diff --git a/app/flatpak-builtins.h b/app/flatpak-builtins.h
index ec1ac4a4..d925c8cd 100644
--- a/app/flatpak-builtins.h
+++ b/app/flatpak-builtins.h
@@ -39,10 +39,12 @@ G_BEGIN_DECLS
  * @FLATPAK_BUILTIN_FLAG_ONE_DIR: Allow a single --user/--system/--installation option
  *    and return a single dir. If no option is specified, default to --system
  * @FLATPAK_BUILTIN_FLAG_STANDARD_DIRS: Allow repeated use of --user/--system/--installation
- *    and return multiple dirs. If no option is specified return system(default)+user
+ *    and return multiple dirs. If no option is specified return system(default)+user.
+ *    Implies %FLATPAK_BUILTIN_FLAG_OPTIONAL_REPO.
  * @FLATPAK_BUILTIN_FLAG_ALL_DIRS: Allow repeated use of --user/--system/--installation
  *    and return multiple dirs. If no option is specified, return all installations,
- *    starting with system(default)+user
+ *    starting with system(default)+user.
+ *    Implies %FLATPAK_BUILTIN_FLAG_OPTIONAL_REPO.
  *
  * Flags affecting the behavior of flatpak_option_context_parse().
  *
diff --git a/app/flatpak-main.c b/app/flatpak-main.c
index 88e9d5af..dfdd45b3 100644
--- a/app/flatpak-main.c
+++ b/app/flatpak-main.c
@@ -470,7 +470,9 @@ flatpak_option_context_parse (GOptionContext     *context,
         {
           FlatpakDir *dir = g_ptr_array_index (dirs, i);
 
-          if (flags & FLATPAK_BUILTIN_FLAG_OPTIONAL_REPO)
+          if (flags & (FLATPAK_BUILTIN_FLAG_OPTIONAL_REPO |
+                       FLATPAK_BUILTIN_FLAG_ALL_DIRS |
+                       FLATPAK_BUILTIN_FLAG_STANDARD_DIRS))
             {
               if (!flatpak_dir_maybe_ensure_repo (dir, cancellable, error))
                 return FALSE;