diff --git a/src/api/app/controllers/build_controller.rb b/src/api/app/controllers/build_controller.rb
index 734e6ebd515..90054db6f29 100644
--- a/src/api/app/controllers/build_controller.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/controllers/build_controller.rb
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ def builddepinfo
 
   def logfile
     # for permission check
-    pkg = Package.get_by_project_and_name(params[:project], params[:package], use_source: true, follow_project_links: true, follow_multibuild: true)
+    pkg = Package.get_by_project_and_name(params[:project], params[:package], follow_multibuild: true)
 
     if pkg.instance_of?(Package) && pkg.project.disabled_for?('binarydownload', params[:repository], params[:arch]) &&
        !User.possibly_nobody.can_download_binaries?(pkg.project)
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ def result_lastsuccess
     required_parameters :package, :pathproject
 
     pkg = Package.get_by_project_and_name(params[:project], params[:package],
-                                          use_source: false, follow_project_links: true, follow_multibuild: true)
+                                          use_source: false, follow_multibuild: true)
     raise RemoteProjectError, 'The package lifes in a remote project, this is not supported atm' unless pkg
 
     tprj = Project.get_by_name(params[:pathproject])
diff --git a/src/api/app/controllers/source_controller.rb b/src/api/app/controllers/source_controller.rb
index b4cadb7d7ae..f1858c83ae2 100644
--- a/src/api/app/controllers/source_controller.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/controllers/source_controller.rb
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def show_package
     elsif ['_project', '_pattern'].include?(@target_package_name)
       Project.get_by_name(@target_project_name)
     else
-      @tpkg = Package.get_by_project_and_name(@target_project_name, @target_package_name, use_source: true, follow_project_links: true)
+      @tpkg = Package.get_by_project_and_name(@target_project_name, @target_package_name)
     end
 
     show_package_issues && return if params[:view] == 'issues'
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ def get_file
     if package_name == '_project'
       Project.get_by_name(project_name)
     else
-      pack = Package.get_by_project_and_name(project_name, package_name, use_source: true)
+      pack = Package.get_by_project_and_name(project_name, package_name)
       if pack
         # in case of project links, we need to rewrite the target
         project_name = pack.project.name
@@ -1024,7 +1024,7 @@ def reparse_backend_package(spackage, sproject)
 
   # POST /source/<project>/<package>?cmd=release
   def package_command_release
-    pkg = Package.get_by_project_and_name(params[:project], params[:package], use_source: true, follow_project_links: false, follow_multibuild: true)
+    pkg = Package.get_by_project_and_name(params[:project], params[:package], follow_project_links: false, follow_multibuild: true)
     multibuild_container = nil
     multibuild_container = params[:package].gsub(/^.*:/, '') if params[:package].include?(':') && !params[:package].starts_with?('_product:')
 
diff --git a/src/api/app/controllers/statistics_controller.rb b/src/api/app/controllers/statistics_controller.rb
index 9102457f8c0..aaff22e2523 100644
--- a/src/api/app/controllers/statistics_controller.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/controllers/statistics_controller.rb
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def latest_added
 
   def added_timestamp
     @project = Project.get_by_name(params[:project])
-    @package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(params[:project], params[:package], use_source: false, follow_project_links: true)
+    @package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(params[:project], params[:package], use_source: false)
 
     # is it used at all ?
   end
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def latest_updated
 
   def updated_timestamp
     @project = Project.get_by_name(params[:project])
-    @package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(params[:project], params[:package], use_source: false, follow_project_links: true)
+    @package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(params[:project], params[:package], use_source: false)
   end
 
   def global_counters
diff --git a/src/api/app/controllers/webui/packages/branches_controller.rb b/src/api/app/controllers/webui/packages/branches_controller.rb
index c49b3c113a7..e72660900b2 100644
--- a/src/api/app/controllers/webui/packages/branches_controller.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/controllers/webui/packages/branches_controller.rb
@@ -32,9 +32,7 @@ def create
           source_project_name = params[:linked_project]
           source_package_name = params[:linked_package]
         else
-          options = { use_source: false, follow_project_links: true, follow_multibuild: true }
-          source_package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(params[:linked_project], params[:linked_package], options)
-
+          source_package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(params[:linked_project], params[:linked_package], use_source: false, follow_multibuild: true)
           source_project_name = source_package.project.name
           source_package_name = source_package.name
           authorize source_package, :create_branch?
diff --git a/src/api/app/controllers/webui/packages/build_log_controller.rb b/src/api/app/controllers/webui/packages/build_log_controller.rb
index e511e717d4e..76f144982fa 100644
--- a/src/api/app/controllers/webui/packages/build_log_controller.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/controllers/webui/packages/build_log_controller.rb
@@ -102,8 +102,7 @@ def check_build_log_access
         @package_name = params[:package]
         begin
           @package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(@project, @package_name, use_source: false,
-                                                                              follow_multibuild: true,
-                                                                              follow_project_links: true)
+                                                                              follow_multibuild: true)
         rescue Package::UnknownObjectError
           redirect_to project_show_path(@project.to_param),
                       error: "Couldn't find package '#{params[:package]}' in " \
diff --git a/src/api/app/controllers/webui/webui_controller.rb b/src/api/app/controllers/webui/webui_controller.rb
index 8de72a449e2..38289221a77 100644
--- a/src/api/app/controllers/webui/webui_controller.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/controllers/webui/webui_controller.rb
@@ -135,8 +135,7 @@ def require_package
     return if @package_name.blank?
 
