diff --git a/espresso/.env b/espresso/.env
index 26de758565de3..e64f70e85207b 100644
--- a/espresso/.env
+++ b/espresso/.env
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
-# Example .env file for internal devnet.
+# .env file for the devnet.
+
+#############################################################################################
+# WARNING: Keep Terraform in sync.                                                          #
+#                                                                                           #
+# Whenever changing any variable here, update the corresponding variable (if applicable) in #
+# https://github.com/espressosystems/tee-op-deploy, or create a ticket there.               #
+#############################################################################################
 
 ESPRESSO_DEV_NODE_L1_DEPLOYMENT=skip
 # generated with ./scripts/espresso-allocs-to-env.jq ./environment/allocs.json
@@ -47,3 +54,6 @@ L1_CHAIN_ID=11155111
 L2_CHAIN_ID=22266222
 
 COMPOSE_PROFILES=default
+
+LIGHTHOUSE_IMAGE=sigp/lighthouse:v7.1.0
+ESPRESSO_DEV_NODE_IMAGE=ghcr.io/espressosystems/espresso-sequencer/espresso-dev-node:release-fix-cors
diff --git a/espresso/.githooks/pre-commit b/espresso/.githooks/pre-commit
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000000..8ddab3f39a9fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/espresso/.githooks/pre-commit
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+if git diff --cached --name-only | grep -qE "^espresso/(.env|docker-compose\.yml)$"; then
+  echo "⚠️ WARNING: You updated .env or docker-compose.yml."
+  echo "See their headers for details about updating tee-op-deploy."
+  echo "AFTER taking the required action, commit with: git commit --no-verify"
+  echo "Commit aborted."
+  exit 1
+fi
diff --git a/espresso/docker-compose.yml b/espresso/docker-compose.yml
index 7a0e9fe59fdfd..cde017f5a2788 100644
--- a/espresso/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/espresso/docker-compose.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 # Espresso OP Integration Docker Setup
 # Trigger docker-images workflow
 
+###########################################################################################
+# WARNING: Keep Terraform in sync.                                                        #
+#                                                                                         #
+# Whenever changing any setting here, update the corresponding setting (if applicable) in #
+# https://github.com/espressosystems/tee-op-deploy, or create a ticket there.             #
+###########################################################################################
+
 services:
   l1-data-init:
     image: busybox
@@ -32,7 +39,7 @@ services:
       - l1-data:/data
 
   l1-validator:
-    image: sigp/lighthouse:v7.1.0
+    image: ${LIGHTHOUSE_IMAGE}
     depends_on:
       l1-genesis:
         condition: service_completed_successfully
@@ -57,7 +64,7 @@ services:
       - ${OPERATOR_ADDRESS}
 
   l1-beacon:
-    image: sigp/lighthouse:v7.1.0
+    image: ${LIGHTHOUSE_IMAGE}
     depends_on:
       l1-genesis:
         condition: service_completed_successfully
@@ -498,7 +505,7 @@ services:
       OP_CHALLENGER_TRACE_TYPE: permissioned
 
   espresso-dev-node:
-    image: ghcr.io/espressosystems/espresso-sequencer/espresso-dev-node:release-fix-cors
+    image: ${ESPRESSO_DEV_NODE_IMAGE}
     depends_on:
       l1-geth:
         condition: service_healthy