diff --git a/guix/scripts/locate.scm b/guix/scripts/locate.scm
index f8ee875c7c0..b42011f8c4c 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/locate.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/locate.scm
@@ -624,7 +624,8 @@ Locate FILE and return the list of packages that contain it.\n"))
            (clear?   (assoc-ref opts 'clear?))
            (update?  (assoc-ref opts 'update?))
            (glob?    (assoc-ref opts 'glob?))
-           (database ((assoc-ref opts 'database) update? age-update-threshold))
+           (database ((assoc-ref opts 'database)
+                      (or clear? update?) age-update-threshold))
            (method   (assoc-ref opts 'method))
            (files    (reverse (filter-map (match-lambda
                                             (('argument . arg) arg)