diff --git a/src/lib/plugins.ts b/src/lib/plugins.ts
index 19b1ca9..0aa02bc 100644
--- a/src/lib/plugins.ts
+++ b/src/lib/plugins.ts
@@ -30,13 +30,11 @@ export async function fetchPlugin(id: string) {
         try {
             // by polymanifest spec, plugins should always specify their main file, but just in case
             pluginJs = await (await safeFetch(id + (pluginManifest.main || "index.js"), { cache: "no-store" })).text();
-        } catch {
-            throw new Error(`Failed to fetch JS for ${id}`);
-        }
-
-        if (pluginJs.length === 0) throw new Error(`Failed to fetch JS for ${id}`);
+        } catch {} // Empty catch, checked below
     }
 
+    if (!pluginJs && !existingPlugin) throw new Error(`Failed to fetch JS for ${id}`);
+
     plugins[id] = {
         id: id,
         manifest: pluginManifest,