diff --git a/remote.c b/remote.c
index 73d33f2..15c9cec 100644
--- a/remote.c
+++ b/remote.c
@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@
 #define BUF_SIZE (2048)
 static char buffer[BUF_SIZE];
 
+static int valid_remote(const struct remote *remote)
+{
+	return !!remote->url;
+}
+
 static const char *alias_url(const char *url, struct rewrites *r)
 {
 	int i, j;
@@ -688,14 +693,14 @@
 
 	ret = make_remote(name, 0);
 	if (valid_remote_nick(name)) {
-		if (!ret->url)
+		if (!valid_remote(ret))
 			read_remotes_file(ret);
-		if (!ret->url)
+		if (!valid_remote(ret))
 			read_branches_file(ret);
 	}
-	if (name_given && !ret->url)
+	if (name_given && !valid_remote(ret))
 		add_url_alias(ret, name);
-	if (!ret->url)
+	if (!valid_remote(ret))
 		return NULL;
 	ret->fetch = parse_fetch_refspec(ret->fetch_refspec_nr, ret->fetch_refspec);
 	ret->push = parse_push_refspec(ret->push_refspec_nr, ret->push_refspec);