     begin
-      @package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(@project, @package_name,
-                                                 follow_project_links: true, follow_multibuild: true)
+      @package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(@project, @package_name, follow_multibuild: true)
     # why it's not found is of no concern
     rescue APIError
       raise Package::UnknownObjectError, "Package not found: #{@project.name}/#{@package_name}"
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/branch_package.rb b/src/api/app/models/branch_package.rb
index 58daf579db7..7738eb0bd62 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/branch_package.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/branch_package.rb
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ def find_packages_to_branch
       pkg = nil
       prj = Project.get_by_name(params[:project])
       if params[:missingok]
-        if Package.exists_by_project_and_name(params[:project], params[:package], follow_project_links: true, allow_remote_packages: true)
+        if Package.exists_by_project_and_name(params[:project], params[:package], allow_remote_packages: true)
           raise NotMissingError, "Branch call with missingok parameter but branched source (#{params[:project]}/#{params[:package]}) exists."
         end
       else
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action.rb b/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action.rb
index 77474e4130b..71a51428166 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action.rb
@@ -737,14 +737,12 @@ def expand_target_project
 
     return unless Package.exists_by_project_and_name(target_project,
                                                      target_package || source_package,
-                                                     { follow_project_links: true,
-                                                       follow_multibuild: true,
+                                                     { follow_multibuild: true,
                                                        check_update_project: true })
 
     tpkg = Package.get_by_project_and_name(target_project,
                                            target_package || source_package,
-                                           { follow_project_links: true,
-                                             follow_multibuild: true,
+                                           { follow_multibuild: true,
                                              check_update_project: true })
     self.target_project = tpkg.project.update_instance.name
   end
@@ -938,7 +936,7 @@ def check_action_permission_source!
     end
 
     if source_package
-      spkg = Package.get_by_project_and_name(source_project, source_package, use_source: true, follow_project_links: true)
+      spkg = Package.get_by_project_and_name(source_project, source_package)
       spkg.check_weak_dependencies! if spkg && sourceupdate == 'cleanup'
     end
 
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action/differ/query_builder.rb b/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action/differ/query_builder.rb
index 11416365094..c4128365c24 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action/differ/query_builder.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action/differ/query_builder.rb
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ def build
           end
         end
 
-        tpkg = Package.get_by_project_and_name(target_project, target_package) if Package.exists_by_project_and_name(target_project, target_package, follow_project_links: true)
+        tpkg = Package.get_by_project_and_name(target_project, target_package) if Package.exists_by_project_and_name(target_project, target_package)
 
         query = {}
 
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action_delete.rb b/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action_delete.rb
index 17084cd9554..1c6b8600e91 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action_delete.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action_delete.rb
@@ -55,8 +55,7 @@ def execute_accept(opts)
     end
 
     if target_package
-      package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(target_project, target_package,
-                                                use_source: true, follow_project_links: false)
+      package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(target_project, target_package, follow_project_links: false)
       package.commit_opts = { comment: bs_request.description, request: bs_request }
       package.destroy
       Package.source_path(target_project, target_package)
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action_maintenance_incident.rb b/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action_maintenance_incident.rb
index afdddfa943a..6f6c464a7f9 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action_maintenance_incident.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/bs_request_action_maintenance_incident.rb
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ def _merge_pkg_into_maintenance_incident(incident_project)
         end
       end
       # it is fine to have new packages
-      branch_params[:missingok] = 1 unless Package.exists_by_project_and_name(branch_params[:project], package_name, follow_project_links: true)
+      branch_params[:missingok] = 1 unless Package.exists_by_project_and_name(branch_params[:project], package_name)
       ret = BranchPackage.new(branch_params).branch
       new_pkg = Package.get_by_project_and_name(ret[:data][:targetproject], ret[:data][:targetpackage])
 
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/channel_binary.rb b/src/api/app/models/channel_binary.rb
index 316a9d8339f..7ac998062a6 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/channel_binary.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/channel_binary.rb
@@ -35,8 +35,7 @@ def self.find_by_project_and_package(project, package)
   def create_channel_package_into(project, comment = nil)
     channel = channel_binary_list.channel
     package_exists = Package.exists_by_project_and_name(project.name, channel.name,
-                                                        follow_project_links: false,
-                                                        allow_remote_packages: false)
+                                                        follow_project_links: false)
     # does it exist already? then just skip it
     # create a channel package beside my package and return that
     channel.branch_channel_package_into_project(project, comment) unless package_exists
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/package.rb b/src/api/app/models/package.rb
index 65db03a6a26..74602c9e1ff 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/package.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/package.rb
@@ -186,8 +186,8 @@ def self.internal_get_project(project)
   # Project by setting in the opts hash:
   #   check_update_project: true
   def self.get_by_project_and_name(project, package, opts = {})
-    opts = { use_source: true, follow_project_links: true,
-             follow_multibuild: false, check_update_project: false }.merge(opts)
+    get_by_project_and_name_defaults = { use_source: true, follow_project_links: true, follow_multibuild: false, check_update_project: false }
+    opts = get_by_project_and_name_defaults.merge(opts)
 
     package = striping_multibuild_suffix(package) if opts[:follow_multibuild]
 
