diff --git a/quint/src/quintVerifier.ts b/quint/src/quintVerifier.ts
index fb531ed7d..2d13f82e0 100644
--- a/quint/src/quintVerifier.ts
+++ b/quint/src/quintVerifier.ts
@@ -154,14 +154,8 @@ function err<A>(explanation: string, errors: ErrorMessage[] = [], traces?: ItfTr
 }
 
 function findApalacheDistribution(): VerifyResult<ApalacheDist> {
-  if (!process.env.APALACHE_DIST) {
-    // TODO: fetch release if APALACHE_DIST is not configured
-    // See https://github.com/informalsystems/quint/issues/701
-    return err('APALACHE_DIST enviroment variable is not set.')
-  }
-
-  const dist = path.isAbsolute(process.env.APALACHE_DIST)
-    ? process.env.APALACHE_DIST
+  const dist = path.isAbsolute(process.env.APALACHE_DIST!)
+    ? process.env.APALACHE_DIST!
     : path.join(process.cwd(), process.env.APALACHE_DIST!)
 
   if (!fs.existsSync(dist)) {
@@ -340,9 +334,7 @@ async function connect(cmdExecutor: AsyncCmdExecutor): Promise<VerifyResult<Apal
  */
 export async function verify(config: any): Promise<VerifyResult<void>> {
   // Attempt to load proto definition from Apalache distribution, else via reflection
-  const protoDefResult = findApalacheDistribution()
-    .chain(dist => loadProtoDefViaDistribution(dist))
-    .or(await loadProtoDefViaReflection())
+  const protoDefResult = process.env.APALACHE_DIST ? findApalacheDistribution().chain(dist => loadProtoDefViaDistribution(dist)) : await loadProtoDefViaReflection()
   const connectionResult = await protoDefResult.chain(loadGrpcClient).asyncChain(connect)
   return connectionResult.asyncChain(conn => conn.check(config))
 }