diff --git a/common/flatpak-dir.c b/common/flatpak-dir.c
index 0f259065..f1b71543 100644
--- a/common/flatpak-dir.c
+++ b/common/flatpak-dir.c
@@ -5764,16 +5764,55 @@ flatpak_dir_create_remote_for_ref_file (FlatpakDir *self,
       return FALSE;
     }
 
-  remote = flatpak_dir_create_origin_remote (self, url, name, title, ref,
-                                             gpg_data, NULL, error);
+  /* First try to reuse existing remote */
+  remote = flatpak_dir_find_remote_by_uri (self, url);
+
   if (remote == NULL)
-    return FALSE;
+    {
+      remote = flatpak_dir_create_origin_remote (self, url, name, title, ref,
+                                                 gpg_data, NULL, error);
+      if (remote == NULL)
+        return FALSE;
+    }
 
   *remote_name_out = g_steal_pointer (&remote);
   *ref_out = (char *)g_steal_pointer (&ref);
   return TRUE;
 }
 
+char *
+flatpak_dir_find_remote_by_uri (FlatpakDir   *self,
+                                const char   *uri)
+{
+  g_auto(GStrv) remotes = NULL;
+
+  if (!flatpak_dir_ensure_repo (self, NULL, NULL))
+    return NULL;
+
+  remotes = flatpak_dir_list_enumerated_remotes (self, NULL, NULL);
+  if (remotes)
+    {
+      int i;
+
+      for (i = 0; remotes != NULL && remotes[i] != NULL; i++)
+        {
+          const char *remote = remotes[i];
+          g_autofree char *remote_uri = NULL;
+
+          if (!ostree_repo_remote_get_url (self->repo,
+                                           remote,
+                                           &remote_uri,
+                                           NULL))
+            continue;
+
+          if (strcmp (uri, remote_uri) == 0)
+            return g_strdup (remote);
+        }
+    }
+
+  return NULL;
+}
+
 char **
 flatpak_dir_list_remotes (FlatpakDir   *self,
                           GCancellable *cancellable,
diff --git a/common/flatpak-dir.h b/common/flatpak-dir.h
index ed8375e4..e663de31 100644
--- a/common/flatpak-dir.h
+++ b/common/flatpak-dir.h
@@ -424,6 +424,8 @@ gboolean   flatpak_dir_create_remote_for_ref_file (FlatpakDir   *self,
                                                    char   **ref_out,
                                                    GError **error);
 
+char      *flatpak_dir_find_remote_by_uri (FlatpakDir   *self,
+                                           const char   *uri);
 char     **flatpak_dir_list_remotes (FlatpakDir   *self,
                                      GCancellable *cancellable,
                                      GError      **error);