diff --git a/lib/bblayers/layerindex.py b/lib/bblayers/layerindex.py
index 308a5532d..2ba1103a3 100644
--- a/lib/bblayers/layerindex.py
+++ b/lib/bblayers/layerindex.py
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ class LayerIndexPlugin(ActionPlugin):
 
         # Load the cooker DB
         cookerIndex = layerindexlib.LayerIndex(self.tinfoil.config_data)
-        cookerIndex.load_layerindex('cooker://', load='layerDependencies')
+        cookerIndex.load_layerindex('cooker://', load=['layerDependencies'])
 
         # Fast path, check if we already have what has been requested!
         (dependencies, invalidnames) = cookerIndex.find_dependencies(names=args.layername, ignores=ignore_layers)
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class LayerIndexPlugin(ActionPlugin):
 
             for remoteurl in _construct_url(apiurl, branches):
                 logger.plain("Loading %s..." % remoteurl)
-                remoteIndex.load_layerindex(remoteurl)
+                remoteIndex.load_layerindex(remoteurl, load=['layerDependencies'])
 
             if remoteIndex.is_empty():
                 logger.error("Remote layer index %s is empty for branches %s" % (apiurl, branches))
diff --git a/lib/layerindexlib/__init__.py b/lib/layerindexlib/__init__.py
index c3265ddaa..e693e5c11 100644
--- a/lib/layerindexlib/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/layerindexlib/__init__.py
@@ -174,15 +174,15 @@ class LayerIndex():
         return res
 
 
-    def load_layerindex(self, indexURI, load=['layerDependencies', 'recipes', 'machines', 'distros'], reload=False):
+    def load_layerindex(self, indexURI, load=[], reload=False):
         '''Load the layerindex.
 
            indexURI - An index to load.  (Use multiple calls to load multiple indexes)
 
            reload - If reload is True, then any previously loaded indexes will be forgotten.
 
-           load - List of elements to load.  Default loads all items.
-                  Note: plugs may ignore this.
+           load - List of elements to load. By default, an empty list is used to keep things lean.
+                  Callers need to specify a minimal set of elements to load, such as ['layerDependencies'] for dependency resolution.
 
 The format of the indexURI:
 
diff --git a/lib/toaster/orm/management/commands/lsupdates.py b/lib/toaster/orm/management/commands/lsupdates.py
index 0ee00aa15..153b26f60 100644
--- a/lib/toaster/orm/management/commands/lsupdates.py
+++ b/lib/toaster/orm/management/commands/lsupdates.py
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             url_branches = ";branch=%s" % ','.join(allowed_branch_names)
         else:
             url_branches = ""
-        layerindex.load_layerindex("%s%s" % (self.apiurl, url_branches))
+        layerindex.load_layerindex("%s%s" % (self.apiurl, url_branches),
+                                   load=['layerDependencies', 'recipes', 'machines', 'distros'])
 
         http_progress.stop()