diff --git a/lib/libalpm/handle.c b/lib/libalpm/handle.c
index 07828115..189c934f 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/handle.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/handle.c
@@ -362,7 +362,6 @@ int SYMEXPORT alpm_option_set_dbpath(const char *dbpath)
 
 int SYMEXPORT alpm_option_add_cachedir(const char *cachedir)
 {
-	struct stat st;
 	char *newcachedir;
 	size_t cachedirlen;
 
@@ -372,10 +371,9 @@ int SYMEXPORT alpm_option_add_cachedir(const char *cachedir)
 		pm_errno = PM_ERR_WRONG_ARGS;
 		return(-1);
 	}
-	if(stat(cachedir, &st) == -1 || !S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)) {
-		pm_errno = PM_ERR_NOT_A_DIR;
-		return(-1);
-	}
+	/* don't stat the cachedir yet, as it may not even be needed. we can
+	 * fail later if it is needed and the path is invalid. */
+
 	/* verify cachedir ends in a '/' */
 	cachedirlen = strlen(cachedir);
 	if(cachedir[cachedirlen-1] != '/') {
diff --git a/lib/libalpm/util.c b/lib/libalpm/util.c
index 851a7c25..64006d1f 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/util.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/util.c
@@ -571,8 +571,6 @@ const char *_alpm_filecache_setup(void)
 			/* cache directory does not exist.... try creating it */
 			_alpm_log(PM_LOG_WARNING, _("no %s cache exists, creating...\n"),
 					cachedir);
-			alpm_logaction("warning: no %s cache exists, creating...\n",
-					cachedir);
 			if(_alpm_makepath(cachedir) == 0) {
 				_alpm_log(PM_LOG_DEBUG, "using cachedir: %s\n", cachedir);
 				return(cachedir);
@@ -590,7 +588,6 @@ const char *_alpm_filecache_setup(void)
 	alpm_option_set_cachedirs(tmp);
 	_alpm_log(PM_LOG_DEBUG, "using cachedir: %s", "/tmp/\n");
 	_alpm_log(PM_LOG_WARNING, _("couldn't create package cache, using /tmp instead\n"));
-	alpm_logaction("warning: couldn't create package cache, using /tmp instead\n");
 	return(alpm_list_getdata(tmp));
 }