diff --git a/master_changes.md b/master_changes.md
index 80d30f9438f..14ea1a5b9c4 100644
--- a/master_changes.md
+++ b/master_changes.md
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ users)
 ## Config
 
 ## Pin
+  * [BUG] Fix first retrieval of local VCS pin done as local path [#6221 @rjbou - fix #5809]
 
 ## List
 
diff --git a/src/client/opamPinCommand.ml b/src/client/opamPinCommand.ml
index 8432d06498b..0dfa97051d3 100644
--- a/src/client/opamPinCommand.ml
+++ b/src/client/opamPinCommand.ml
@@ -75,18 +75,15 @@ let get_source_definition ?version ?subpath ?locked st nv url =
     opam
   in
   let open OpamProcess.Job.Op in
-  let url =
-    let u = OpamFile.URL.url url in
-    match OpamUrl.local_dir u, u.OpamUrl.backend with
-    | Some dir, #OpamUrl.version_control ->
-      OpamFile.URL.with_url
-        (OpamUrl.of_string (OpamFilename.Dir.to_string dir))
-        url
-    | _, _ -> url
-  in
   OpamUpdate.fetch_dev_package url srcdir ?subpath nv @@| function
   | Not_available (_,s) -> raise (Fetch_Fail s)
   | Up_to_date _ | Result _ ->
+    let srcdir =
+      let u = OpamFile.URL.url url in
+      match OpamUrl.local_dir u, u.OpamUrl.backend with
+      | Some dir, #OpamUrl.version_control -> dir
+      | _, _ -> srcdir
+    in
     let srcdir = OpamFilename.SubPath.(srcdir /? subpath) in
     match OpamPinned.find_opam_file_in_source ?locked nv.name srcdir with
     | None -> None
diff --git a/tests/reftests/fetch-package.test b/tests/reftests/fetch-package.test
index 4e3202539c7..cb88b48216a 100644
--- a/tests/reftests/fetch-package.test
+++ b/tests/reftests/fetch-package.test
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ opam
 root.ml
 ### opam pin foo-git-pin ./a-dev -y
 Package foo-git-pin does not exist, create as a NEW package? [y/n] y
-[foo-git-pin.dev] synchronised (file://${BASEDIR}/a-dev)
+[foo-git-pin.dev] synchronised (git+file://${BASEDIR}/a-dev#master)
 foo-git-pin is now pinned to git+file://${BASEDIR}/a-dev#master (version dev)
 
 The following actions will be performed:
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ The following actions will be performed:
   - install foo-git-pin dev (pinned)
 
 <><> Processing actions <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
--> retrieved foo-git-pin.dev  (git+file://${BASEDIR}/a-dev#master)
+-> retrieved foo-git-pin.dev  (no changes)
 -> installed foo-git-pin.dev
 Done.
 ### cat OPAM/downloads-pin/lib/foo-git-pin-files | sort
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ root.ml
 ### :: dev-repo
 ### opam switch create downloads-devrepo --empty
 ### opam pin foo-git --dev-repo -y
-[foo-git.1] synchronised (file://${BASEDIR}/a-dev)
+[foo-git.1] synchronised (git+file://${BASEDIR}/a-dev)
 foo-git is now pinned to git+file://${BASEDIR}/a-dev (version 1)
 
 The following actions will be performed:
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ The following actions will be performed:
   - install foo-git 1 (pinned)
 
 <><> Processing actions <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
--> retrieved foo-git.1  (git+file://${BASEDIR}/a-dev)
+-> retrieved foo-git.1  (no changes)
 -> installed foo-git.1
 Done.
 ### cat OPAM/downloads-devrepo/lib/foo-git-files | sort
diff --git a/tests/reftests/pin.test b/tests/reftests/pin.test
index 9200b996163..bb2c395b8e7 100644
--- a/tests/reftests/pin.test
+++ b/tests/reftests/pin.test
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ Now run 'opam upgrade' to apply any package updates.
 ### : pin with url
 ### opam pin add nip-git git+file://$BASEDIR/nip-git
 Package nip-git does not exist, create as a NEW package? [y/n] y
-[nip-git.dev] synchronised (file://${BASEDIR}/nip-git)
+[nip-git.dev] synchronised (git+file://${BASEDIR}/nip-git#master)
 nip-git is now pinned to git+file://${BASEDIR}/nip-git#master (version ved)
 
