diff --git a/src/babashka/impl/pods.clj b/src/babashka/impl/pods.clj
index fb07c087..54e7cf22 100644
--- a/src/babashka/impl/pods.clj
+++ b/src/babashka/impl/pods.clj
@@ -9,20 +9,20 @@
 (defn load-pod [& args]
   (apply pods/load-pod @ctx args))
 
-(defn load-pods-metadata [pods-map]
+(defn load-pods-metadata [pods-map opts]
   (reduce-kv
     (fn [pod-namespaces pod-spec coord]
       (merge pod-namespaces
              (condp #(contains? %2 %1) coord
                :version
                (pods/load-pod-metadata pod-spec
-                                       (merge {:cache true}
+                                       (merge opts {:cache true}
                                               (select-keys coord [:version :cache])))
 
                :path
                (pods/load-pod-metadata (-> @bb-edn :file io/file)
                                        pod-spec
-                                       (merge {:cache true}
+                                       (merge opts {:cache true}
                                               (select-keys coord [:path :cache])))
 
                (throw (IllegalArgumentException.
diff --git a/src/babashka/main.clj b/src/babashka/main.clj
index 12298662..4353f1d4 100644
--- a/src/babashka/main.clj
+++ b/src/babashka/main.clj
@@ -741,6 +741,12 @@ Use bb run --help to show this help output.
 
 (def pod-namespaces (volatile! {}))
 
+(defn download-only?
+  "If we're preparing pods for another OS / arch, don't try to run them."
+  []
+  (or (not= (System/getenv "OS_NAME") (System/getProperty "os.name"))
+      (not= (System/getenv "OS_ARCH") (System/getProperty "os.arch"))))
+
 (defn exec [cli-opts]
   (binding [*unrestricted* true]
     (sci/binding [core/warn-on-reflection @core/warn-on-reflection
@@ -859,7 +865,8 @@ Use bb run --help to show this help output.
             sci-ctx (sci/init opts)
             _ (vreset! common/ctx sci-ctx)
             _ (when-let [pods (:pods @common/bb-edn)]
-                (let [pod-metadata (pods/load-pods-metadata pods)]
+                (when-let [pod-metadata (pods/load-pods-metadata
+                                          pods {:download-only (download-only?)})]
                   (vreset! pod-namespaces pod-metadata)))
             preloads (some-> (System/getenv "BABASHKA_PRELOADS") (str/trim))
             [expressions exit-code]