diff --git a/pikit_api/releases.py b/pikit_api/releases.py
index fd6f7c7..a7098a4 100644
--- a/pikit_api/releases.py
+++ b/pikit_api/releases.py
@@ -210,21 +210,22 @@ def fetch_manifest_for_channel(channel: str, with_meta: bool = False):
     try:
         parts = base_manifest_url.split("/")
         if "releases" not in parts:
-            if manifest:
-                return (manifest, {"version_dates": version_dates}) if with_meta else manifest
-            mf = fetch_manifest(base_manifest_url)
-            return (mf, {"version_dates": version_dates}) if with_meta else mf
-        idx = parts.index("releases")
-        owner = parts[idx - 2]
-        repo = parts[idx - 1]
-        base = "/".join(parts[:3])
-        api_url = f"{base}/api/v1/repos/{owner}/{repo}/releases"
-        req = urllib.request.Request(api_url)
-        token = _auth_token()
-        if token:
-            req.add_header("Authorization", f"token {token}")
-        resp = urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=10)
-        releases = json.loads(resp.read().decode())
+            # No releases API for this URL; keep any fetched manifest and skip API discovery.
+            releases = []
+            if not manifest:
+                manifest = fetch_manifest(base_manifest_url)
+        else:
+            idx = parts.index("releases")
+            owner = parts[idx - 2]
+            repo = parts[idx - 1]
+            base = "/".join(parts[:3])
+            api_url = f"{base}/api/v1/repos/{owner}/{repo}/releases"
+            req = urllib.request.Request(api_url)
+            token = _auth_token()
+            if token:
+                req.add_header("Authorization", f"token {token}")
+            resp = urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=10)
+            releases = json.loads(resp.read().decode())
 
         # Map release versions to published dates so we can surface them later
         for rel in releases: