diff --git a/crates/trident/src/cli.rs b/crates/trident/src/cli.rs
index 1bbbe4c88..bb71eb5bb 100644
--- a/crates/trident/src/cli.rs
+++ b/crates/trident/src/cli.rs
@@ -74,6 +74,12 @@ pub enum Commands {
         #[clap(long, value_delimiter = ',', num_args = 0.., default_value = "stage,finalize")]
         allowed_operations: Vec<AllowedOperation>,
 
+        /// Boolean indicating that a runtime update is expected. If Trident
+        /// determines that an A/B update is required, it will issue a fatal
+        /// error to avoid an unexpected reboot
+        #[clap(long)]
+        runtime: bool,
+
         /// Path to save the resulting Host Status
         #[clap(short, long)]
         status: Option<PathBuf>,
diff --git a/crates/trident/src/engine/update.rs b/crates/trident/src/engine/update.rs
index 679b3f7c7..eecc2cb0c 100644
--- a/crates/trident/src/engine/update.rs
+++ b/crates/trident/src/engine/update.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ pub(crate) fn update(
     host_config: &HostConfiguration,
     state: &mut DataStore,
     allowed_operations: &Operations,
+    expect_runtime: bool,
     image: OsImage,
     #[cfg(feature = "grpc-dangerous")] sender: &mut Option<GrpcSender>,
 ) -> Result<ExitKind, TridentError> {
@@ -80,6 +81,11 @@ pub(crate) fn update(
         }
         ServicingType::RuntimeUpdate => {}
         ServicingType::AbUpdate => {
+            if expect_runtime {
+                return Err(TridentError::new(
+                    InvalidInputError::AbUpdateRuntimeFlagMismatch,
+                ));
+            }
             // Execute pre-servicing scripts
             HooksSubsystem::new_for_local_scripts().execute_pre_servicing_scripts(&ctx)?;
         }
diff --git a/crates/trident/src/lib.rs b/crates/trident/src/lib.rs
index 5c9f2e0aa..53df6483f 100644
--- a/crates/trident/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/trident/src/lib.rs
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ impl Trident {
             if let Some((host_config, allowed_operations, sender)) = receiver.blocking_recv() {
                 self.host_config = Some(host_config);
                 if let ExitKind::NeedsReboot =
-                    self.update(datastore, allowed_operations, &mut Some(sender))?
+                    self.update(datastore, allowed_operations, false, &mut Some(sender))?
                 {
                     reboot().message("Failed to reboot after grpc update")?;
                 }
@@ -549,6 +549,7 @@ impl Trident {
         &mut self,
         datastore: &mut DataStore,
         allowed_operations: Operations,
+        runtime: bool,
         #[cfg(feature = "grpc-dangerous")] sender: &mut Option<GrpcSender>,
     ) -> Result<ExitKind, TridentError> {
         let mut host_config = self
@@ -585,7 +586,7 @@ impl Trident {
                 debug!("Host Configuration has been updated");
                 // If allowed operations include 'stage', start update
                 if allowed_operations.has_stage() {
-                    engine::update(&host_config, datastore, &allowed_operations, image, #[cfg(feature = "grpc-dangerous")] sender).message("Failed to execute an update")
+                    engine::update(&host_config, datastore, &allowed_operations, runtime, image, #[cfg(feature = "grpc-dangerous")] sender).message("Failed to execute an update")
                 } else {
                     warn!("Host Configuration has been updated but allowed operations do not include 'stage'. Add 'stage' and re-run to stage the update");
                     Ok(ExitKind::Done)
@@ -631,7 +632,7 @@ impl Trident {
                     ServicingState::AbUpdateFinalized | ServicingState::Provisioned => {
                         // Need to either re-execute the failed update OR inform the user that no update
                         // is needed.
-                        engine::update(&host_config, datastore, &allowed_operations, image, #[cfg(feature = "grpc-dangerous")] sender).message("Failed to update host")
+                        engine::update(&host_config, datastore, &allowed_operations, runtime, image, #[cfg(feature = "grpc-dangerous")] sender).message("Failed to execute an update")
                     }
                     servicing_state => {
                         Err(TridentError::new(InternalError::UnexpectedServicingState {
diff --git a/crates/trident/src/main.rs b/crates/trident/src/main.rs
index 5477f350f..977ec4ce7 100644
--- a/crates/trident/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/trident/src/main.rs
@@ -196,10 +196,12 @@ fn run_trident(
                     ),
                     Commands::Update {
                         ref allowed_operations,
+                        runtime,
                         ..
                     } => trident.update(
                         &mut datastore,
                         cli::to_operations(allowed_operations),
+                        runtime,
                         #[cfg(feature = "grpc-dangerous")]
                         &mut None,
                     ),
diff --git a/crates/trident_api/src/error.rs b/crates/trident_api/src/error.rs
index 551d4ccb0..6f29097fb 100644
--- a/crates/trident_api/src/error.rs
+++ b/crates/trident_api/src/error.rs
@@ -141,6 +141,13 @@ pub enum InternalError {
 #[derive(Debug, Eq, thiserror::Error, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "kebab-case")]
 pub enum InvalidInputError {
+    #[error(
+        "Determined that an A/B update is required, but Trident was run with --runtime flag \
+        indicating runtime update was expected. Returning fatal error to avoid unexpected reboot. \
+        Edit Host Configuration or re-run without the --runtime flag."
+    )]
+    AbUpdateRuntimeFlagMismatch,
+
     #[error("Allowed operations must be passed via command line, not in Host Configuration")]
     AllowedOperationsInHostConfiguration,
 
diff --git a/docs/Reference/Trident-CLI.md b/docs/Reference/Trident-CLI.md
index 0d130eda4..5c0a6347e 100644
--- a/docs/Reference/Trident-CLI.md
+++ b/docs/Reference/Trident-CLI.md
@@ -155,6 +155,10 @@ Options:
   -v, --verbosity <VERBOSITY>
           Logging verbosity [OFF, ERROR, WARN, INFO, DEBUG, TRACE]
           [default: DEBUG]
+      --runtime
+          Boolean indicating that a runtime update is expected. If
+          Trident determines that an A/B update is required, it will
+          issue a fatal error to avoid an unexpected reboot
   -s, --status <STATUS>
           Path to save the resulting Host Status
   -e, --error <ERROR>
@@ -183,6 +187,11 @@ Possible values:
 Default: `stage,finalize`
 
 
+#### <span>--runtime &lt;RUNTIME&gt;</span>
+
+Boolean indicating that a runtime update is expected. If Trident determines that an A/B update is required, it will issue a fatal error to avoid an unexpected reboot
+
+
 #### <span>--status &lt;STATUS&gt;</span>
 
 Path to save the resulting Host Status