diff --git a/src/ahriman/core/build_tools/task.py b/src/ahriman/core/build_tools/task.py
index 6604c5d0..38fe741d 100644
--- a/src/ahriman/core/build_tools/task.py
+++ b/src/ahriman/core/build_tools/task.py
@@ -149,8 +149,11 @@ class Task(LazyLogging):
             str | None: current commit sha if available
         """
         last_commit_sha = Sources.load(sources_dir, self.package, patches, self.paths)
-        if local_version is None:
-            return last_commit_sha  # there is no local package or pkgrel increment is disabled
+        if self.package.is_vcs:  # if package is VCS, then make sure to update PKGBUILD to the latest version
+            self.build(sources_dir, dry_run=True)
+
+        if local_version is None:  # there is no local package or pkgrel increment is disabled
+            return last_commit_sha
 
         # load fresh package
         loaded_package = Package.from_build(sources_dir, self.architecture, None)
diff --git a/src/ahriman/models/package.py b/src/ahriman/models/package.py
index c51eb2b6..ee1ca8df 100644
--- a/src/ahriman/models/package.py
+++ b/src/ahriman/models/package.py
@@ -432,8 +432,6 @@ class Package(LazyLogging):
             with self.suppress_logging():
                 # create fresh chroot environment, fetch sources and - automagically - update PKGBUILD
                 task.init(paths.cache_for(self.base), [], None)
-                task.build(paths.cache_for(self.base), dry_run=True)
-
                 pkgbuild = Pkgbuild.from_file(paths.cache_for(self.base) / "PKGBUILD")
 
                 return full_version(pkgbuild.get("epoch"), pkgbuild["pkgver"], pkgbuild["pkgrel"])
diff --git a/tests/ahriman/core/build_tools/test_task.py b/tests/ahriman/core/build_tools/test_task.py
index 460819e9..34e81255 100644
--- a/tests/ahriman/core/build_tools/test_task.py
+++ b/tests/ahriman/core/build_tools/test_task.py
@@ -117,6 +117,21 @@ def test_init(task_ahriman: Task, mocker: MockerFixture) -> None:
     load_mock.assert_called_once_with(Path("ahriman"), task_ahriman.package, patches, task_ahriman.paths)
 
 
+def test_init_vcs(task_ahriman: Task, mocker: MockerFixture) -> None:
+    """
+    must copy tree instead of fetch
+    """
+    task_ahriman.package.base += "-git"
+    mocker.patch("ahriman.models.package.Package.from_build", return_value=task_ahriman.package)
+    load_mock = mocker.patch("ahriman.core.build_tools.sources.Sources.load", return_value="sha")
+    build_mock = mocker.patch("ahriman.core.build_tools.task.Task.build")
+
+    local = Path("ahriman")
+    assert task_ahriman.init(local, [], None) == "sha"
+    load_mock.assert_called_once_with(local, task_ahriman.package, [], task_ahriman.paths)
+    build_mock.assert_called_once_with(local, dry_run=True)
+
+
 def test_init_bump_pkgrel(task_ahriman: Task, mocker: MockerFixture) -> None:
     """
     must bump pkgrel if it is same as provided
diff --git a/tests/ahriman/models/test_package.py b/tests/ahriman/models/test_package.py
index e38e2298..a3815381 100644
--- a/tests/ahriman/models/test_package.py
+++ b/tests/ahriman/models/test_package.py
@@ -359,13 +359,10 @@ def test_actual_version_vcs(package_tpacpi_bat_git: Package, configuration: Conf
     mocker.patch("ahriman.models.pkgbuild.Pkgbuild.from_file", return_value=Pkgbuild.from_file(pkgbuild))
     mocker.patch("pathlib.Path.glob", return_value=[Path("local")])
     init_mock = mocker.patch("ahriman.core.build_tools.task.Task.init")
-    build_mock = mocker.patch("ahriman.core.build_tools.task.Task.build")
     unlink_mock = mocker.patch("pathlib.Path.unlink")
 
     assert package_tpacpi_bat_git.actual_version(configuration) == "3.1.r13.g4959b52-1"
     init_mock.assert_called_once_with(configuration.repository_paths.cache_for(package_tpacpi_bat_git.base), [], None)
-    build_mock.assert_called_once_with(configuration.repository_paths.cache_for(package_tpacpi_bat_git.base),
-                                       dry_run=True)
     unlink_mock.assert_called_once_with()