diff --git a/docs/userguides/contracts.md b/docs/userguides/contracts.md
index c13861aea3..c06c0f4f4c 100644
--- a/docs/userguides/contracts.md
+++ b/docs/userguides/contracts.md
@@ -111,7 +111,18 @@ from ape import Contract
 contract = Contract("0x68b3465833fb72A70ecDF485E0e4C7bD8665Fc45")
 ```
 
-It will fetch the `contract-type` using the explorer plugin from the active network, such as [ape-etherscan](https://github.com/ApeWorX/ape-etherscan).
+If the contract ABI and/or code is cached on disk or in memory (such as from a previous deploy or retrieval), it will use it.
+Otherwise, it will fetch the `ContractType` using the explorer plugin from the active network, such as [ape-etherscan](https://github.com/ApeWorX/ape-etherscan).
+
+To avoid fetching the contract from an explorer such as Etherscan, use `fetch_from_explorer=False`.
+
+```python
+from ape import Contract
+
+contract = Contract("0x68b3465833fb72A70ecDF485E0e4C7bD8665Fc45", fetch_from_explorer=False)
+```
+
+This also avoids checking for an updated `ContractType` and forces Ape to only use types cached to disk or in memory.
 
 If you have the [ENS plugin](https://github.com/ApeWorX/ape-ens) installed, you can use `.eth` domain names as the argument:
 
diff --git a/src/ape/contracts/base.py b/src/ape/contracts/base.py
index 3e0b27145b..62fe4f7108 100644
--- a/src/ape/contracts/base.py
+++ b/src/ape/contracts/base.py
@@ -1407,7 +1407,10 @@ def deployments(self):
         return self.chain_manager.contracts.get_deployments(self)
 
     def at(
-        self, address: "AddressType", txn_hash: Optional[Union[str, HexBytes]] = None
+        self,
+        address: "AddressType",
+        txn_hash: Optional[Union[str, HexBytes]] = None,
+        fetch_from_explorer: bool = True,
     ) -> ContractInstance:
         """
         Get a contract at the given address.
@@ -1425,13 +1428,16 @@ def at(
               a different ABI than :attr:`~ape.contracts.ContractContainer.contract_type`.
             txn_hash (Union[str, HexBytes]): The hash of the transaction that deployed the
               contract, if available. Defaults to ``None``.
+            fetch_from_explorer (bool): Set to ``False`` to avoid fetching from an explorer.
 
         Returns:
             :class:`~ape.contracts.ContractInstance`
         """
-
         return self.chain_manager.contracts.instance_at(
-            address, self.contract_type, txn_hash=txn_hash
+            address,
+            self.contract_type,
+            txn_hash=txn_hash,
+            fetch_from_explorer=fetch_from_explorer,
         )
 
     @cached_property
diff --git a/src/ape/managers/chain.py b/src/ape/managers/chain.py
index e5e99a087d..24acd401f3 100644
--- a/src/ape/managers/chain.py
+++ b/src/ape/managers/chain.py
@@ -1029,7 +1029,10 @@ def get_contract_type(addr: AddressType):
 
     @nonreentrant(key_fn=lambda *args, **kwargs: args[1])
     def get(
-        self, address: AddressType, default: Optional[ContractType] = None
+        self,
+        address: AddressType,
+        default: Optional[ContractType] = None,
+        fetch_from_explorer: bool = True,
     ) -> Optional[ContractType]:
         """
         Get a contract type by address.
@@ -1041,6 +1044,9 @@ def get(
             address (AddressType): The address of the contract.
             default (Optional[ContractType]): A default contract when none is found.
               Defaults to ``None``.
+            fetch_from_explorer (bool): Set to ``False`` to avoid fetching from an
+              explorer. Defaults to ``True``. Only fetches if it needs to (uses disk
+              & memory caching otherwise).
