diff --git a/WHATS_NEW b/WHATS_NEW
index 4b5b23072..04c6dcdf2 100644
--- a/WHATS_NEW
+++ b/WHATS_NEW
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 Version 2.03.13 - 
 ===============================
+  Fix load of kvdo target when it is not present in memory (2.03.12).
 
 Version 2.03.12 - 07th May 2021
 ===============================
diff --git a/lib/activate/activate.c b/lib/activate/activate.c
index 71db98191..6bda7385b 100644
--- a/lib/activate/activate.c
+++ b/lib/activate/activate.c
@@ -574,13 +574,9 @@ int module_present(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *target_name)
 	}
 
 #ifdef MODPROBE_CMD
-	if (strcmp(target_name, MODULE_NAME_VDO) == 0) {
-		argv[1] = target_name;		/* ATM kvdo is without dm- prefix */
-		if ((ret = exec_cmd(cmd, argv, NULL, 0)))
-			return ret;
-	}
-
-	if (dm_snprintf(module, sizeof(module), "dm-%s", target_name) < 0) {
+	if (strcmp(target_name, TARGET_NAME_VDO) == 0)
+		argv[1] = MODULE_NAME_VDO; /* ATM kvdo is without dm- prefix */
+	else if (dm_snprintf(module, sizeof(module), "dm-%s", target_name) < 0) {
 		log_error("module_present module name too long: %s",
 			  target_name);
 		return 0;