diff --git a/R/cache.R b/R/cache.R
index 18070cb66..d1658b04e 100644
--- a/R/cache.R
+++ b/R/cache.R
@@ -1425,6 +1425,7 @@ devModeFn1 <- function(localTags, userTags, scalls, preDigestUnlistTrunc, useCac
 
       }
     }
+    needFindByTags <- TRUE # it isn't there
   } else {
     verboseMessage3(verbose, isInRepoAlt$artifact)
     needFindByTags <- FALSE # it isn't there