diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/arch.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/arch.py
index bfe81dd6f..70bc92527 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/arch.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/arch.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import typing
+from pathlib import Path
 from textwrap import dedent
 from typing import Any, Optional, Sequence
 
@@ -10,7 +11,6 @@
     make_outputs_lut_from_graph,
 )
 from conda_forge_tick.migrators.core import GraphMigrator, _sanitized_muids
-from conda_forge_tick.os_utils import pushd
 from conda_forge_tick.utils import (
     as_iterable,
     frozen_to_json_friendly,
@@ -195,18 +195,26 @@ def filter(self, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", not_bad_str_start: str = "") -> bool:
     def migrate(
         self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any
     ) -> "MigrationUidTypedDict":
-        with pushd(recipe_dir + "/.."):
-            self.set_build_number("recipe/meta.yaml")
-            with open("conda-forge.yml") as f:
-                y = yaml_safe_load(f)
-            if "provider" not in y:
-                y["provider"] = {}
-            for k, v in self.arches.items():
-                if k not in y["provider"]:
-                    y["provider"][k] = v
-
-            with open("conda-forge.yml", "w") as f:
-                yaml_safe_dump(y, f)
+        recipe_dir_p = Path(recipe_dir)
+        recipe_file = self.find_recipe(recipe_dir_p)
+        self.set_build_number(recipe_file)
+
+        conda_forge_yml = recipe_dir_p / "conda-forge.yml"
+        with conda_forge_yml.open() as f:
+            y = yaml_safe_load(f)
+
+        # we should do this recursively but the cf yaml is usually
+        # one key deep so this is fine
+        for k, v in self.additional_keys.items():
+            if isinstance(v, dict):
+                if k not in y:
+                    y[k] = {}
+                for _k, _v in v.items():
+                    y[k][_k] = _v
+            else:
+                y[k] = v
+        with conda_forge_yml.open("w") as f:
+            yaml_safe_dump(y, f)
 
         return super().migrate(recipe_dir, attrs, **kwargs)
 
@@ -362,22 +370,26 @@ def filter(self, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", not_bad_str_start: str = "") -> bool:
     def migrate(
         self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any
     ) -> "MigrationUidTypedDict":
-        with pushd(recipe_dir + "/.."):
-            self.set_build_number("recipe/meta.yaml")
-            with open("conda-forge.yml") as f:
-                y = yaml_safe_load(f)
-            # we should do this recursively but the cf yaml is usually
-            # one key deep so this is fine
-            for k, v in self.additional_keys.items():
-                if isinstance(v, dict):
-                    if k not in y:
-                        y[k] = {}
-                    for _k, _v in v.items():
-                        y[k][_k] = _v
-                else:
-                    y[k] = v
-            with open("conda-forge.yml", "w") as f:
-                yaml_safe_dump(y, f)
+        recipe_dir_p = Path(recipe_dir)
+        recipe_file = self.find_recipe(recipe_dir_p)
+        self.set_build_number(recipe_file)
+
+        conda_forge_yml = recipe_dir_p / "conda-forge.yml"
+        with conda_forge_yml.open() as f:
+            y = yaml_safe_load(f)
+
+        # we should do this recursively but the cf yaml is usually
+        # one key deep so this is fine
+        for k, v in self.additional_keys.items():
+            if isinstance(v, dict):
+                if k not in y:
+                    y[k] = {}
+                for _k, _v in v.items():
+                    y[k][_k] = _v
+            else:
+                y[k] = v
+        with conda_forge_yml.open("w") as f:
+            yaml_safe_dump(y, f)
 
         return super().migrate(recipe_dir, attrs, **kwargs)
 
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/core.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/core.py
index 48f0c014b..f49ccf5de 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/core.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/core.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import logging
 import re
 import typing
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any, List, Sequence, Set
 
 import dateutil.parser
@@ -560,12 +561,39 @@ def order(
         }
         return cyclic_topological_sort(graph, top_level)
 
