Merge "Expand ~ to user's home directory for --reference"
diff --git a/subcmds/sync.py b/subcmds/sync.py
index f573b98..b84d169 100644
--- a/subcmds/sync.py
+++ b/subcmds/sync.py
@@ -510,14 +510,6 @@
         # bail out now; the rest touches the working tree
         return
 
-        self.manifest._Unload()
-        all = self.GetProjects(args, missing_ok=True)
-        missing = []
-        for project in all:
-          if project.gitdir not in fetched:
-            missing.append(project)
-        self._Fetch(missing, opt)
-
     if self.manifest.IsMirror:
       # bail out now, we have no working tree
       return