diff --git a/src/libexpr/flake/flake.cc b/src/libexpr/flake/flake.cc
index 59362c018..313f3bdbd 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/flake/flake.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/flake/flake.cc
@@ -628,8 +628,13 @@ void callFlake(EvalState & state,
 
 static void prim_getFlake(EvalState & state, const Pos & pos, Value * * args, Value & v)
 {
+    auto flakeRefS = state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos);
+    auto flakeRef = parseFlakeRef(flakeRefS);
+    if (evalSettings.pureEval && !flakeRef.input->isImmutable())
+        throw Error("cannot call 'getFlake' on mutable flake reference '%s', at %s (use --impure to override)", flakeRefS, pos);
+
     callFlake(state,
-        lockFlake(state, parseFlakeRef(state.forceStringNoCtx(*args[0], pos)),
+        lockFlake(state, flakeRef,
             LockFlags {
                 .updateLockFile = false,
                 .useRegistries = !evalSettings.pureEval,
diff --git a/tests/flakes.sh b/tests/flakes.sh
index 43dbc95e8..050dbf127 100644
--- a/tests/flakes.sh
+++ b/tests/flakes.sh
@@ -194,6 +194,13 @@ nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result git+file://$flake1Dir
 nix build -o $flake1Dir/result git+file://$flake1Dir
 nix path-info $flake1Dir/result
 
+# 'getFlake' on a mutable flakeref should fail in pure mode, but succeed in impure mode.
+(! nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result --expr "(builtins.getFlake \"$flake1Dir\").defaultPackage.$system")
+nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result --expr "(builtins.getFlake \"$flake1Dir\").defaultPackage.$system" --impure
+
+# 'getFlake' on an immutable flakeref should succeed even in pure mode.
+nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result --expr "(builtins.getFlake \"git+file://$flake1Dir?rev=$hash2\").defaultPackage.$system"
+
 # Building a flake with an unlocked dependency should fail in pure mode.
 (! nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result flake2#bar --no-registries)
 (! nix eval --expr "builtins.getFlake \"$flake2Dir\"")