diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index da38aa0..3ddb767 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -17,8 +17,12 @@ ubuntu-dev-tools (0.50) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
   [ Jonathan Davies ]
   * buildd: Show which architectures are available in help and created a
     list of them for easy addition of new ones.
-  * requestsync: Readd sponsorship flag and related documentation in
-    doc/requestsync.1 (LP: #270605).
+  * requestsync:
+    - Readd sponsorship flag and related documentation in
+      doc/requestsync.1 (LP: #270605).
+    - Do not check package's Launchpad bug list page if the package to be
+      synced is a new package. As this page does not exist for
+      it (LP: #312297).
 
  -- Jonathan Davies <jpds@ubuntu.com>  Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:45:02 +0000
 
diff --git a/requestsync b/requestsync
index e41fc46..07ed972 100755
--- a/requestsync
+++ b/requestsync
@@ -483,13 +483,13 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     deb_version = cur_deb_version(srcpkg, distro)
 
     # -s flag not specified - check if we do need sponsorship.
-    if sponsorship == False: sponsorship = checkNeedsSponsorship(component)
+    if not sponsorship: sponsorship = checkNeedsSponsorship(component)
 
     if deb_version == cur_ver:
         print 'The versions in Debian and Ubuntu are the same already (%s). Aborting.' % (deb_version,)
         sys.exit(1)
 
-    checkExistingReports(srcpkg)
+    if not newsource: checkExistingReports(srcpkg)
 
     # generate bug report
     subscribe = 'ubuntu-archive'