diff --git a/_test/MediaLinkResolverTest.php b/_test/MediaLinkResolverTest.php
index 7f8ce12..90cea47 100644
--- a/_test/MediaLinkResolverTest.php
+++ b/_test/MediaLinkResolverTest.php
@@ -101,6 +101,30 @@ public function testResolveFetchesExternalMedia(): void
         $this->assertSame(2523, filesize($resolved['path']));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * External media must remain fetchable by mPDF when DokuWiki's local cache is disabled.
+     */
+    public function testResolveFallsBackToExternalUrlWhenCachingIsDisabled(): void
+    {
+        global $conf;
+
+        $fetchsize = $conf['fetchsize'];
+        $conf['fetchsize'] = 0;
+
+        try {
+            $external = 'https://owncloud.example.org/index.php/s/token/download'
+                . '?path=%2F&files=image.jpg&t=token&.jpg';
+            $input = DOKU_URL . 'lib/exe/fetch.php?media=' . rawurlencode($external);
+            $resolved = $this->resolver->resolve($input);
+        } finally {
+            $conf['fetchsize'] = $fetchsize;
+        }
+
+        $this->assertNotNull($resolved);
+        $this->assertSame($external, $resolved['path']);
+        $this->assertSame('image/jpeg', $resolved['mime']);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Non-image payloads should never be returned to the PDF generator.
      */
diff --git a/src/DokuAssetFetcher.php b/src/DokuAssetFetcher.php
index 82d2688..b489053 100644
--- a/src/DokuAssetFetcher.php
+++ b/src/DokuAssetFetcher.php
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class DokuAssetFetcher extends AssetFetcher
     public function fetchDataFromPath($path, $originalSrc = null)
     {
         $resolved = (new MediaLinkResolver())->resolve($path);
-        if ($resolved) $originalSrc = $resolved['path'];
+        if ($resolved) $path = $originalSrc = $resolved['path'];
         return parent::fetchDataFromPath($path, $originalSrc);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/MediaLinkResolver.php b/src/MediaLinkResolver.php
index a51ee08..209ae11 100644
--- a/src/MediaLinkResolver.php
+++ b/src/MediaLinkResolver.php
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ public function resolve(string $file): ?array
             if (!$ext) return null;
             $localFile = $this->localMediaFile($mediaID, $ext, $rev);
             if (!$localFile) return null;
-            if (str_starts_with($mime, 'image/')) {
+            if (str_starts_with($mime, 'image/') && !media_isexternal($localFile)) {
                 $localFile = $this->resizedMedia($localFile, $ext, $w, $h);
             }
         } else {
@@ -93,7 +93,8 @@ protected function extractMediaParams(string $file): array
      * This method will download external media files to the local cache if needed. ACLs are
      * checked here as well.
      *
-     * Returns null when the media file is not accessible.
+     * Falls back to the original external URL when local caching is disabled or fails.
+     * Returns null when an internal media file is not accessible.
      *
      * @param string $mediaID A media ID or external URL.
      * @param string $ext File extension (used for external media caching).
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ protected function localMediaFile(string $mediaID, string $ext, int $rev): ?stri
 
         if (media_isexternal($mediaID)) {
             $local = media_get_from_URL($mediaID, $ext, $conf['cachetime']);
-            if (!$local) return null;
+            if (!$local) return $mediaID;
         } else {
             $mediaID = cleanID($mediaID);
             // check permissions (namespace only)