diff --git a/cmd/state/internal/cmdtree/checkout.go b/cmd/state/internal/cmdtree/checkout.go
index 0e1c91ab23..05ee821101 100644
--- a/cmd/state/internal/cmdtree/checkout.go
+++ b/cmd/state/internal/cmdtree/checkout.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func newCheckoutCommand(prime *primer.Values) *captain.Command {
 			},
 			{
 				Name:        "portable",
-				Description: locale.Tl("flag_state_checkout_portable_description", "Copy files to runtime-path instead of linking to them"),
+				Description: locale.Tl("flag_state_checkout_portable_description", "Copy files to their runtime path instead of linking to them"),
 				Value:       &params.Portable,
 			},
 			{
diff --git a/pkg/project/project.go b/pkg/project/project.go
index 06ea03ccbe..ad911807fd 100644
--- a/pkg/project/project.go
+++ b/pkg/project/project.go
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ func (p *Project) Lock() string { return p.projectfile.Lock }
 // Cache returns the cache information for this project
 func (p *Project) Cache() string { return p.projectfile.Cache }
 
-func (p *Project) IsPortable() bool { return p.projectfile.Portable && p.projectfile.Cache != "" }
+func (p *Project) IsPortable() bool { return p.projectfile.Portable }
 
 // Namespace returns project namespace
 func (p *Project) Namespace() *Namespaced {