diff --git a/pelican/contents.py b/pelican/contents.py
index 0bfffb15..310690ba 100644
--- a/pelican/contents.py
+++ b/pelican/contents.py
@@ -140,7 +140,9 @@ class Content(object):
         if not hasattr(self, 'status'):
             self.status = getattr(self, 'default_status', None)
 
-        self.refresh_metadata_intersite_links()
+        if len(self._context.get('filenames', [])) > 0:
+            self.refresh_metadata_intersite_links()
+
         signals.content_object_init.send(self)
 
     def __str__(self):