diff --git a/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py b/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
index 57a58752f4..b753e17813 100644
--- a/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
+++ b/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
@@ -234,23 +234,25 @@ def validate_releases(deliverable_info, zuul_layout,
                 gitutils.clone_repo(workdir, project['repo'])
 
                 # Check that the sdist name and tarball-base name match.
-                sdist = pythonutils.get_sdist_name(workdir, project['repo'])
-                if sdist is not None:
-                    expected = project.get(
-                        'tarball-base',
-                        os.path.basename(project['repo']),
-                    )
-                    if sdist != expected:
-                        if 'tarball-base' in deliverable_info:
-                            action = 'is set to'
-                        else:
-                            action = 'defaults to'
-                        mk_error(
-                            ('tarball-base for %s %s %s %r '
-                             'but the sdist name is actually %r. ' +
-                             _PLEASE)
-                            % (project['repo'], release['version'],
-                               action, expected, sdist))
+                if link_mode == 'tarball':
+                    sdist = pythonutils.get_sdist_name(workdir,
+                                                       project['repo'])
+                    if sdist is not None:
+                        expected = project.get(
+                            'tarball-base',
+                            os.path.basename(project['repo']),
+                        )
+                        if sdist != expected:
+                            if 'tarball-base' in deliverable_info:
+                                action = 'is set to'
+                            else:
+                                action = 'defaults to'
+                            mk_error(
+                                ('tarball-base for %s %s %s %r '
+                                 'but the sdist name is actually %r. ' +
+                                 _PLEASE)
+                                % (project['repo'], release['version'],
+                                   action, expected, sdist))
 
                 # Report if the version has already been
                 # tagged. We expect it to not exist, but neither
diff --git a/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py b/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py
index b6ec067403..b94bfb10ed 100644
--- a/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py
+++ b/openstack_releases/tests/test_validate.py
@@ -630,10 +630,10 @@ class TestValidateTarballBase(base.BaseTestCase):
         super(TestValidateTarballBase, self).setUp()
         self.tmpdir = self.useFixture(fixtures.TempDir()).path
 
+    @mock.patch('openstack_releases.project_config.require_release_jobs_for_repo')
     @mock.patch('openstack_releases.pythonutils.get_sdist_name')
-    def test_default_ok(self, gsn):
+    def test_default_ok(self, gsn, jobs):
         deliverable_info = {
-            'artifact-link-mode': 'none',
             'releases': [
                 {'version': '1.5.0',
                  'projects': [
@@ -653,11 +653,13 @@ class TestValidateTarballBase(base.BaseTestCase):
             warnings.append,
             errors.append,
         )
+        print(warnings, errors)
         self.assertEqual(0, len(warnings))
         self.assertEqual(0, len(errors))
 
+    @mock.patch('openstack_releases.project_config.require_release_jobs_for_repo')
     @mock.patch('openstack_releases.pythonutils.get_sdist_name')
-    def test_default_invalid(self, gsn):
+    def test_ignored_link_mode_none(self, gsn, jobs):
         deliverable_info = {
             'artifact-link-mode': 'none',
             'releases': [
@@ -670,6 +672,33 @@ class TestValidateTarballBase(base.BaseTestCase):
         }
         warnings = []
         errors = []
+        gsn.return_value = 'this-is-wrong'
+        validate.validate_releases(
+            deliverable_info,
+            {'validate-projects-by-name': {}},
+            'ocata',
+            self.tmpdir,
+            warnings.append,
+            errors.append,
+        )
+        print(warnings, errors)
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(warnings))
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(errors))
+
+    @mock.patch('openstack_releases.project_config.require_release_jobs_for_repo')
+    @mock.patch('openstack_releases.pythonutils.get_sdist_name')
+    def test_default_invalid(self, gsn, jobs):
+        deliverable_info = {
+            'releases': [
+                {'version': '1.5.0',
+                 'projects': [
+                     {'repo': 'openstack/automaton',
+                      'hash': 'be2885f544637e6ee6139df7dc7bf937925804dd'},
+                 ]}
+            ],
+        }
+        warnings = []
+        errors = []
         gsn.return_value = 'automaton1'
         validate.validate_releases(
             deliverable_info,
@@ -679,13 +708,14 @@ class TestValidateTarballBase(base.BaseTestCase):
             warnings.append,
             errors.append,
         )
+        print(warnings, errors)
         self.assertEqual(0, len(warnings))
         self.assertEqual(1, len(errors))
 
+    @mock.patch('openstack_releases.project_config.require_release_jobs_for_repo')
     @mock.patch('openstack_releases.pythonutils.get_sdist_name')
-    def test_explicit_ok(self, gsn):
+    def test_explicit_ok(self, gsn, jobs):
         deliverable_info = {
-            'artifact-link-mode': 'none',
             'releases': [
                 {'version': '1.5.0',
                  'projects': [
@@ -706,13 +736,14 @@ class TestValidateTarballBase(base.BaseTestCase):
             warnings.append,
             errors.append,
         )
+        print(warnings, errors)
         self.assertEqual(0, len(warnings))
         self.assertEqual(0, len(errors))
 
+    @mock.patch('openstack_releases.project_config.require_release_jobs_for_repo')
     @mock.patch('openstack_releases.pythonutils.get_sdist_name')
-    def test_explicit_invalid(self, gsn):
+    def test_explicit_invalid(self, gsn, jobs):
         deliverable_info = {
-            'artifact-link-mode': 'none',
             'releases': [
                 {'version': '1.5.0',
                  'projects': [