diff --git a/modules/sd_models.py b/modules/sd_models.py
index 80addf03..c59151e0 100644
--- a/modules/sd_models.py
+++ b/modules/sd_models.py
@@ -165,16 +165,9 @@ def load_model_weights(model, checkpoint_info, vae_file="auto"):
 
     cache_enabled = shared.opts.sd_checkpoint_cache > 0
 
-    if cache_enabled:
-        sd_vae.restore_base_vae(model)
-
-    vae_file = sd_vae.resolve_vae(checkpoint_file, vae_file=vae_file)
-
     if cache_enabled and checkpoint_info in checkpoints_loaded:
         # use checkpoint cache
-        vae_name = sd_vae.get_filename(vae_file) if vae_file else None
-        vae_message = f" with {vae_name} VAE" if vae_name else ""
-        print(f"Loading weights [{sd_model_hash}]{vae_message} from cache")
+        print(f"Loading weights [{sd_model_hash}] from cache")
         model.load_state_dict(checkpoints_loaded[checkpoint_info])
     else:
         # load from file
@@ -220,6 +213,7 @@ def load_model_weights(model, checkpoint_info, vae_file="auto"):
     model.sd_model_checkpoint = checkpoint_file
     model.sd_checkpoint_info = checkpoint_info
 
+    vae_file = sd_vae.resolve_vae(checkpoint_file, vae_file=vae_file)
     sd_vae.load_vae(model, vae_file)
 
 
diff --git a/modules/sd_vae.py b/modules/sd_vae.py
index 0b5f0213..9c120975 100644
--- a/modules/sd_vae.py
+++ b/modules/sd_vae.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ def get_vae_from_settings(vae_file="auto"):
         # if VAE selected but not found, fallback to auto
         if vae_file not in default_vae_values and not os.path.isfile(vae_file):
             vae_file = "auto"
-            print("Selected VAE doesn't exist")
+            print(f"Selected VAE doesn't exist: {vae_file}")
     return vae_file
 
 
@@ -101,15 +101,15 @@ def resolve_vae(checkpoint_file=None, vae_file="auto"):
     # if vae_file argument is provided, it takes priority, but not saved
     if vae_file and vae_file not in default_vae_list:
         if not os.path.isfile(vae_file):
+            print(f"VAE provided as function argument doesn't exist: {vae_file}")
             vae_file = "auto"
-            print("VAE provided as function argument doesn't exist")
     # for the first load, if vae-path is provided, it takes priority, saved, and failure is reported
     if first_load and shared.cmd_opts.vae_path is not None:
         if os.path.isfile(shared.cmd_opts.vae_path):
             vae_file = shared.cmd_opts.vae_path
             shared.opts.data['sd_vae'] = get_filename(vae_file)
         else:
-            print("VAE provided as command line argument doesn't exist")
+            print(f"VAE provided as command line argument doesn't exist: {vae_file}")
     # fallback to selector in settings, if vae selector not set to act as default fallback
     if not shared.opts.sd_vae_as_default:
         vae_file = get_vae_from_settings(vae_file)
@@ -117,20 +117,20 @@ def resolve_vae(checkpoint_file=None, vae_file="auto"):
     if vae_file == "auto" and shared.cmd_opts.vae_path is not None:
         if os.path.isfile(shared.cmd_opts.vae_path):
             vae_file = shared.cmd_opts.vae_path
-            print("Using VAE provided as command line argument")
+            print(f"Using VAE provided as command line argument: {vae_file}")
     # if still not found, try look for ".vae.pt" beside model
     model_path = os.path.splitext(checkpoint_file)[0]
     if vae_file == "auto":
         vae_file_try = model_path + ".vae.pt"
         if os.path.isfile(vae_file_try):
             vae_file = vae_file_try
-            print("Using VAE found beside selected model")
+            print(f"Using VAE found similar to selected model: {vae_file}")
     # if still not found, try look for ".vae.ckpt" beside model
     if vae_file == "auto":
         vae_file_try = model_path + ".vae.ckpt"
         if os.path.isfile(vae_file_try):
             vae_file = vae_file_try
-            print("Using VAE found beside selected model")
+            print(f"Using VAE found similar to selected model: {vae_file}")
     # No more fallbacks for auto
     if vae_file == "auto":
         vae_file = None
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ def load_vae(model, vae_file=None):
     # save_settings = False
 
     if vae_file:
+        assert os.path.isfile(vae_file), f"VAE file doesn't exist: {vae_file}"
         print(f"Loading VAE weights from: {vae_file}")
         vae_ckpt = torch.load(vae_file, map_location=shared.weight_load_location)
         vae_dict_1 = {k: v for k, v in vae_ckpt["state_dict"].items() if k[0:4] != "loss" and k not in vae_ignore_keys}
diff --git a/modules/shared.py b/modules/shared.py
index 1c42641d..84567c8e 100644
--- a/modules/shared.py
+++ b/modules/shared.py
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ options_templates.update(options_section(('training', "Training"), {
 options_templates.update(options_section(('sd', "Stable Diffusion"), {
     "sd_model_checkpoint": OptionInfo(None, "Stable Diffusion checkpoint", gr.Dropdown, lambda: {"choices": modules.sd_models.checkpoint_tiles()}, refresh=sd_models.list_models),
     "sd_checkpoint_cache": OptionInfo(0, "Checkpoints to cache in RAM", gr.Slider, {"minimum": 0, "maximum": 10, "step": 1}),
-    "sd_vae": OptionInfo("auto", "SD VAE", gr.Dropdown, lambda: {"choices": list(sd_vae.vae_list)}, refresh=sd_vae.refresh_vae_list),
+    "sd_vae": OptionInfo("auto", "SD VAE", gr.Dropdown, lambda: {"choices": sd_vae.vae_list}, refresh=sd_vae.refresh_vae_list),
     "sd_vae_as_default": OptionInfo(False, "Ignore selected VAE for stable diffusion checkpoints that have their own .vae.pt next to them"),
     "sd_hypernetwork": OptionInfo("None", "Hypernetwork", gr.Dropdown, lambda: {"choices": ["None"] + [x for x in hypernetworks.keys()]}, refresh=reload_hypernetworks),
     "sd_hypernetwork_strength": OptionInfo(1.0, "Hypernetwork strength", gr.Slider, {"minimum": 0.0, "maximum": 1.0, "step": 0.001}),