diff --git a/src/sugar/datastore/datastore.py b/src/sugar/datastore/datastore.py
index 1917b19f..d5dca7d9 100644
--- a/src/sugar/datastore/datastore.py
+++ b/src/sugar/datastore/datastore.py
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ class DSObject(object):
 
     metadata = property(get_metadata, set_metadata)
 
-    def get_file_path(self):
-        if self._file_path is None and not self.object_id is None:
+    def get_file_path(self, fetch=True):
+        if fetch and self._file_path is None and not self.object_id is None:
             self.set_file_path(dbus_helpers.get_filename(self.object_id))
             self._owns_file = True
         return self._file_path
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ def write(ds_object, update_mtime=True, transfer_ownership=False,
         properties['mtime'] = datetime.now().isoformat()
         properties['timestamp'] = int(time.time())
 
-    if ds_object._file_path is None:
+    if ds_object.get_file_path(fetch=False) is None:
         file_path = ''
     else:
         file_path = ds_object._file_path