diff --git a/newt/builder/targetbuild.go b/newt/builder/targetbuild.go
index b887450369..d12cf1043d 100644
--- a/newt/builder/targetbuild.go
+++ b/newt/builder/targetbuild.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func NewTargetTester(target *target.Target,
 		injectedSettings: cfgv.NewSettings(nil),
 	}
 
-	if err := t.ensureResolved(); err != nil {
+	if err := t.ensureResolved(false); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ func NewTargetTester(target *target.Target,
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	t.res.Cfg.DetectErrors(bspPkg.FlashMap)
+
 	return t, nil
 }
 
@@ -174,7 +176,7 @@ func (t *TargetBuilder) resolveTransientPkgs(lps []*pkg.LocalPackage) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (t *TargetBuilder) ensureResolved() error {
+func (t *TargetBuilder) ensureResolved(detectErr bool) error {
 	if t.res != nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -238,7 +240,7 @@ func (t *TargetBuilder) ensureResolved() error {
 
 	var err error
 	t.res, err = resolve.ResolveFull(
-		loaderSeeds, appSeeds, t.injectedSettings, t.bspPkg.FlashMap)
+		loaderSeeds, appSeeds, t.injectedSettings, t.bspPkg.FlashMap, detectErr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -267,7 +269,7 @@ func (t *TargetBuilder) ensureResolved() error {
 }
 
 func (t *TargetBuilder) Resolve() (*resolve.Resolution, error) {
-	if err := t.ensureResolved(); err != nil {
+	if err := t.ensureResolved(true); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -275,7 +277,7 @@ func (t *TargetBuilder) Resolve() (*resolve.Resolution, error) {
 }
 
 func (t *TargetBuilder) validateAndWriteCfg() error {
-	if err := t.ensureResolved(); err != nil {
+	if err := t.ensureResolved(true); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -384,7 +386,7 @@ func (t *TargetBuilder) extraADirs() []string {
 }
 
 func (t *TargetBuilder) PrepBuild() error {
-	if err := t.ensureResolved(); err != nil {
+	if err := t.ensureResolved(true); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -836,7 +838,7 @@ func (t *TargetBuilder) MaxImgSizes() []int {
 }
 
 func (t *TargetBuilder) CreateDepGraph() (DepGraph, error) {
-	if err := t.ensureResolved(); err != nil {
+	if err := t.ensureResolved(true); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -844,7 +846,7 @@ func (t *TargetBuilder) CreateDepGraph() (DepGraph, error) {
 }
 
 func (t *TargetBuilder) CreateRevdepGraph() (DepGraph, error) {
-	if err := t.ensureResolved(); err != nil {
+	if err := t.ensureResolved(true); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/newt/resolve/resolve.go b/newt/resolve/resolve.go
index ef883de529..d930aa25bc 100644
--- a/newt/resolve/resolve.go
+++ b/newt/resolve/resolve.go
@@ -1168,7 +1168,8 @@ func ResolveFull(
 	loaderSeeds []*pkg.LocalPackage,
 	appSeeds []*pkg.LocalPackage,
 	injectedSettings *cfgv.Settings,
-	flashMap flashmap.FlashMap) (*Resolution, error) {
+	flashMap flashmap.FlashMap,
+	detectErr bool) (*Resolution, error) {
 
 	// First, calculate syscfg and determine which package provides each
 	// required API.  Syscfg and APIs are project-wide; that is, they are
@@ -1239,7 +1240,9 @@ func ResolveFull(
 	if loaderSeeds == nil {
 		res.AppSet.Rpkgs = r.rpkgSlice()
 		res.LoaderSet = nil
-		res.Cfg.DetectErrors(flashMap)
+		if detectErr == true {
+			res.Cfg.DetectErrors(flashMap)
+		}
 		return res, nil
 	}
 
@@ -1290,7 +1293,9 @@ func ResolveFull(
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	res.Cfg.DetectErrors(flashMap)
+	if detectErr == true {
+		res.Cfg.DetectErrors(flashMap)
+	}
 
 	return res, nil
 }