diff --git a/cpp/CMakeLists.txt b/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
index 0fe44f511..ab883ef77 100644
--- a/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ option(DETECT_CONDA_ENV "Enable detection of conda environment for dependencies"
 option(DISABLE_DEPRECATION_WARNINGS "Disable deprecaction warnings " ON)
 option(DISABLE_OPENMP "Disable OpenMP" OFF)
 option(CUVS_NVTX "Enable nvtx markers" OFF)
+option(CUVS_RAFT_CLONE_ON_PIN "Explicitly clone RAFT branch when pinned to non-feature branch" ON)
 
 if((BUILD_TESTS OR BUILD_C_LIBRARY) AND NOT BUILD_CPU_ONLY)
 
@@ -101,12 +102,8 @@ message(VERBOSE "cuVS: Disable OpenMP: ${DISABLE_OPENMP}")
 message(VERBOSE "cuVS: Enable kernel resource usage info: ${CUDA_ENABLE_KERNELINFO}")
 message(VERBOSE "cuVS: Enable lineinfo in nvcc: ${CUDA_ENABLE_LINEINFO}")
 message(VERBOSE "cuVS: Enable nvtx markers: ${CUVS_NVTX}")
-message(VERBOSE
-        "cuVS: Statically link the CUDA runtime: ${CUDA_STATIC_RUNTIME}"
-)
-message(VERBOSE
-        "cuVS: Statically link the CUDA math libraries: ${CUDA_STATIC_MATH_LIBRARIES}"
-)
+message(VERBOSE "cuVS: Statically link the CUDA runtime: ${CUDA_STATIC_RUNTIME}")
+message(VERBOSE "cuVS: Statically link the CUDA math libraries: ${CUDA_STATIC_MATH_LIBRARIES}")
 message(VERBOSE "cuVS: Build and statically link RAFT libraries: ${CUVS_USE_RAFT_STATIC}")
 
 # Set RMM logging level
diff --git a/cpp/cmake/thirdparty/get_raft.cmake b/cpp/cmake/thirdparty/get_raft.cmake
index 44825f91c..7640fbfa6 100644
--- a/cpp/cmake/thirdparty/get_raft.cmake
+++ b/cpp/cmake/thirdparty/get_raft.cmake
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ set(RAFT_FORK "rapidsai")
 set(RAFT_PINNED_TAG "branch-${RAPIDS_VERSION_MAJOR_MINOR}")
 
 function(find_and_configure_raft)
-    set(oneValueArgs VERSION FORK PINNED_TAG USE_RAFT_STATIC ENABLE_NVTX ENABLE_MNMG_DEPENDENCIES)
+    set(oneValueArgs VERSION FORK PINNED_TAG USE_RAFT_STATIC ENABLE_NVTX ENABLE_MNMG_DEPENDENCIES CLONE_ON_PIN)
     cmake_parse_arguments(PKG "${options}" "${oneValueArgs}"
             "${multiValueArgs}" ${ARGN} )
 
-    if(PKG_CLONE_ON_PIN AND NOT PKG_PINNED_TAG STREQUAL "branch-${CUML_BRANCH_VERSION_raft}")
+    if(PKG_CLONE_ON_PIN AND NOT PKG_PINNED_TAG STREQUAL "branch-${RAFT_VERSION}")
         message(STATUS "cuVS: RAFT pinned tag found: ${PKG_PINNED_TAG}. Cloning raft locally.")
         set(CPM_DOWNLOAD_raft ON)
     elseif(PKG_USE_RAFT_STATIC AND (NOT CPM_raft_SOURCE))
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ function(find_and_configure_raft)
             )
 endfunction()
 
+
 # Change pinned tag here to test a commit in CI
 # To use a different RAFT locally, set the CMake variable
 # CPM_raft_SOURCE=/path/to/local/raft
@@ -65,4 +66,9 @@ find_and_configure_raft(VERSION  ${RAFT_VERSION}.00
         ENABLE_MNMG_DEPENDENCIES OFF
         ENABLE_NVTX              OFF
         USE_RAFT_STATIC ${CUVS_USE_RAFT_STATIC}
+        # When PINNED_TAG above doesn't match the default rapids branch,
+        # force local raft clone in build directory
+        # even if it's already installed.
+        CLONE_ON_PIN     ${CUVS_RAFT_CLONE_ON_PIN}
+
 )