 
         Returns:
             Optional[ContractType]: The contract type if it was able to get one,
@@ -1095,7 +1101,8 @@ def get(
                 return default
 
             # Also gets cached to disk for faster lookup next time.
-            contract_type = self._get_contract_type_from_explorer(address_key)
+            if fetch_from_explorer:
+                contract_type = self._get_contract_type_from_explorer(address_key)
 
         # Cache locally for faster in-session look-up.
         if contract_type:
@@ -1136,6 +1143,7 @@ def instance_at(
         contract_type: Optional[ContractType] = None,
         txn_hash: Optional[Union[str, "HexBytes"]] = None,
         abi: Optional[Union[list[ABI], dict, str, Path]] = None,
+        fetch_from_explorer: bool = True,
     ) -> ContractInstance:
         """
         Get a contract at the given address. If the contract type of the contract is known,
@@ -1157,6 +1165,9 @@ def instance_at(
               deploying the contract, if known. Useful for publishing. Defaults to ``None``.
             abi (Optional[Union[list[ABI], dict, str, Path]]): Use an ABI str, dict, path,
               or ethpm models to create a contract instance class.
+            fetch_from_explorer (bool): Set to ``False`` to avoid fetching from the explorer.
+              Defaults to ``True``. Won't fetch unless it needs to (uses disk & memory caching
+              first).
 
         Returns:
             :class:`~ape.contracts.base.ContractInstance`
@@ -1172,7 +1183,9 @@ def instance_at(
 
         try:
             # Always attempt to get an existing contract type to update caches
-            contract_type = self.get(contract_address, default=contract_type)
+            contract_type = self.get(
+                contract_address, default=contract_type, fetch_from_explorer=fetch_from_explorer
+            )
         except Exception as err:
             if contract_type or abi:
                 # If a default contract type was provided, don't error and use it.
diff --git a/tests/functional/test_contract_container.py b/tests/functional/test_contract_container.py
index 29fbde0252..45e74087bc 100644
--- a/tests/functional/test_contract_container.py
+++ b/tests/functional/test_contract_container.py
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ def test_deploy(
     not_owner,
     contract_container,
     networks_connected_to_tester,
-    project,
-    chain,
     clean_contracts_cache,
 ):
     contract = contract_container.deploy(4, sender=not_owner, something_else="IGNORED")
@@ -35,8 +33,6 @@ def test_deploy_wrong_number_of_arguments(
     not_owner,
     contract_container,
     networks_connected_to_tester,
-    project,
-    chain,
     clean_contracts_cache,
 ):
     expected = (
@@ -163,3 +159,32 @@ def test_source_id(contract_container):
     expected = contract_container.contract_type.source_id
     # Is just a pass-through (via extras-model), but making sure it works.
     assert actual == expected
+
+
+def test_at(vyper_contract_instance, vyper_contract_container):
+    instance = vyper_contract_container.at(vyper_contract_instance.address)
+    assert instance == vyper_contract_instance
+
+
+def test_at_fetch_from_explorer_false(
+    project_with_contract, mock_explorer, eth_tester_provider, owner
+):
+    # Grab the container - note: this always compiles!
+    container = project_with_contract.Contract
+    instance = container.deploy(sender=owner)
+
+    # Hack off the fact that it was compiled.
+    project_with_contract.clean()
+
+    # Simulate having an explorer plugin installed (e.g. ape-etherscan).
+    eth_tester_provider.network.explorer = mock_explorer
+
+    # Attempt to create an instance. It should NOT use the explorer at all!
+    instance2 = container.at(instance.address, fetch_from_explorer=False)
+
+    assert instance == instance2
+    # Ensure explorer was not used at all.
+    assert mock_explorer.get_contract_type.call_count == 0
+
+    # Clean up test.
+    eth_tester_provider.network.explorer = None
diff --git a/tests/functional/test_contracts_cache.py b/tests/functional/test_contracts_cache.py
index f6f542743a..307668289b 100644
--- a/tests/functional/test_contracts_cache.py
+++ b/tests/functional/test_contracts_cache.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ def test_instance_at_uses_given_contract_type_when_retrieval_fails(mocker, chain
     expected_fail_message = "LOOK_FOR_THIS_FAIL_MESSAGE"
     existing_fn = chain.contracts.get
 
-    def fn(addr, default=None):
+    def fn(addr, default=None, **kwargs):
         if addr == new_address:
             raise ValueError(expected_fail_message)