diff --git a/lib/modder/modder_load.go b/lib/modder/modder_load.go
index e5d420a..05e573c 100644
--- a/lib/modder/modder_load.go
+++ b/lib/modder/modder_load.go
@@ -93,12 +93,14 @@ func (mdr *Modder) LoadMetaFromFS(dir string) error {
 
 	err = mdr.LoadSumFile()
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		mdr.errors = append(mdr.errors, err)
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	err = mdr.LoadMappingsFile()
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		mdr.errors = append(mdr.errors, err)
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/lib/modder/modder_write.go b/lib/modder/modder_write.go
index 85d652e..56c38a7 100644
--- a/lib/modder/modder_write.go
+++ b/lib/modder/modder_write.go
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ func (mdr *Modder) WriteVendor() error {
 
 	// write out each dep
 	for _, m := range mdr.depsMap {
+		// XXX, this only (?) happens with local replaces with no matching require entry
+		if m.Version == "" {
+			m.Version = "v0.0.0"
+		}
+
 		dirhash, err := util.BillyCalcHash(m.FS)
 		if err != nil {
 			mdr.errors = append(mdr.errors, err)