diff --git a/sigil/common/obr/src/org/apache/felix/sigil/obr/OBRRepositoryProvider.java b/sigil/common/obr/src/org/apache/felix/sigil/obr/OBRRepositoryProvider.java
index e2fab6a..e9de83b 100644
--- a/sigil/common/obr/src/org/apache/felix/sigil/obr/OBRRepositoryProvider.java
+++ b/sigil/common/obr/src/org/apache/felix/sigil/obr/OBRRepositoryProvider.java
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@
         {
             File urlFile = new File(urlStr);
             URL repositoryURL = urlFile.exists() ? urlFile.toURL() : new URL(urlStr);
+            URL testURL = urlFile.exists() ? urlFile.toURL() : new URL(urlStr);
             File indexCache = new File(preferences.getProperty("index"));
             File localCache = new File(preferences.getProperty("cache"));
             String auth = preferences.getProperty("auth");
             File authFile = auth == null ? null : new File(auth);
-            URL testURL = new URL(urlStr);
 
             if (testURL.openConnection().getLastModified() == 0)
             {