diff --git a/docs/src/content/docs/targets/docker.md b/docs/src/content/docs/targets/docker.md
index 40b663e8..9c6aac50 100644
--- a/docs/src/content/docs/targets/docker.md
+++ b/docs/src/content/docs/targets/docker.md
@@ -18,11 +18,21 @@ Copies an existing source image tagged with the revision SHA to a new target tag
 |----------|-------------|
 | `image` | Docker image path (e.g., `ghcr.io/org/image`) |
 | `registry` | Override the registry (auto-detected from `image`) |
-| `format` | Format template. Default: `{{{source}}}:{{{revision}}}` for source |
+| `format` | Format template (see below). Default: `{{{source}}}:{{{revision}}}` for source, `{{{target}}}:{{{version}}}` for target |
 | `usernameVar` | Env var name for username |
 | `passwordVar` | Env var name for password |
 | `skipLogin` | Skip `docker login` for this registry |
 
+### Format Template Variables
+
+| Variable | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `{{{image}}}` | The `image` value from the current block (source or target) |
+| `{{{source}}}` | The source image path |
+| `{{{target}}}` | The target image path |
+| `{{{revision}}}` | Git revision SHA (source format only) |
+| `{{{version}}}` | Release version (target format only) |
+
 ## Environment Variables
 
 **Target Registry Credentials** (resolved in order):
@@ -91,6 +101,25 @@ targets:
     target: getsentry/craft
 ```
 
+### Custom Format with "latest" Tag
+
+```yaml
+targets:
+  # Versioned tag
+  - name: docker
+    id: versioned
+    source: ghcr.io/getsentry/spotlight
+    target: ghcr.io/getsentry/spotlight
+
+  # Latest tag
+  - name: docker
+    id: latest
+    source: ghcr.io/getsentry/spotlight
+    target:
+      image: ghcr.io/getsentry/spotlight
+      format: "{{{image}}}:latest"
+```
+
 ### Google Cloud Registries
 
 Craft auto-detects Google Cloud registries and uses `gcloud auth configure-docker`:
diff --git a/src/targets/docker.ts b/src/targets/docker.ts
index a4e950f4..5309b0b1 100644
--- a/src/targets/docker.ts
+++ b/src/targets/docker.ts
@@ -549,7 +549,9 @@ Please use ${registryHint}DOCKER_USERNAME and DOCKER_PASSWORD environment variab
     } else if (
       sourceRegistry &&
       !source.skipLogin &&
-      !gcrConfiguredRegistries.has(sourceRegistry)
+      !gcrConfiguredRegistries.has(sourceRegistry) &&
+      // Don't warn if source and target share the same registry - target login will cover it
+      sourceRegistry !== targetRegistry
     ) {
       // Source registry needs auth but we couldn't configure it
       // This is okay - source might be public or already authenticated
@@ -582,11 +584,13 @@ Please use ${registryHint}DOCKER_USERNAME and DOCKER_PASSWORD environment variab
     const { source, target } = this.dockerConfig;
 
     const sourceImage = renderTemplateSafe(source.format, {
+      image: source.image,
       source: source.image,
       target: target.image,
       revision: sourceRevision,
     });
     const targetImage = renderTemplateSafe(target.format, {
+      image: target.image,
       source: source.image,
       target: target.image,
       version,
diff --git a/src/utils/__tests__/strings.test.ts b/src/utils/__tests__/strings.test.ts
index 017d4f04..b0fc140b 100644
--- a/src/utils/__tests__/strings.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/__tests__/strings.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   formatSize,
   formatJson,
 } from '../strings';
+import { ConfigurationError } from '../errors';
 
 describe('sanitizeObject', () => {
   test('processes empty object', () => {
@@ -69,8 +70,31 @@ describe('renderTemplateSafe', () => {
     );
   });
 
-  test('does not render globals', () => {
-    expect(renderTemplateSafe('{{ process }}', {})).toBe('');
+  test('throws error on unknown variable', () => {
+    expect(() => renderTemplateSafe('{{ unknown }}', { known: 'value' })).toThrow(
+      ConfigurationError
+    );
+    expect(() => renderTemplateSafe('{{ unknown }}', { known: 'value' })).toThrow(
+      /Unknown template variable\(s\): unknown/
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('throws error with available variables in message', () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      renderTemplateSafe('{{ missing }}', { foo: 1, bar: 2 })
+    ).toThrow(/Available variables: foo, bar/);
+  });
+
+  test('throws error for globals (prevents accidental access)', () => {
+    expect(() => renderTemplateSafe('{{ process }}', {})).toThrow(
+      ConfigurationError
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('throws error listing all unknown variables', () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      renderTemplateSafe('{{ a }} {{ b }} {{ c }}', { x: 1 })
+    ).toThrow(/Unknown template variable\(s\): a, b, c/);
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/src/utils/strings.ts b/src/utils/strings.ts
index d74a237a..2f8fbb3a 100644
--- a/src/utils/strings.ts
+++ b/src/utils/strings.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import * as mustache from 'mustache';
 import * as util from 'util';
 
+import { ConfigurationError } from './errors';
+
 /**
  * Sanitizes object attributes
  *
@@ -41,21 +43,55 @@ export function sanitizeObject(obj: Record<string, any>): any {
   return result;
 }
 
+// Store the original lookup method
+const originalLookup = mustache.Context.prototype.lookup;
+
 /**
  * Renders the given template in a safe way
  *
  * No expressions or logic is allowed, only values and attribute access (via
  * dots) are allowed. Under the hood, Mustache templates are used.
  *
+ * This function throws a ConfigurationError if any template variable is not
+ * found in the context, preventing silent failures from typos or missing data.
+ *
  * @param template Mustache template
  * @param context Template data
  * @returns Rendered template
+ * @throws ConfigurationError if an unknown template variable is used
  */
 export function renderTemplateSafe(
   template: string,
   context: Record<string, any>
 ): string {
-  return mustache.render(template, sanitizeObject(context));
+  const sanitizedContext = sanitizeObject(context);
+  const unknownVars: string[] = [];
+
+  // Temporarily override lookup to collect unknown variables
+  mustache.Context.prototype.lookup = function (name: string) {
+    const value = originalLookup.call(this, name);
+    if (value === undefined) {
+      unknownVars.push(name);
+    }
+    return value;
+  };
+
+  try {
+    const result = mustache.render(template, sanitizedContext);
+
+    if (unknownVars.length > 0) {
+      const availableVars = Object.keys(sanitizedContext).join(', ');
+      const unknownList = [...new Set(unknownVars)].join(', ');
+      throw new ConfigurationError(
+        `Unknown template variable(s): ${unknownList}. Available variables: ${availableVars}`
+      );
+    }
+
+    return result;
+  } finally {
+    // Always restore the original lookup
+    mustache.Context.prototype.lookup = originalLookup;
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -81,7 +117,7 @@ export function formatSize(size: number): string {
  *
  * @param obj Object to print out
  */
- 
+
 export function formatJson(obj: any): string {
   const result = JSON.stringify(obj, null, 4);
   if (obj instanceof Error && result === '{}') {