-    def set_build_number(self, filename: str) -> None:
+    def find_recipe(self, recipe_dir: str | Path) -> Path:
+        """
+        Find the recipe, either meta.yaml or recipe.yaml in the recipe_dir
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        recipe_dir : str or Path
+            Path to the recipe directory
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        recipe_path : Path
+            Path to the recipe file
+
+        Raises
+        ------
+        FileNotFoundError
+            If no recipe is found in the recipe_dir
+        """
+        recipe_dir = Path(recipe_dir)
+        if recipe_dir.joinpath("meta.yaml").exists():
+            return recipe_dir.joinpath("meta.yaml")
+        elif recipe_dir.joinpath("recipe.yaml").exists():
+            return recipe_dir.joinpath("recipe.yaml")
+        else:
+            raise FileNotFoundError("No recipe found in %s" % recipe_dir)
+
+    def set_build_number(self, filename: str | Path) -> None:
         """Bump the build number of the specified recipe.
 
         Parameters
         ----------
-        filename : str
+        filename : str or Path
             Path the the meta.yaml
         """
         with open(filename) as f:
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/cross_compile.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/cross_compile.py
index d6179db2f..9eb866686 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/cross_compile.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/cross_compile.py
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ def migrate(self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any) -> No
             return
         try:
             with provide_source_code(recipe_dir) as cb_work_dir:
+                if not os.path.exists("meta.yaml") and os.path.exists("recipe.yaml"):
+                    logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+                    return
                 if cb_work_dir is None:
                     return
                 directories = set()
@@ -155,6 +158,9 @@ def filter(self, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", not_bad_str_start: str = "") -> bool:
     def migrate(self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         host_reqs = attrs.get("requirements", {}).get("host", set())
         with pushd(recipe_dir):
+            if not os.path.exists("meta.yaml") and os.path.exists("recipe.yaml"):
+                logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+                return
             with open("meta.yaml") as f:
                 lines = f.readlines()
             in_reqs = False
@@ -259,6 +265,9 @@ def filter(self, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", not_bad_str_start: str = "") -> bool:
 
     def migrate(self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         with pushd(recipe_dir):
+            if not os.path.exists("meta.yaml") and os.path.exists("recipe.yaml"):
+                logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+                return
             with open("meta.yaml") as fp:
                 meta_yaml = fp.readlines()
 
@@ -288,6 +297,9 @@ def filter(self, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", not_bad_str_start: str = "") -> bool:
 
     def migrate(self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         with pushd(recipe_dir):
+            if not os.path.exists("meta.yaml") and os.path.exists("recipe.yaml"):
+                logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+                return
             with open("meta.yaml") as fp:
                 meta_yaml = fp.readlines()
 
@@ -321,6 +333,9 @@ def filter(self, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", not_bad_str_start: str = "") -> bool:
 
     def migrate(self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         with pushd(recipe_dir):
+            if not os.path.exists("meta.yaml") and os.path.exists("recipe.yaml"):
+                logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+                return
             with open("meta.yaml") as fp:
                 meta_yaml = fp.readlines()
 
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/duplicate_lines.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/duplicate_lines.py
index 2aeea8a7c..e3fc39a63 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/duplicate_lines.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/duplicate_lines.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import logging
+import os
 import re
 import typing
 from typing import Any
@@ -9,6 +11,9 @@
     from ..migrators_types import AttrsTypedDict
 
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
 class DuplicateLinesCleanup(MiniMigrator):
     regex_to_check = {
         "noarch: generic": re.compile(r"^\s*noarch:\s*generic\s*$"),
@@ -29,6 +34,10 @@ def filter(self, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", not_bad_str_start: str = "") -> bool:
 
     def migrate(self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         with pushd(recipe_dir):
+            if not os.path.exists("meta.yaml") and os.path.exists("recipe.yaml"):
+                logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+                return
+
             with open("meta.yaml") as fp:
                 raw_yaml = fp.read()
 
