diff --git a/src/buildstream/_stream.py b/src/buildstream/_stream.py
index 61462ed2c..da8d48550 100644
--- a/src/buildstream/_stream.py
+++ b/src/buildstream/_stream.py
@@ -797,8 +797,10 @@ def artifact_show(self, targets, *, selection=_PipelineSelection.NONE):
 
         self.query_cache(target_objects)
 
+        not_cached_locally = [element for element in target_objects if not element._cached()]
+
         if self._artifacts.has_fetch_remotes():
-            self._resolve_cached_remotely(target_objects)
+            self._resolve_cached_remotely(not_cached_locally)
 
         return target_objects