diff --git a/src/client/opamCommands.ml b/src/client/opamCommands.ml
index b22616feaa1..b422c12dc55 100644
--- a/src/client/opamCommands.ml
+++ b/src/client/opamCommands.ml
@@ -2097,7 +2097,13 @@ let repository cli =
       otherwise be used to explicitly set the repository list at once."
       Arg.(int) 1
   in
-  let repository global_options command kind short scope rank params () =
+  let no_action =
+    mk_flag ~cli (cli_from cli2_2) ["n"; "no-action"]
+      "Do not automatically update when adding or changin repository url. \
+       You must update afterwards"
+  in
+  let repository global_options command kind short scope rank params
+      no_action () =
     apply_global_options cli global_options;
     let global = List.mem `Default scope in
     let command, params, rank = match command, params, rank with
@@ -2170,13 +2176,14 @@ let repository cli =
       in
       OpamRepositoryState.with_ `Lock_write gt (fun rt ->
           let rt = OpamRepositoryCommand.add rt name url trust_anchors in
-          let failed, rt =
-            OpamRepositoryCommand.update_with_auto_upgrade rt [name]
-          in
-          if failed <> [] then
-            (OpamRepositoryState.drop @@ OpamRepositoryCommand.remove rt name;
-             OpamConsole.error_and_exit `Sync_error
-               "Initial repository fetch failed"));
+          if not no_action then
+            let failed, rt =
+              OpamRepositoryCommand.update_with_auto_upgrade rt [name]
+            in
+            if failed <> [] then
+              (OpamRepositoryState.drop @@ OpamRepositoryCommand.remove rt name;
+               OpamConsole.error_and_exit `Sync_error
+                 "Initial repository fetch failed"));
       OpamGlobalState.drop @@ OpamRepositoryCommand.update_selection gt ~global
         ~switches (update_repos name);
       if scope = [`Current_switch] then
@@ -2241,9 +2248,8 @@ let repository cli =
       OpamGlobalState.with_ `Lock_none @@ fun gt ->
       OpamRepositoryState.with_ `Lock_write gt @@ fun rt ->
       let rt = OpamRepositoryCommand.set_url rt name url trust_anchors in
-      let _failed, _rt =
-        OpamRepositoryCommand.update_with_auto_upgrade rt [name]
-      in
+      if not no_action then
+        ignore @@ OpamRepositoryCommand.update_with_auto_upgrade rt [name];
       `Ok ()
     | Some `set_repos, names ->
       let names = List.map OpamRepositoryName.of_string names in
@@ -2288,7 +2294,7 @@ let repository cli =
   mk_command_ret  ~cli cli_original "repository" ~doc ~man
     Term.(const repository $global_options cli $command
           $repo_kind_flag cli cli_original $print_short_flag cli cli_original
-          $scope $rank $params)
+          $scope $rank $params $no_action)
 
 
 (* SWITCH *)