diff --git a/lbry/file/file_manager.py b/lbry/file/file_manager.py
index 094ab1edc..eafba2f11 100644
--- a/lbry/file/file_manager.py
+++ b/lbry/file/file_manager.py
@@ -117,9 +117,11 @@ class FileManager:
             if claim.stream.source.bt_infohash:
                 source_manager = self.source_managers['torrent']
                 existing = source_manager.get_filtered(bt_infohash=claim.stream.source.bt_infohash)
-            else:
+            elif claim.stream.source.sd_hash:
                 source_manager = self.source_managers['stream']
                 existing = source_manager.get_filtered(sd_hash=claim.stream.source.sd_hash)
+            else:
+                raise ResolveError(f"There is nothing to download at {uri} - Source is unknown or unset")
 
             # resume or update an existing stream, if the stream changed: download it and delete the old one after
             to_replace, updated_stream = None, None
diff --git a/lbry/testcase.py b/lbry/testcase.py
index 3fb5e2ddf..68c07f2df 100644
--- a/lbry/testcase.py
+++ b/lbry/testcase.py
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ class CommandTestCase(IntegrationTestCase):
     async def stream_create(
             self, name='hovercraft', bid='1.0', file_path=None,
             data=b'hi!', confirm=True, prefix=None, suffix=None, **kwargs):
-        if file_path is None:
+        if file_path is None and data is not None:
             file_path = self.create_upload_file(data=data, prefix=prefix, suffix=suffix)
         return await self.confirm_and_render(
             self.daemon.jsonrpc_stream_create(name, bid, file_path=file_path, **kwargs), confirm
diff --git a/tests/integration/datanetwork/test_file_commands.py b/tests/integration/datanetwork/test_file_commands.py
index 306cacf12..0bf9160bc 100644
--- a/tests/integration/datanetwork/test_file_commands.py
+++ b/tests/integration/datanetwork/test_file_commands.py
@@ -221,6 +221,20 @@ class FileCommands(CommandTestCase):
         file_list = (await self.daemon.jsonrpc_file_list())['items']
         self.assertEqual(file_list[0].stream_claim_info.claim.stream.description, claim.stream.description)
 
+    async def test_sourceless_content(self):
+        # claim has no source, then it has one
+        tx = await self.stream_create('foo', '0.01', data=None)
+        claim_id = self.get_claim_id(tx)
+        await self.daemon.jsonrpc_file_delete(claim_name='foo')
+        response = await self.out(self.daemon.jsonrpc_get('lbry://foo'))
+        self.assertIn('error', response)
+        self.assertIn('nothing to download', response['error'])
+        # source is set (there isn't a way to clear the source field, so we stop here for now)
+        await self.stream_update(claim_id, data=b'surpriiiiiiiise')
+        response = await self.out(self.daemon.jsonrpc_get('lbry://foo'))
+        self.assertNotIn('error', response)
+        self.assertItemCount(await self.daemon.jsonrpc_file_list(), 1)
+
     async def test_file_list_paginated_output(self):
         await self.create_streams_in_range(0, 20)