diff --git a/git_cl.py b/git_cl.py
index 7a5f66736..6725f4a5c 100755
--- a/git_cl.py
+++ b/git_cl.py
@@ -1772,9 +1772,9 @@ class Changelist(object):
 
     status = self._GetChangeDetail()['status']
     if status == 'ABANDONED':
-       DieWithError(
-           'Change %s has been abandoned, new uploads are not allowed' %
-           (self.GetIssueURL()))
+      DieWithError(
+          'Change %s has been abandoned, new uploads are not allowed' %
+          (self.GetIssueURL()))
     if status == 'MERGED':
       answer = gclient_utils.AskForData(
           'Change %s has been submitted, new uploads are not allowed. '
@@ -4132,10 +4132,18 @@ def CMDpresubmit(parser, args):
     # Default to diffing against the common ancestor of the upstream branch.
     base_branch = cl.GetCommonAncestorWithUpstream()
 
-  if cl.GetIssue():
-    description = cl.FetchDescription()
-  else:
+  start = time.time()
+  try:
+    if not 'PRESUBMIT_SKIP_NETWORK' in os.environ and cl.GetIssue():
+      description = cl.FetchDescription()
+    else:
+      description = _create_description_from_log([base_branch])
+  except Exception as e:
+    print('Failed to fetch CL description - %s' % str(e))
     description = _create_description_from_log([base_branch])
+  elapsed = time.time() - start
+  if elapsed > 5:
+    print('%.1f s to get CL description.' % elapsed)
 
   if not base_branch:
     if not options.force:
diff --git a/presubmit_canned_checks.py b/presubmit_canned_checks.py
index b0945c565..38a2682ff 100644
--- a/presubmit_canned_checks.py
+++ b/presubmit_canned_checks.py
@@ -705,7 +705,8 @@ def CheckTreeIsOpen(input_api, output_api,
     closed: regex to match for closed status.
     json_url: url to download json style status.
   """
-  if not input_api.is_committing:
+  if not input_api.is_committing or \
+      'PRESUBMIT_SKIP_NETWORK' in _os.environ:
     return []
   try:
     if json_url:
@@ -1439,13 +1440,16 @@ def PanProjectChecks(input_api, output_api,
 
   snapshot("checking owners files format")
   try:
-    results.extend(input_api.canned_checks.CheckOwnersFormat(
-        input_api, output_api))
-
-    if owners_check:
-      snapshot("checking owners")
-      results.extend(input_api.canned_checks.CheckOwners(
-          input_api, output_api, source_file_filter=None))
+    if not 'PRESUBMIT_SKIP_NETWORK' in _os.environ:
+      results.extend(
+          input_api.canned_checks.CheckOwnersFormat(input_api, output_api))
+
+      if owners_check:
+        snapshot("checking owners")
+        results.extend(
+            input_api.canned_checks.CheckOwners(input_api,
+                                                output_api,
+                                                source_file_filter=None))
   except Exception as e:
     print('Failed to check owners - %s' % str(e))
 
diff --git a/presubmit_support.py b/presubmit_support.py
index 55e986254..553b1603f 100755
--- a/presubmit_support.py
+++ b/presubmit_support.py
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ class InputApi(object):
     self._named_temporary_files = []
 
     self.owners_client = None
-    if self.gerrit:
+    if self.gerrit and not 'PRESUBMIT_SKIP_NETWORK' in self.environ:
       try:
         self.owners_client = owners_client.GetCodeOwnersClient(
             root=change.RepositoryRoot(),