diff --git a/tools/batools/pcommand.py b/tools/batools/pcommand.py
index 587e0bb8..74103918 100644
--- a/tools/batools/pcommand.py
+++ b/tools/batools/pcommand.py
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ def update_project() -> None:
 
     Updating should be explicitly run by the user through commands such as
     'make update', 'make check' or 'make preflight'. Other make targets should
-    avoid running this commnand as it can modify the project structure
+    avoid running this command as it can modify the project structure
     arbitrarily which is not a good idea in the middle of a build.
 
     If this command is invoked with a --check argument, it should not modify
diff --git a/tools/batools/project.py b/tools/batools/project.py
index c383cf54..e16eb1d6 100755
--- a/tools/batools/project.py
+++ b/tools/batools/project.py
@@ -670,6 +670,10 @@ class Updater:
         # build so its success may depend on the cmake build files having
         # already been updated.
 
+        # TEMP - dont do this in spinoffs
+        if 'ballistica' + 'core' != 'ballisticacore':
+            return
+
         # FIXME: should support running this in public too.
         if not self._public:
             try: