh"]' in actual_compose_stdin
+    assert (
+        'entrypoint: ["sh", "/storage/executor_entrypoint.sh"]' in actual_compose_stdin
+    )
 
     # Executor has required environment variables
     assert "EXECUTOR_GRPC_PORT:" in actual_compose_stdin
@@ -1874,6 +1876,7 @@ def test_config_to_compose_distributed_executor_gets_correct_paths():
         validate_config({"dependencies": ["."], "graphs": graphs}),
         "langchain/langgraph-api",
         engine_runtime_mode="distributed",
+        api_version="0.7.67",
     )
 
     # Both API and executor Dockerfiles should contain valid LANGSERVE_GRAPHS
@@ -1947,16 +1950,16 @@ def test_config_to_compose_distributed_orchestrator_uses_api_version():
     assert "langchain/langgraph-orchestrator-licensed:0.7.67" in actual
 
 
-def test_config_to_compose_distributed_orchestrator_defaults_to_latest():
-    """Without api_version, orchestrator image should use 'latest'."""
+def test_config_to_compose_distributed_requires_api_version():
+    """Without api_version, distributed mode should raise ClickException."""
     graphs = {"agent": "./agent.py:graph"}
-    actual = config_to_compose(
-        PATH_TO_CONFIG,
-        validate_config({"dependencies": ["."], "graphs": graphs}),
-        "langchain/langgraph-api",
-        engine_runtime_mode="distributed",
-    )
-    assert "langchain/langgraph-orchestrator-licensed:latest" in actual
+    with pytest.raises(click.ClickException, match="pinned API version"):
+        config_to_compose(
+            PATH_TO_CONFIG,
+            validate_config({"dependencies": ["."], "graphs": graphs}),
+            "langchain/langgraph-api",
+            engine_runtime_mode="distributed",
+        )
 
 
 def test_config_to_compose_distributed_all_images_same_version():