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/extra_jinj2a_keys_cleanup.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/extra_jinj2a_keys_cleanup.py
index 6e3e469a1..29f2ad63a 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/extra_jinj2a_keys_cleanup.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/extra_jinj2a_keys_cleanup.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import logging
+import os
 import re
 import typing
 from typing import Any
@@ -8,6 +10,8 @@
 if typing.TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ..migrators_types import AttrsTypedDict
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 class ExtraJinja2KeysCleanup(MiniMigrator):
     """Remove extra Jinja2 keys that make things hard for the version migrator.
@@ -58,6 +62,9 @@ def _replace_jinja_key(self, key_name, lines):
 
     def migrate(self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         with pushd(recipe_dir):
+            if not os.path.exists("meta.yaml") and os.path.exists("recipe.yaml"):
+                logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+                return
             with open("meta.yaml") as fp:
                 lines = fp.readlines()
 
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/jinja2_vars_cleanup.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/jinja2_vars_cleanup.py
index d7f8a289b..762b661f0 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/jinja2_vars_cleanup.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/jinja2_vars_cleanup.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import logging
+import os
 import re
 import typing
 from typing import Any
@@ -8,6 +10,9 @@
 if typing.TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ..migrators_types import AttrsTypedDict
 
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 JINJA2_VAR_RE = re.compile(r"{{\s*(.*?)\s*}}")
 
 
@@ -38,6 +43,9 @@ def filter(self, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", not_bad_str_start: str = "") -> bool:
 
     def migrate(self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         with pushd(recipe_dir):
+            if not os.path.exists("meta.yaml") and os.path.exists("recipe.yaml"):
+                logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+                return
             with open("meta.yaml") as fp:
                 raw_yaml = fp.read()
 
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/jpegturbo.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/jpegturbo.py
index 9b4cc11b8..370911366 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/jpegturbo.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/jpegturbo.py
@@ -18,11 +18,8 @@ def filter(self, attrs, not_bad_str_start=""):
         return "jpeg" not in host_req
 
     def migrate(self, recipe_dir, attrs, **kwargs):
-        fname = os.path.join(recipe_dir, "meta.yaml")
-        if os.path.exists(fname):
-            with open(fname) as fp:
-                lines = fp.readlines()
+        recipe_file = self.find_recipe(recipe_dir)
 
-            new_lines = _parse_jpeg(lines)
-            with open(fname, "w") as fp:
-                fp.write("".join(new_lines))
+        lines = recipe_file.read_text().splitlines(keepends=True)
+        new_lines = _parse_jpeg(lines)
+        recipe_file.write_text("".join(new_lines))
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/license.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/license.py
index 2e30dfcb2..40c7824af 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/license.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/license.py
@@ -198,6 +198,11 @@ def _scrape_license_string(pkg):
             ],
             check=True,
         )
+        if not os.path.exists("r-%s/meta.yaml" % pkg) and os.path.exists(
+            "r-%s/recipe.yaml" % pkg
+        ):
+            logger.info("Skipping _scrape_license_string for recipe.yaml")
+            return
         with open("r-%s/meta.yaml" % pkg) as fp:
             in_about = False
             meta_yaml = []
@@ -334,6 +339,13 @@ def migrate(self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any) -> No
                         Copyright (c) 2017, Anthony Scopatz
                         Copyright (c) 2018, The Regro Developers
                         All rights reserved."""
+                        if not os.path.exists("meta.yaml") and os.path.exists(
+                            "recipe.yaml"
+                        ):
+                            logger.info(
+                                "Skipping _scrape_license_string for recipe.yaml"
+                            )
+                            return
                         with open("meta.yaml") as f:
                             raw = f.read()
                         lines = raw.splitlines()
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/pip_check.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/pip_check.py
index 05e787440..1fa709bd5 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/pip_check.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/pip_check.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import io
+import logging
+import os
 import re
 import typing
 from typing import Any
@@ -12,6 +14,8 @@
 if typing.TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ..migrators_types import AttrsTypedDict
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 # matches lines like 'key: val  # [blah or blad]'
 # giving back key, val, "blah or blad" in the groups
 SELECTOR_RE = re.compile(r"^(\s*)(\S*):\s*(\S*)\s*#\s*\[(.*)\]")
@@ -159,6 +163,9 @@ def migrate(self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any) -> No
         with pushd(recipe_dir):
             mapping = {}
             groups = {}
+            if not os.path.exists("meta.yaml") and os.path.exists("recipe.yaml"):
+                logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+                return
             with open("meta.yaml") as fp:
                 lines = []
                 for line in fp.readlines():
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/pip_wheel_dep.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/pip_wheel_dep.py
index 152b8031e..e7539970d 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/pip_wheel_dep.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/pip_wheel_dep.py
@@ -129,6 +129,9 @@ def migrate(self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any) -> No
         handled_packages = set()
 
