diff --git a/hgext/largefiles/overrides.py b/hgext/largefiles/overrides.py
--- a/hgext/largefiles/overrides.py
+++ b/hgext/largefiles/overrides.py
@@ -733,24 +733,29 @@ def overrideclone(orig, ui, source, dest
 def hgclone(orig, ui, opts, *args, **kwargs):
     result = orig(ui, opts, *args, **kwargs)
 
-    if result is not None and opts.get('all_largefiles'):
+    if result is not None:
         sourcerepo, destrepo = result
         repo = destrepo.local()
 
         # The .hglf directory must exist for the standin matcher to match
         # anything (which listlfiles uses for each rev), and .hg/largefiles is
         # assumed to exist by the code that caches the downloaded file.  These
-        # directories exist if clone updated to any rev.
-        if opts.get('noupdate'):
-            util.makedirs(repo.pathto(lfutil.shortname))
-            util.makedirs(repo.join(lfutil.longname))
+        # directories exist if clone updated to any rev.  (If the repo does not
+        # have largefiles, download never gets to the point of needing
+        # .hg/largefiles, and the standin matcher won't match anything anyway.)
+        if 'largefiles' in repo.requirements:
+            if opts.get('noupdate'):
+                util.makedirs(repo.pathto(lfutil.shortname))
+                util.makedirs(repo.join(lfutil.longname))
 
         # Caching is implicitly limited to 'rev' option, since the dest repo was
-        # truncated at that point.
-        success, missing = lfcommands.downloadlfiles(ui, repo, None)
+        # truncated at that point.  The user may expect a download count with
+        # this option, so attempt whether or not this is a largefile repo.
+        if opts.get('all_largefiles'):
+            success, missing = lfcommands.downloadlfiles(ui, repo, None)
 
-        if missing != 0:
-            return None
+            if missing != 0:
+                return None
 
     return result
 
diff --git a/tests/test-lfconvert.t b/tests/test-lfconvert.t
--- a/tests/test-lfconvert.t
+++ b/tests/test-lfconvert.t
@@ -276,10 +276,21 @@ round-trip: converting back to a normal 
 
 Avoid a traceback if a largefile isn't available (issue3519)
 
+Ensure the largefile can be cached in the source if necessary
   $ hg clone -U largefiles-repo issue3519
   $ rm "${USERCACHE}"/*
   $ hg lfconvert --to-normal issue3519 normalized3519
   initializing destination normalized3519
+
+Ensure the abort message is useful if a largefile is entirely unavailable
+  $ rm -rf normalized3519
+  $ rm "${USERCACHE}"/*
+  $ rm issue3519/.hg/largefiles/*
+  $ rm largefiles-repo/.hg/largefiles/*
+  $ hg lfconvert --to-normal issue3519 normalized3519
+  initializing destination normalized3519
+  large: can't get file locally
+  (no default or default-push path set in hgrc)
   abort: missing largefile 'large' from revision d4892ec57ce212905215fad1d9018f56b99202ad
   [255]