diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/api.rb b/Library/Homebrew/api.rb
index 12d076c95f29fc..d518c30e9d42b0 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/api.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/api.rb
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def self.fetch_json_api_file(endpoint, target:)
           opoo "#{target.basename}: update failed, falling back to cached version."
         end
 
-        FileUtils.touch target
+        File.touch(target) unless skip_download
         JSON.parse(target.read)
       rescue JSON::ParserError
         target.unlink