diff --git a/cmd/jb/install_test.go b/cmd/jb/install_test.go
index 8b16c2d..2bf44c5 100644
--- a/cmd/jb/install_test.go
+++ b/cmd/jb/install_test.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func TestInstallCommand(t *testing.T) {
 			URIs:                    []string{"jsonnet/foobar"},
 			ExpectedCode:            0,
 			ExpectedJsonnetFile:     []byte(`{"dependencies": [{"name": "foobar", "source": {"local": {"directory": "jsonnet/foobar"}}, "version": ""}]}`),
-			ExpectedJsonnetLockFile: []byte(`{"dependencies": [{"name": "foobar", "source": {"local": {"directory": "jsonnet/foobar"}}, "version": "", "sum": "47DEQpj8HBSa+/TImW+5JCeuQeRkm5NMpJWZG3hSuFU="}]}`),
+			ExpectedJsonnetLockFile: []byte(`{"dependencies": [{"name": "foobar", "source": {"local": {"directory": "jsonnet/foobar"}}, "version": ""}]}`),
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/packages.go b/pkg/packages.go
index 5d34b4b..53565a5 100644
--- a/pkg/packages.go
+++ b/pkg/packages.go
@@ -155,7 +155,10 @@ func download(d spec.Dependency, vendorDir string) (*spec.Dependency, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	sum := hashDir(filepath.Join(vendorDir, d.Name))
+	var sum string
+	if d.Source.LocalSource == nil {
+		sum = hashDir(filepath.Join(vendorDir, d.Name))
+	}
 
 	return &spec.Dependency{
 		Name:    d.Name,
@@ -166,8 +169,19 @@ func download(d spec.Dependency, vendorDir string) (*spec.Dependency, error) {
 }
 
 // check returns whether the files present at the vendor/ folder match the
-// sha256 sum of the package
+// sha256 sum of the package. local-directory dependencies are not checked as
+// their purpose is to change during development where integrity checking would
+// be a hindrance.
 func check(d spec.Dependency, vendorDir string) bool {
+	// assume a local dependency is intact as long as it exists
+	if d.Source.LocalSource != nil {
+		x, err := jsonnetfile.Exists(filepath.Join(vendorDir, d.Name))
+		if err != nil {
+			return false
+		}
+		return x
+	}
+
 	if d.Sum == "" {
 		// no sum available, need to download
 		return false