diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 7690462c..a9822835 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+ - "osc cat" now auto-expands through link.
+ - fixed "osc add" after "osc delete".
 
 0.126
  - fix "osc patchinfo" command (crashed before)
diff --git a/osc/commandline.py b/osc/commandline.py
index 412bb2cb..629e7dec 100644
--- a/osc/commandline.py
+++ b/osc/commandline.py
@@ -4527,7 +4527,9 @@ Please submit there instead, or use --nodevelproject to force direct submission.
     @cmdln.option('-r', '--revision', metavar='rev',
                   help='print out the specified revision')
     @cmdln.option('-e', '--expand', action='store_true',
-                  help='expand linked package')
+                  help='force expand linked package. Use with -n')
+    @cmdln.option('-n', '--no-auto-expand', action='store_true',
+                  help='expand link only when -e given. Default: try without expansion, then with.')
     def do_cat(self, subcmd, opts, *args):
         """${cmd_name}: Output the content of a file to standard output
 
@@ -4562,8 +4564,19 @@ Please submit there instead, or use --nodevelproject to force direct submission.
         if opts.expand:
             query['rev'] = show_upstream_srcmd5(conf.config['apiurl'], args[0], args[1], expand=True, revision=opts.revision)
         u = makeurl(conf.config['apiurl'], ['source', args[0], args[1], args[2]], query=query)
-        for data in streamfile(u):
-            sys.stdout.write(data)
+        try:
+            for data in streamfile(u):
+                sys.stdout.write(data)
+        except urllib2.HTTPError, e:
+            if e.code == 404 and not opts.expand and not opts.no_auto_expand:
+                print >>sys.stderr, 'expanding link...'
+                query['rev'] = show_upstream_srcmd5(conf.config['apiurl'], args[0], args[1], expand=True, revision=opts.revision)
+                u = makeurl(conf.config['apiurl'], ['source', args[0], args[1], args[2]], query=query)
+                for data in streamfile(u):
+                    sys.stdout.write(data)
+            else:
+                e.osc_msg = 'If linked, try: cat -e'
+                raise e
 
 
     # helper function to download a file from a specific revision