diff --git a/configure/modules/RULES_E3 b/configure/modules/RULES_E3
index a024e50e3c2ca7ea2f2a5960c92a522d337bcad8..531d1a6d290ace7b21f0414099a7337f3f9887ac 100644
--- a/configure/modules/RULES_E3
+++ b/configure/modules/RULES_E3
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ conf:
 
 .PHONY: init git-submodule-sync $(E3_MODULE_SRC_PATH)  checkout
 
-ifneq (,$(findstring -loc,$(E3_MODULE_SRC_PATH)))
+ifeq (,$(strip $(EPICS_MODULE_TAG)))
 init: 
 	$(QUIET) echo ">> You are in the local source mode."
 	$(QUIET) echo ">> Nothing happens."