diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/build.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/build.go
index 8ad5f834def7ef..5a151b480244ee 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/build.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/build.go
@@ -113,7 +113,11 @@ func addVersions(ctx context.Context, m *modinfo.ModulePublic, listRetracted boo
 	if listRetracted {
 		allowed = CheckExclusions
 	}
-	m.Versions, _ = versions(ctx, m.Path, allowed)
+	var err error
+	m.Versions, err = versions(ctx, m.Path, allowed)
+	if err != nil && m.Error == nil {
+		m.Error = &modinfo.ModuleError{Err: err.Error()}
+	}
 }
 
 // addRetraction fills in m.Retracted if the module was retracted by its author.
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/list.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/list.go
index 3491f941cd3b37..de16c2f78677e1 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/list.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/list.go
@@ -136,17 +136,9 @@ func listModules(ctx context.Context, args []string, listVersions, listRetracted
 				if listVersions {
 					// Don't make the user provide an explicit '@latest' when they're
 					// explicitly asking what the available versions are.
-					// Instead, resolve the module, even if it isn't an existing dependency.
-					info, err := Query(ctx, arg, "latest", "", nil)
-					if err == nil {
-						mod := moduleInfo(ctx, module.Version{Path: arg, Version: info.Version}, false, listRetracted)
-						mods = append(mods, mod)
-					} else {
-						mods = append(mods, &modinfo.ModulePublic{
-							Path:  arg,
-							Error: modinfoError(arg, "", err),
-						})
-					}
+					// Instead, return a modinfo without a version,
+					// to which we can attach the requested version list.
+					mods = append(mods, &modinfo.ModulePublic{Path: arg})
 					continue
 				}
 				if cfg.BuildMod == "vendor" {
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_proxy_https.txt b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_proxy_https.txt
index a23090cd0ad04a..a5e28dd0b9771b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_proxy_https.txt
+++ b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_proxy_https.txt
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ stderr 'invalid proxy URL.*proxydir'
 # GOPROXY HTTPS paths may elide the "https://" prefix.
 # (See golang.org/issue/32191.)
 env GOPROXY=proxy.golang.org
+env GOSUMDB=
 go list -versions -m golang.org/x/text
 
 -- go.mod --
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_retract_versions.txt b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_retract_versions.txt
index 93ce5926e3616a..961a0a1fa3b19c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_retract_versions.txt
+++ b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_retract_versions.txt
@@ -10,9 +10,8 @@ go list -m -e -f $FMT example.com/retract/self/pseudo@latest
 stdout '^example.com/retract/self/pseudo: "module example.com/retract/self/pseudo: no matching versions for query \\"latest\\"" "latest"$'
 
 
-	# BUG(#44296): Adding --versions should not cause a retracted version to be reported.
 go list -m -e -f $FMT --versions example.com/retract/self/pseudo
-stdout '^example.com/retract/self/pseudo "v1.9.0"$'
+stdout '^example.com/retract/self/pseudo ""$'
 
 go list -m -e -f $FMT --versions example.com/retract/self/pseudo@latest
 stdout '^example.com/retract/self/pseudo: "module example.com/retract/self/pseudo: no matching versions for query \\"latest\\"" "latest"$'