diff --git a/libraries.module b/libraries.module
index c67ce79..4692cc1 100644
--- a/libraries.module
+++ b/libraries.module
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ function libraries_detect($name) {
   if (!isset($library['library path'])) {
     $library['library path'] = libraries_get_path($library['machine name']);
   }
-  if ($library['library path'] === FALSE || !file_exists($library['library path'])) {
+  if ($library['library path'] === FALSE || (!url_is_external($library['library path']) && !file_exists($library['library path']))) {
     $library['error'] = 'not found';
     $library['error message'] = t('The %library library could not be found.', array(
       '%library' => $library['name'],