diff --git a/registry/src/v1/repository.rs b/registry/src/v1/repository.rs
index 2513acfe..656c9f70 100644
--- a/registry/src/v1/repository.rs
+++ b/registry/src/v1/repository.rs
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ impl Registry {
         extension_version_id: i32,
         control_file: Option<&ControlFileMetadata>,
     ) -> Result {
-        let absent = control_file.is_none();
+        let absent = control_file.map(|control_file| control_file.absent).unwrap_or(true);
         let content = control_file.and_then(|control_file| control_file.content.as_ref());
 
         sqlx::query!(