diff --git a/subcmds/sync.py b/subcmds/sync.py
index 4898430..707c5bb 100644
--- a/subcmds/sync.py
+++ b/subcmds/sync.py
@@ -986,10 +986,11 @@
 
     load_local_manifests = not self.manifest.HasLocalManifests
     use_superproject = git_superproject.UseSuperproject(opt, self.manifest)
-    if self.manifest.IsMirror or self.manifest.IsArchive:
+    if use_superproject and (self.manifest.IsMirror or self.manifest.IsArchive):
       # Don't use superproject, because we have no working tree.
       use_superproject = False
-      print('Defaulting to no-use-superproject because there is no working tree.')
+      if opt.use_superproject is not None:
+        print('Defaulting to no-use-superproject because there is no working tree.')
     superproject_logging_data = {
         'superproject': use_superproject,
         'haslocalmanifests': bool(self.manifest.HasLocalManifests),