diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/ExternalMods.cs b/OpenRA.Game/ExternalMods.cs
index b3896bd2c9..c973c252c2 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/ExternalMods.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/ExternalMods.cs
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ namespace OpenRA
 			}
 		}
 
-		void LoadMod(MiniYaml yaml, string path = null)
+		void LoadMod(MiniYaml yaml, string path = null, bool forceRegistration = false)
 		{
 			var mod = FieldLoader.Load<ExternalMod>(yaml);
 			var iconNode = yaml.Nodes.FirstOrDefault(n => n.Key == "Icon");
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ namespace OpenRA
 
 			// Avoid possibly overwriting a valid mod with an obviously bogus one
 			var key = ExternalMod.MakeKey(mod);
-			if (File.Exists(mod.LaunchPath) && (path == null || Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(path) == key))
+			if ((forceRegistration || File.Exists(mod.LaunchPath)) && (path == null || Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(path) == key))
 				mods[key] = mod;
 		}
 
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ namespace OpenRA
 				sources.Add(Platform.SupportDir);
 
 			// Make sure the mod is available for this session, even if saving it fails
-			LoadMod(yaml.First().Value);
+			LoadMod(yaml.First().Value, forceRegistration: true);
 
 			foreach (var source in sources.Distinct())
 			{
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ namespace OpenRA
 			if (registration.HasFlag(ModRegistration.User))
 				sources.Add(Platform.SupportDir);
 
+			var activeModKey = ExternalMod.MakeKey(activeMod);
 			foreach (var source in sources.Distinct())
 			{
 				var metadataPath = Path.Combine(source, "ModMetadata");
@@ -169,6 +170,10 @@ namespace OpenRA
 						var m = FieldLoader.Load<ExternalMod>(yaml);
 						modKey = ExternalMod.MakeKey(m);
 
+						// Continue to the next entry if it is the active mod (even if the LaunchPath is bogus)
+						if (modKey == activeModKey)
+							continue;
+
 						// Continue to the next entry if this one is valid
 						if (File.Exists(m.LaunchPath) && Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(path) == modKey &&
 							!(activeMod != null && m.LaunchPath == activeMod.LaunchPath && m.Id == activeMod.Id && m.Version != activeMod.Version))