diff --git a/Remote.hs b/Remote.hs
index cfe771bb12..ab75383cfa 100644
--- a/Remote.hs
+++ b/Remote.hs
@@ -319,22 +319,11 @@ remoteFromUUID u = ifM ((==) u <$> getUUID)
 		remotesChanged
 		findinmap
 
-{- Filters a list of remotes to ones that have the listed uuids. -}
-remotesWithUUID :: [Remote] -> [UUID] -> [Remote]
-remotesWithUUID rs us = filter (\r -> uuid r `elem` us) rs
-
-{- Filters a list of remotes to ones that do not have the listed uuids. -}
-remotesWithoutUUID :: [Remote] -> [UUID] -> [Remote]
-remotesWithoutUUID rs us = filter (\r -> uuid r `notElem` us) rs
-
 {- List of repository UUIDs that the location log indicates may have a key.
  - Dead repositories are excluded. -}
 keyLocations :: Key -> Annex [UUID]
 keyLocations key = trustExclude DeadTrusted =<< loggedLocations key
 
-{- Whether to include remotes that have annex-ignore set. -}
-newtype IncludeIgnored = IncludeIgnored Bool
-
 {- Cost ordered lists of remotes that the location log indicates
  - may have a key.
  -
@@ -342,33 +331,16 @@ newtype IncludeIgnored = IncludeIgnored Bool
  -}
 keyPossibilities :: IncludeIgnored -> Key -> Annex [Remote]
 keyPossibilities ii key = do
-	u <- getUUID
-	-- uuids of all remotes that are recorded to have the key
-	locations <- filter (/= u) <$> keyLocations key
-	speclocations <- map uuid
-		. filter (remoteAnnexSpeculatePresent . gitconfig)
-		<$> remoteList
-	-- there are unlikely to be many speclocations, so building a Set
-	-- is not worth the expense
-	let locations' = speclocations ++ filter (`notElem` speclocations) locations
-	fst <$> remoteLocations ii locations' []
+	locations <- keyLocations key
+	keyPossibilities' ii key locations =<< remoteList
 
 {- Given a list of locations of a key, and a list of all
  - trusted repositories, generates a cost-ordered list of
  - remotes that contain the key, and a list of trusted locations of the key.
  -}
 remoteLocations :: IncludeIgnored -> [UUID] -> [UUID] -> Annex ([Remote], [UUID])
-remoteLocations (IncludeIgnored ii) locations trusted = do
-	let validtrustedlocations = nub locations `intersect` trusted
-
-	-- remotes that match uuids that have the key
-	allremotes <- remoteList 
-		>>= if not ii
-			then filterM (not <$$> liftIO . getDynamicConfig . remoteAnnexIgnore . gitconfig)
-			else return
-	let validremotes = remotesWithUUID allremotes locations
-
-	return (sortBy (comparing cost) validremotes, validtrustedlocations)
+remoteLocations ii locations trusted = 
+	remoteLocations' ii locations trusted =<< remoteList
 
 {- Displays known locations of a key and helps the user take action
  - to make them accessible. -}
diff --git a/Remote/Compute.hs b/Remote/Compute.hs
index 60b2e30185..8cc23a6f44 100644
--- a/Remote/Compute.hs
+++ b/Remote/Compute.hs
@@ -32,14 +32,17 @@ import Config
 import Config.Cost
 import Remote.Helper.Special
 import Remote.Helper.ExportImport
+import Remote.List.Util
 import Annex.SpecialRemote.Config
 import Annex.UUID
 import Annex.Content
 import Annex.Tmp
 import Annex.GitShaKey
 import Annex.CatFile
+import qualified Annex.Transfer
 import Logs.MetaData
 import Logs.EquivilantKeys
+import Logs.Location
 import Utility.Metered
 import Utility.TimeStamp
 import Utility.Env
@@ -359,6 +362,8 @@ runComputeProgram
 	-> ComputeState
 	-> ImmutableState
 	-> (OsPath -> Annex (Key, Maybe (Either Git.Sha OsPath)))
+	-- ^ get input file's content, or Nothing when adding a computation
+	-- without actually performing it
 	-> (ComputeState -> OsPath -> NominalDiffTime -> Annex v)
 	-> Annex v
 runComputeProgram (ComputeProgram program) state (ImmutableState immutablestate) getinputcontent cont =
@@ -491,13 +496,34 @@ computeKey rs (ComputeProgram program) k _af dest p vc =
 	getinputcontent state f =
 		case M.lookup (fromOsPath f) (computeInputs state) of
 			Just inputkey -> case keyGitSha inputkey of
-				Nothing -> do
-					obj <- calcRepo (gitAnnexLocation inputkey)
-					-- XXX get input object when not present
-					return (inputkey, Just (Right obj))
+				Nothing -> 
+					let retkey = do
+						obj <- calcRepo (gitAnnexLocation inputkey)
+						return (inputkey, Just (Right obj))
+					in ifM (inAnnex inputkey)
+						( retkey
+						, do
+							getinputcontent' f inputkey
+							retkey
+						)
 				Just gitsha ->
 					return (inputkey, Just (Left gitsha))
 			Nothing -> error "internal"
+	
+	getinputcontent' f inputkey = do
+		remotelist <- Annex.getState Annex.remotes
+		locs <- loggedLocations inputkey
+		rs <- keyPossibilities' (IncludeIgnored False) inputkey locs remotelist
+		if null rs
+			then return ()
+			else void $ firstM (getinputcontentfrom f inputkey) rs
+	
+	-- TODO cycle prevention
+	getinputcontentfrom f inputkey r = do
+		showAction $ "getting input " <> QuotedPath f
+			<> " from " <> UnquotedString (name r)
+		Annex.Transfer.download r inputkey (AssociatedFile (Just f))
+			Annex.Transfer.stdRetry Annex.Transfer.noNotification
 
