diff --git a/local/scripts/validate-source-trees.py b/local/scripts/validate-source-trees.py
index 52f4c1a65e..3d85114323 100755
--- a/local/scripts/validate-source-trees.py
+++ b/local/scripts/validate-source-trees.py
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ def main():
             if recipe_path not in seen:
                 print(recipe_path)
                 seen.add(recipe_path)
-        return 1 if missing_entries else 0
+        return 0  # Missing sources are non-fatal; they get fetched during build
 
     print(f"=== Validating source trees for config: {args.config} ===")
     for package_name, recipe_dir in missing_entries: