diff --git a/app/flatpak-transaction.c b/app/flatpak-transaction.c
index f05b31a1..46547b92 100644
--- a/app/flatpak-transaction.c
+++ b/app/flatpak-transaction.c
@@ -478,13 +478,15 @@ flatpak_transaction_add_ref (FlatpakTransaction *self,
         }
     }
 
-  if (metadata == NULL && remote != NULL &&
-      flatpak_dir_fetch_ref_cache (self->dir, remote, ref, NULL, NULL, &remote_metadata, NULL, &local_error))
-    metadata = remote_metadata;
-  else
+  if (metadata == NULL && remote != NULL)
     {
-      g_print ("Warning: Can't find dependencies: %s\n", local_error->message);
-      g_clear_error (&local_error);
+      if (flatpak_dir_fetch_ref_cache (self->dir, remote, ref, NULL, NULL, &remote_metadata, NULL, &local_error))
+        metadata = remote_metadata;
+      else
+        {
+          g_print ("Warning: Can't find dependencies: %s\n", local_error->message);
+          g_clear_error (&local_error);
+        }
     }
 
   if (metadata)