 The following actions will be performed:
@@ -1381,9 +1381,10 @@ opam-version: "2.0"
 build: "false"
 ### opam pin vcs-local ./vcs-local --no-action
 Package vcs-local does not exist, create as a NEW package? [y/n] y
-[vcs-local.dev] synchronised (file://${BASEDIR}/vcs-local)
+[vcs-local.dev] synchronised (git+file://${BASEDIR}/vcs-local#master)
 vcs-local is now pinned to git+file://${BASEDIR}/vcs-local#master (version dev)
 ### test -f OPAM/vcs-local/.opam-switch/sources/vcs-local/untracked
+# Return code 1 #
 ### opam show vcs-local --field build:,url.src:
 build:   "false"
 url.src: "git+file://${BASEDIR}/vcs-local#master"
diff --git a/tests/reftests/rec-pin.test b/tests/reftests/rec-pin.test
index db265035002..2be8a534a3f 100644
--- a/tests/reftests/rec-pin.test
+++ b/tests/reftests/rec-pin.test
@@ -536,13 +536,13 @@ Package root-a-i-j_g does not exist, create as a NEW package? [y/n] y
 [root-a-i-j_g.3] synchronised (no changes)
 root-a-i-j_g is now subpath-pinned to directory /a/i/j in git+file://${BASEDIR}/pinnes#master (version 3)
 Package root-a-i_g does not exist, create as a NEW package? [y/n] y
-[root-a-i_g.3] synchronised (directory /a/i in file://${BASEDIR}/pinnes)
+[root-a-i_g.3] synchronised (no changes)
 root-a-i_g is now subpath-pinned to directory /a/i in git+file://${BASEDIR}/pinnes#master (version 3)
 Package root-a_p does not exist, create as a NEW package? [y/n] y
 [root-a_p.3] synchronised (no changes)
 root-a_p is now subpath-pinned to directory /a in file://${BASEDIR}/pinnes (version 3)
 Package root_g does not exist, create as a NEW package? [y/n] y
-[root_g.3] synchronised (file://${BASEDIR}/pinnes)
+[root_g.3] synchronised (no changes)
 root_g is now pinned to git+file://${BASEDIR}/pinnes#master (version 3)
 Package root-a-k_p does not exist, create as a NEW package? [y/n] y
 [root-a-k_p.3] synchronised (no changes)
@@ -1052,13 +1052,13 @@ Package root-a-i-j_g does not exist, create as a NEW package? [y/n] y
 [root-a-i-j_g.3] synchronised (no changes)
 root-a-i-j_g is now subpath-pinned to directory /a/i/j in git+file://${BASEDIR}/pinnes#master (version 3)
 Package root-a-i_g does not exist, create as a NEW package? [y/n] y
-[root-a-i_g.3] synchronised (directory /a/i in file://${BASEDIR}/pinnes)
+[root-a-i_g.3] synchronised (no changes)
 root-a-i_g is now subpath-pinned to directory /a/i in git+file://${BASEDIR}/pinnes#master (version 3)
 Package root-a_p does not exist, create as a NEW package? [y/n] y
 [root-a_p.3] synchronised (no changes)
 root-a_p is now subpath-pinned to directory /a in file://${BASEDIR}/pinnes (version 3)
 Package root_g does not exist, create as a NEW package? [y/n] y
-[root_g.3] synchronised (file://${BASEDIR}/pinnes)
+[root_g.3] synchronised (no changes)
 root_g is now pinned to git+file://${BASEDIR}/pinnes#master (version 3)
 Package root-a-k_p does not exist, create as a NEW package? [y/n] y
 [root-a-k_p.3] synchronised (no changes)