@@ -228,7 +228,8 @@ def self.get_by_project_and_name(project, package, opts = {})
 
   # to check existens of a project (local or remote)
   def self.exists_by_project_and_name(project, package, opts = {})
-    opts = { follow_project_links: true, allow_remote_packages: false, follow_multibuild: false }.merge(opts)
+    exists_by_project_and_name_defaults = { follow_project_links: true, allow_remote_packages: false, follow_multibuild: false }
+    opts = exists_by_project_and_name_defaults.merge(opts)
     package = striping_multibuild_suffix(package) if opts[:follow_multibuild]
     begin
       prj = Project.get_by_name(project)
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/service.rb b/src/api/app/models/service.rb
index 31b5ee90015..27a3ce6092b 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/service.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/service.rb
@@ -94,8 +94,7 @@ def save
     else
       Backend::Api::Sources::Package.write_file(project.name, package.name, '_service', document.root.to_xml,
                                                 comment: 'Modified via webui', user: User.session!.login)
-      service_package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(project.name, package.name,
-                                                        use_source: true, follow_project_links: false)
+      service_package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(project.name, package.name, follow_project_links: false)
       return false unless User.session!.can_modify?(service_package)
 
       Backend::Api::Sources::Package.trigger_services(service_package.project.name, service_package.name, User.session!.login)
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/token/rebuild.rb b/src/api/app/models/token/rebuild.rb
index c01d155f309..3c68eeb5ce2 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/token/rebuild.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/token/rebuild.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ def call(options)
   end
 
   def package_find_options
-    { use_source: false, follow_project_links: true, follow_multibuild: true }
+    { use_source: false, follow_multibuild: true }
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/token/release.rb b/src/api/app/models/token/release.rb
index a27e923658c..b5ffec5a458 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/token/release.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/token/release.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ def call(options)
   end
 
   def package_find_options
-    { use_source: true, follow_project_links: false, follow_multibuild: true }
+    { follow_project_links: false, follow_multibuild: true }
   end
 
   private
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/token/service.rb b/src/api/app/models/token/service.rb
index b993a16c84a..b51b9dc29b1 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/token/service.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/token/service.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ def call(options)
   end
 
   def package_find_options
-    { use_source: true, follow_project_links: false, follow_multibuild: false }
+    { follow_project_links: false }
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/workflow/step/branch_package_step.rb b/src/api/app/models/workflow/step/branch_package_step.rb
index 0c3bf30c2c0..cf0183ca02b 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/workflow/step/branch_package_step.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/workflow/step/branch_package_step.rb
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ def check_source_access
       return
     end
 
-    options = { use_source: false, follow_project_links: true, follow_multibuild: true }
+    options = { use_source: false, follow_multibuild: true }
 
     begin
       src_package = Package.get_by_project_and_name(source_project_name, source_package_name, options)
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/workflow/step/rebuild_package.rb b/src/api/app/models/workflow/step/rebuild_package.rb
index 0ce22b656e5..2f5ae913247 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/workflow/step/rebuild_package.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/workflow/step/rebuild_package.rb
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def set_package_name
   private
 
   def package_find_options
-    { use_source: false, follow_project_links: true, follow_multibuild: true }
+    { use_source: false, follow_multibuild: true }
   end
 
   def rebuild_package
diff --git a/src/api/app/models/workflow/step/trigger_services.rb b/src/api/app/models/workflow/step/trigger_services.rb
index 77c54f6a524..83c5ffb2bbe 100644
--- a/src/api/app/models/workflow/step/trigger_services.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/models/workflow/step/trigger_services.rb
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def call
   private
 
   def package_find_options
-    { use_source: true, follow_project_links: false, follow_multibuild: false }
+    { follow_project_links: false }
   end
 
   # Examples of comments:
diff --git a/src/api/app/services/package_service/link_verifier.rb b/src/api/app/services/package_service/link_verifier.rb
index f164519ce4c..c76ca89383b 100644
--- a/src/api/app/services/package_service/link_verifier.rb
+++ b/src/api/app/services/package_service/link_verifier.rb
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ def check_project_and_package!
     end
 
     def package_exist?
-      Package.exists_by_project_and_name(target_project_name, target_package_name,
-                                         follow_project_links: true, allow_remote_packages: true)
+      Package.exists_by_project_and_name(target_project_name, target_package_name, allow_remote_packages: true)
     end
 
     def missingok_error_message