diff --git a/repository/googledocs/lib.php b/repository/googledocs/lib.php
index 1ce0e1bdc15..09d9518e223 100644
--- a/repository/googledocs/lib.php
+++ b/repository/googledocs/lib.php
@@ -432,11 +432,17 @@ class repository_googledocs extends repository {
             throw new repository_exception('cannotdownload', 'repository');
         }
 
-        $client = $this->get_user_oauth_client();
-        $base = 'https://www.googleapis.com/drive/v3';
-
         $source = json_decode($reference);
 
+        $client = null;
+        if (!empty($source->usesystem)) {
+            $client = \core\oauth2\api::get_system_oauth_client($this->issuer);
+        } else {
+            $client = $this->get_user_oauth_client();
+        }
+
+        $base = 'https://www.googleapis.com/drive/v3';
+
         $newfilename = false;
         if ($source->exportformat == 'download') {
             $params = ['alt' => 'media'];
@@ -588,7 +594,7 @@ class repository_googledocs extends repository {
                                    $storedfile->get_filepath(),
                                    $storedfile->get_filename());
 
-        if (empty($options['offline']) && !empty($info) && $info->is_writable()) {
+        if (empty($options['offline']) && !empty($info) && $info->is_writable() && !empty($source->usesystem)) {
             // Add the current user as an OAuth writer.
             $systemauth = \core\oauth2\api::get_system_oauth_client($this->issuer);
 
@@ -945,6 +951,7 @@ class repository_googledocs extends repository {
         // Update the returned reference so that the stored_file in moodle points to the newly copied file.
         $source->id = $newsource->id;
         $source->link = isset($newsource->webViewLink) ? $newsource->webViewLink : '';
+        $source->usesystem = true;
         if (empty($source->link)) {
             $source->link = isset($newsource->webContentLink) ? $newsource->webContentLink : '';
         }
@@ -967,6 +974,9 @@ class repository_googledocs extends repository {
             return get_string('unknownsource', 'repository');
         }
         $source = json_decode($reference);
+        if (empty($source->usesystem)) {
+            return '';
+        }
         $systemauth = \core\oauth2\api::get_system_oauth_client($this->issuer);
 
         if ($systemauth === false) {