diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index 5756b6aa2c..a64b0fb84c 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -8051,9 +8051,9 @@ the end of the build log.  This is useful when debugging build issues.
 @xref{Debugging Build Failures}, for tips and tricks on how to debug
 build issues.
 
-This option has no effect when connecting to a remote daemon with a
-@code{guix://} URI (@pxref{The Store, the @code{GUIX_DAEMON_SOCKET}
-variable}).
+This option implies @option{--no-offload}, and it has no effect when
+connecting to a remote daemon with a @code{guix://} URI (@pxref{The
+Store, the @code{GUIX_DAEMON_SOCKET} variable}).
 
 @item --keep-going
 @itemx -k
diff --git a/guix/scripts/build.scm b/guix/scripts/build.scm
index acb495a462..a853ac6c7d 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/build.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/build.scm
@@ -545,7 +545,8 @@ (define (set-build-options-from-command-line store opts)
                      #:fallback? (assoc-ref opts 'fallback?)
                      #:use-substitutes? (assoc-ref opts 'substitutes?)
                      #:substitute-urls (assoc-ref opts 'substitute-urls)
-                     #:offload? (assoc-ref opts 'offload?)
+                     #:offload? (and (assoc-ref opts 'offload?)
+                                     (not (assoc-ref opts 'keep-failed?)))
                      #:max-silent-time (assoc-ref opts 'max-silent-time)
                      #:timeout (assoc-ref opts 'timeout)
                      #:print-build-trace (assoc-ref opts 'print-build-trace?)