 	computeskey state = 
 		case M.keys $ M.filter (== Just k) (computeOutputs state) of
diff --git a/Remote/List/Util.hs b/Remote/List/Util.hs
index 382a98fa5d..866bd36867 100644
--- a/Remote/List/Util.hs
+++ b/Remote/List/Util.hs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {- git-annex remote list utils
  -
- - Copyright 2011-2020 Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>
+ - Copyright 2011-2025 Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>
  -
  - Licensed under the GNU AGPL version 3 or higher.
  -}
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ module Remote.List.Util where
 import Annex.Common
 import qualified Annex
 import qualified Git.Config
+import Annex.UUID
+import Types.Remote
+import Config.DynamicConfig
+
+import Data.Ord
 
 {- Call when remotes have changed. Re-reads the git config, and
  - invalidates the cache so the remoteList will be re-generated next time
@@ -22,3 +27,44 @@ remotesChanged = do
 		, Annex.gitremotes = Nothing
 		, Annex.repo = newg
 		}
+
+{- Whether to include remotes that have annex-ignore set. -}
+newtype IncludeIgnored = IncludeIgnored Bool
+
+keyPossibilities'
+	:: IncludeIgnored
+	-> Key
+	-> [UUID]
+	-- ^ uuids of remotes that are recorded to have the key
+	-> [Remote]
+	-- ^ all remotes
+	-> Annex [Remote]
+keyPossibilities' ii key remotelocations rs = do
+	u <- getUUID
+	let locations = filter (/= u) remotelocations
+	let speclocations = map uuid
+		$ filter (remoteAnnexSpeculatePresent . gitconfig) rs
+	-- there are unlikely to be many speclocations, so building a Set
+	-- is not worth the expense
+	let locations' = speclocations ++ filter (`notElem` speclocations) locations
+	fst <$> remoteLocations' ii locations' [] rs
+
+remoteLocations' :: IncludeIgnored -> [UUID] -> [UUID] -> [Remote] -> Annex ([Remote], [UUID])
+remoteLocations' (IncludeIgnored ii) locations trusted rs = do
+	let validtrustedlocations = nub locations `intersect` trusted
+
+	-- remotes that match uuids that have the key
+	allremotes <- if not ii
+			then filterM (not <$$> liftIO . getDynamicConfig . remoteAnnexIgnore . gitconfig) rs
+			else return rs
+	let validremotes = remotesWithUUID allremotes locations
+
+	return (sortBy (comparing cost) validremotes, validtrustedlocations)
+
+{- Filters a list of remotes to ones that have the listed uuids. -}
+remotesWithUUID :: [Remote] -> [UUID] -> [Remote]
+remotesWithUUID rs us = filter (\r -> uuid r `elem` us) rs
+
+{- Filters a list of remotes to ones that do not have the listed uuids. -}
+remotesWithoutUUID :: [Remote] -> [UUID] -> [Remote]
+remotesWithoutUUID rs us = filter (\r -> uuid r `notElem` us) rs
diff --git a/TODO-compute b/TODO-compute
index 3d02d9cc00..c0a05ef8db 100644
--- a/TODO-compute
+++ b/TODO-compute
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 * get input files for a computation (so `git-annex get .` gets every file,
   even when input files in a directory are processed after computed files)
 
+  started implementation, but must avoid cycles!
+
 * addcomputed should honor annex.addunlocked.
 
 * Perhaps recompute should write a new version of a file as an unlocked
@@ -37,3 +39,4 @@
   that recompute should also support recomputing non-annexed files.
   Otherwise, adding a file and then recomputing it would vary in
   what the content of the file is, depending on annex.smallfiles setting.
+