         with pushd(recipe_dir):
+            if not os.path.exists("meta.yaml") and os.path.exists("recipe.yaml"):
+                logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+                return
             with open("meta.yaml") as f:
                 lines = f.readlines()
             in_reqs = False
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/r_ucrt.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/r_ucrt.py
index f4fb9b8e5..cd85a97e7 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/r_ucrt.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/r_ucrt.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import logging
+import os
 import re
 import typing
 from typing import Any
@@ -8,6 +10,8 @@
 if typing.TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ..migrators_types import AttrsTypedDict
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 def _cleanup_raw_yaml(raw_yaml):
     lines = []
@@ -47,6 +51,9 @@ def filter(self, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", not_bad_str_start: str = "") -> bool:
 
     def migrate(self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         with pushd(recipe_dir):
+            if not os.path.exists("meta.yaml") and os.path.exists("recipe.yaml"):
+                logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+                return
             with open("meta.yaml") as fp:
                 raw_yaml = fp.read()
 
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/replacement.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/replacement.py
index 7df2be3f5..d24de2bc7 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/replacement.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/replacement.py
@@ -110,6 +110,11 @@ def filter(self, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", not_bad_str_start: str = "") -> bool:
     def migrate(
         self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any
     ) -> "MigrationUidTypedDict":
+        if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(recipe_dir, "meta.yaml")) and os.path.exists(
+            os.path.join(recipe_dir, "recipe.yaml")
+        ):
+            logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+            return
         with open(os.path.join(recipe_dir, "meta.yaml")) as f:
             raw = f.read()
         lines = raw.splitlines()
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/use_pip.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/use_pip.py
index a4959b675..eefd5b5c0 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/use_pip.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/use_pip.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import logging
+import os
 import typing
 from typing import Any
 
@@ -9,6 +11,8 @@
 if typing.TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ..migrators_types import AttrsTypedDict
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 class PipMigrator(MiniMigrator):
     bad_install = (
@@ -24,6 +28,9 @@ def filter(self, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", not_bad_str_start: str = "") -> bool:
 
     def migrate(self, recipe_dir: str, attrs: "AttrsTypedDict", **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         with pushd(recipe_dir):
+            if not os.path.exists("meta.yaml") and os.path.exists("recipe.yaml"):
+                logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+                return
             with open("meta.yaml") as fp:
                 lines = fp.readlines()
 
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/version.py b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/version.py
index 9cf8b8186..5b499b589 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/migrators/version.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/migrators/version.py
@@ -195,6 +195,12 @@ def migrate(
     ) -> "MigrationUidTypedDict":
         version = attrs["new_version"]
 
+        if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(recipe_dir, "meta.yaml")) and os.path.exists(
+            os.path.join(recipe_dir, "recipe.yaml")
+        ):
+            logger.info(f"Skipping {self.__class__.__name__} for recipe.yaml")
+            return
+
         with open(os.path.join(recipe_dir, "meta.yaml")) as fp:
             raw_meta_yaml = fp.read()
 
diff --git a/conda_forge_tick/update_deps.py b/conda_forge_tick/update_deps.py
index f99ccd43a..7af2a2ad5 100644
--- a/conda_forge_tick/update_deps.py
+++ b/conda_forge_tick/update_deps.py
@@ -203,6 +203,10 @@ def get_dep_updates_and_hints(
         # no dependency updates or hinting
         return {}, ""
 
+    if not (Path(recipe_dir) / "meta.yaml").exists():
+        logger.info("no meta.yaml found, skipping dep updates")
+        return {}, ""
+
     if update_deps in ["hint", "hint-source", "update-source"]:
         dep_comparison = get_depfinder_comparison(
             recipe_dir,