diff --git a/tools/catalog.js b/tools/catalog.js
index 6103a6e770..6b196b7d53 100644
--- a/tools/catalog.js
+++ b/tools/catalog.js
@@ -88,8 +88,13 @@ catalog.refreshOrWarn = function (options) {
 catalog.runAndRetryWithRefreshIfHelpful = function (attempt) {
   buildmessage.assertInJob();
 
+  var canRetry = ! (catalog.triedToRefreshRecently ||
+                    catalog.official.offline);
+
   // Run `attempt` in a nested buildmessage context.
-  var messages = buildmessage.capture(attempt);
+  var messages = buildmessage.capture(function () {
+    attempt(canRetry);
+  });
 
   // Did it work? Great.
   if (! messages.hasMessages()) {
@@ -100,9 +105,7 @@ catalog.runAndRetryWithRefreshIfHelpful = function (attempt) {
   // related to that, or because we tried to refresh recently, or because we're
   // not allowed to refresh? Fail, merging the result of these errors into the
   // current job.
-  if (! messages.hasMessageWithTag('refreshCouldHelp') ||
-      catalog.triedToRefreshRecently ||
-      catalog.official.offline) {
+  if (! (messages.hasMessageWithTag('refreshCouldHelp') && canRetry)) {
     buildmessage.mergeMessagesIntoCurrentJob(messages);
     return;
   }
@@ -131,7 +134,7 @@ catalog.runAndRetryWithRefreshIfHelpful = function (attempt) {
   }
 
   // Try again, this time directly in the current buildmessage job.
-  attempt();
+  attempt(false); // canRetry = false
 };
 
 // As a work-around for [] !== [], we use a function to check whether values are acceptable
diff --git a/tools/project-context.js b/tools/project-context.js
index 2383bdb73e..a3ca4e5efd 100644
--- a/tools/project-context.js
+++ b/tools/project-context.js
@@ -396,11 +396,9 @@ _.extend(ProjectContext.prototype, {
     var anticipatedPrereleases = self._getAnticipatedPrereleases(
       depsAndConstraints.constraints, cachedVersions);
 
-    var isFirstAttempt = true;
-
     // Nothing before this point looked in the official or project catalog!
     // However, the resolver does, so it gets run in the retry context.
-    catalog.runAndRetryWithRefreshIfHelpful(function () {
+    catalog.runAndRetryWithRefreshIfHelpful(function (canRetry) {
       buildmessage.enterJob("selecting package versions", function () {
         var resolver = self._buildResolver();
 
@@ -415,7 +413,7 @@ _.extend(ProjectContext.prototype, {
           // of it yet.  It's not actually fatal, though, for previousSolution
           // to refer to package versions that we don't have access to or don't
           // exist.  They'll end up getting changed or removed if possible.
-          missingPreviousVersionIsError: isFirstAttempt
+          missingPreviousVersionIsError: canRetry
         };
         if (self._upgradePackageNames)
           resolveOptions.upgrade = self._upgradePackageNames;
@@ -448,8 +446,6 @@ _.extend(ProjectContext.prototype, {
 
         self._completedStage = STAGE.RESOLVE_CONSTRAINTS;
       });
-
-      isFirstAttempt = false;
     });
   },