diff --git a/module_build_service/utils.py b/module_build_service/utils.py
index e16e4e97..53ac897f 100644
--- a/module_build_service/utils.py
+++ b/module_build_service/utils.py
@@ -506,23 +506,23 @@ def format_mmd(mmd, scmurl):
     # them because of dep-chain.
     from module_build_service.scm import SCM
 
-    mmd.xmd['mbs'] = {'scmurl': scmurl}
+    mmd.xmd['mbs'] = {'scmurl': scmurl, 'commit': None}
 
-    scm = SCM(scmurl)
-    # If a commit hash is provided, add that information to the modulemd
-    if scm.commit:
-        # We want to make sure we have the full commit hash for consistency
-        if SCM.is_full_commit_hash(scm.scheme, scm.commit):
-            full_scm_hash = scm.commit
-        else:
-            full_scm_hash = scm.get_full_commit_hash()
-
-        mmd.xmd['mbs']['commit'] = full_scm_hash
-    # If a commit hash wasn't provided then just get the latest from master
-    else:
+    # If module build was submitted via yaml file, there is no scmurl
+    if scmurl:
         scm = SCM(scmurl)
-        mmd.xmd['mbs']['commit'] = scm.get_latest()
+        # If a commit hash is provided, add that information to the modulemd
+        if scm.commit:
+            # We want to make sure we have the full commit hash for consistency
+            if SCM.is_full_commit_hash(scm.scheme, scm.commit):
+                full_scm_hash = scm.commit
+            else:
+                full_scm_hash = scm.get_full_commit_hash()
 
+            mmd.xmd['mbs']['commit'] = full_scm_hash
+        # If a commit hash wasn't provided then just get the latest from master
+        else:
+            mmd.xmd['mbs']['commit'] = scm.get_latest()
 
     # If the modulemd yaml specifies module buildrequires, replace the streams
     # with commit hashes
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ def format_mmd(mmd, scmurl):
                 'version': module_stream}
             commit_hash, version = get_module_commit_hash_and_version(
                 pdc, module_info)
-            if commit_hash and version:
+            if version and (commit_hash or not scmurl):
                 mmd.xmd['mbs']['buildrequires'][module_name] = {
                     'ref': commit_hash,
                     'stream': mmd.buildrequires[module_name],
@@ -793,6 +793,7 @@ def get_reusable_component(session, module, component_name):
     previous_module_build = session.query(models.ModuleBuild)\
         .filter_by(name=mmd.name)\
         .filter(models.ModuleBuild.state.in_([3, 5]))\
+        .filter(models.ModuleBuild.scmurl.isnot(None))\
         .order_by(models.ModuleBuild.time_completed.desc())\
         .first()
     # The component can't be reused if there isn't a previous build in the done
@@ -831,8 +832,9 @@ def get_reusable_component(session, module, component_name):
         # Assumes that the streams have been replaced with commit hashes, so we
         # can compare to see if they have changed. Since a build is unique to
         # a commit hash, this is a safe test.
-        if br_module['ref'] != \
-                old_mmd.xmd['mbs']['buildrequires'][br_module_name]['ref']:
+        ref1 = br_module.get('ref')
+        ref2 = old_mmd.xmd['mbs']['buildrequires'][br_module_name].get('ref')
+        if not (ref1 and ref2) or ref1 != ref2:
             return None
 
     # At this point we've determined that both module builds depend(ed) on the
diff --git a/tests/test_utils/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils/test_utils.py
index c5cee88f..631132f4 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils/test_utils.py
@@ -115,6 +115,35 @@ class TestUtils(unittest.TestCase):
         }
         self.assertEqual(mmd.xmd, xmd)
 
+    @vcr.use_cassette(
+        path.join(CASSETTES_DIR, 'tests.test_utils.TestUtils.test_format_mmd'))
+    @patch('module_build_service.scm.SCM')
+    def test_format_mmd_empty_scmurl(self, mocked_scm):
+        # For all the RPMs in testmodule, get_latest is called
+        mocked_scm.return_value.get_latest.side_effect = [
+             '4ceea43add2366d8b8c5a622a2fb563b625b9abf',
+             'fbed359411a1baa08d4a88e0d12d426fbf8f602c',
+             '76f9d8c8e87eed0aab91034b01d3d5ff6bd5b4cb']
+
+        mmd = modulemd.ModuleMetadata()
+        with open(path.join(BASE_DIR, '..', 'staged_data', 'testmodule.yaml')) \
+                as mmd_file:
+            mmd.loads(mmd_file)
+
+        module_build_service.utils.format_mmd(mmd, scmurl=None)
+        xmd = {
+            'mbs': {
+                'commit': None,
+                'buildrequires': {
+                    'base-runtime': {
+                        'ref': 'abffed45ca33d7fe94fff8253b5bfe1d87e786b2',
+                        'stream': 'master',
+                        'version': '20170315134803'}},
+                'scmurl': None,
+            }
+        }
+        self.assertEqual(mmd.xmd, xmd)
+
     def test_get_reusable_component_same(self):
         test_reuse_component_init_data()
         new_module = models.ModuleBuild.query.filter_by(id=2).one()
@@ -122,6 +151,19 @@ class TestUtils(unittest.TestCase):
             db.session, new_module, 'tangerine')
         self.assertEqual(rv.package, 'tangerine')
 
+    def test_get_reusable_component_empty_scmurl(self):
+        test_reuse_component_init_data()
+
+        new_module = models.ModuleBuild.query.filter_by(id=2).one()
+        mmd = new_module.mmd()
+        mmd.xmd['mbs']['buildrequires'] = {'base-runtime': {}}
+        new_module.modulemd = mmd.dumps()
+        db.session.commit()
+
+        rv = module_build_service.utils.get_reusable_component(
+            db.session, new_module, 'tangerine')
+        self.assertEqual(rv, None)
+
     def test_get_reusable_component_different_perl_tangerine(self):
         test_reuse_component_init_data()
         second_module_build = models.ModuleBuild.query.filter_by(id=2).one()