diff --git a/java/com/google/copybara/WorkflowMode.java b/java/com/google/copybara/WorkflowMode.java
index 632e42600..8967e0044 100644
--- a/java/com/google/copybara/WorkflowMode.java
+++ b/java/com/google/copybara/WorkflowMode.java
@@ -263,12 +263,7 @@ <O extends Revision, D extends Revision> void run(WorkflowRunHelper<O, D> runHel
           runHelper,
           baseline,
           runHelper.workflowOptions().baselineForMergeImport == null
-              ? baseline
-                  .orElseThrow(() ->
-                      new ValidationException(
-                          "Cannot read origin revision from baseline, please specify the baseline"
-                              + " using the --baseline-for-merge-import flag."))
-                  .getOriginRevision()
+              ? baseline.map((Baseline<O> b) -> b.getOriginRevision()).orElse(null)
               : runHelper.originResolveLastRev(runHelper.workflowOptions().baselineForMergeImport));
     }},
     @DocField(