diff --git a/modules/console.cc b/modules/console.cc
index fee7f36c9..1d563cd36 100644
--- a/modules/console.cc
+++ b/modules/console.cc
@@ -11143,6 +11143,7 @@ console_cmd__fed__event(opt &out, const string_view &line)
 	m::vm::opts vmopts;
 	vmopts.non_conform.set(m::event::conforms::MISSING_PREV_STATE);
 	vmopts.prev_check_exists = true;
+	vmopts.prev_wait = true;
 	vmopts.state_must_exist = true;
 	vmopts.history = false;
 	vmopts.notify = false;
diff --git a/modules/federation/send.cc b/modules/federation/send.cc
index fe24412cd..707887a24 100644
--- a/modules/federation/send.cc
+++ b/modules/federation/send.cc
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ handle_pdus(client &client,
 {
 	m::vm::opts vmopts;
 	vmopts.non_conform.set(m::event::conforms::MISSING_PREV_STATE);
-	vmopts.prev_check_exists = false;
 	vmopts.nothrows = -1U;
 	vmopts.infolog_accept = true;
 	vmopts.warnlog |= m::vm::fault::STATE;
diff --git a/modules/s_fetch.cc b/modules/s_fetch.cc
index e34ec342c..90c6ef96b 100644
--- a/modules/s_fetch.cc
+++ b/modules/s_fetch.cc
@@ -143,15 +143,14 @@ ircd::m::fetch::hook_handler(const event &event,
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		if(!opts.prev_fetch || !opts.prev_wait)
-			if(opts.prev_must_all_exist)
-				throw vm::error
-				{
-					vm::fault::EVENT, "Missing prev %s in %s in %s",
-					string_view{prev_id},
-					json::get<"event_id"_>(*eval.event_),
-					json::get<"room_id"_>(*eval.event_)
-				};
+		if((!opts.prev_fetch || !opts.prev_wait) && opts.prev_must_all_exist)
+			throw vm::error
+			{
+				vm::fault::EVENT, "Missing prev %s in %s in %s",
+				string_view{prev_id},
+				json::get<"event_id"_>(*eval.event_),
+				json::get<"room_id"_>(*eval.event_)
+			};
 
 		if(opts.prev_fetch)
 			start(prev_id, room_id);
@@ -520,7 +519,6 @@ try
 	};
 
 	m::vm::opts opts;
-	opts.prev_check_exists = false;
 	opts.infolog_accept = true;
 	m::vm::eval
 	{