diff --git a/common/spaces/fallback_space_primitives.ts b/common/spaces/fallback_space_primitives.ts
index 9da72b4..1c98886 100644
--- a/common/spaces/fallback_space_primitives.ts
+++ b/common/spaces/fallback_space_primitives.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,11 @@ export class FallbackSpacePrimitives implements SpacePrimitives {
         e.message,
       );
       try {
-        return await this.fallback.readFile(name);
+        const result = await this.fallback.readFile(name);
+        return {
+          data: result.data,
+          meta: { ...result.meta, neverSync: true },
+        };
       } catch (fallbackError: any) {
         console.error("Error during readFile fallback", fallbackError.message);
         // Fallback failed, so let's throw the original error
@@ -44,7 +48,8 @@ export class FallbackSpacePrimitives implements SpacePrimitives {
         e.message,
       );
       try {
-        return await this.fallback.getFileMeta(name);
+        const meta = await this.fallback.getFileMeta(name);
+        return { ...meta, neverSync: true };
       } catch (fallbackError) {
         console.error(
           "Error during getFileMeta fallback",
diff --git a/common/types.ts b/common/types.ts
index 0d5a73b..cf54e60 100644
--- a/common/types.ts
+++ b/common/types.ts
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ export type FileMeta = {
   contentType: string;
   size: number;
   perm: "ro" | "rw";
+  neverSync?: boolean;
 } & Record<string, any>;
diff --git a/web/client.ts b/web/client.ts
index 7dd1a74..d1e3dc0 100644
--- a/web/client.ts
+++ b/web/client.ts
@@ -306,13 +306,11 @@ export class Client {
       (meta) => fileFilterFn(meta.name),
       // Run when a list of files has been retrieved
       async () => {
-        if (await this.syncService?.hasInitialSyncCompleted()) {
-          await this.loadSettings();
-          if (typeof this.settings?.spaceIgnore === "string") {
-            fileFilterFn = gitIgnoreCompiler(this.settings.spaceIgnore).accepts;
-          } else {
-            fileFilterFn = () => true;
-          }
+        await this.loadSettings();
+        if (typeof this.settings?.spaceIgnore === "string") {
+          fileFilterFn = gitIgnoreCompiler(this.settings.spaceIgnore).accepts;
+        } else {
+          fileFilterFn = () => true;
         }
       },
     );
diff --git a/web/sync_service.ts b/web/sync_service.ts
index 6a4aae1..e5e9a9c 100644
--- a/web/sync_service.ts
+++ b/web/sync_service.ts
@@ -177,14 +177,6 @@ export class SyncService {
 
   // Syncs a single file
   async syncFile(name: string) {
-    // Reminder: main reason to do this is not accidentally sync files retrieved via fallthrough (remote) and treat them as locally deleted
-    if (!await this.hasInitialSyncCompleted()) {
-      console.info(
-        "Initial sync hasn't happened yet, skipping sync for individual file",
-        name,
-      );
-      return;
-    }
     if (await this.isSyncing()) {
       console.log("Already syncing, aborting individual file sync for", name);
       return;
@@ -199,8 +191,16 @@ export class SyncService {
       let localHash: number | undefined;
       let remoteHash: number | undefined;
       try {
-        localHash =
-          (await this.localSpacePrimitives.getFileMeta(name)).lastModified;
+        const localMeta = await this.localSpacePrimitives.getFileMeta(name);
+        if (localMeta.neverSync) {
+          console.info(
+            "File marked as neverSync, skipping sync in this cycle",
+            name,
+          );
+          await this.registerSyncStop();
+          return;
+        }
+        localHash = localMeta.lastModified;
       } catch {
         // Not present
       }