diff --git a/backend/union/policy/eplno.go b/backend/union/policy/eplno.go
index ee1878a11..db94f43e7 100644
--- a/backend/union/policy/eplno.go
+++ b/backend/union/policy/eplno.go
@@ -18,28 +18,11 @@ type EpLno struct {
 	EpAll
 }
 
-func (p *EpLno) getUpstreamObjectCount(ctx context.Context, upstream *upstream.Fs) int64 {
-	numObj, err := upstream.GetNumObjects()
-	if err != nil {
-		uName := upstream.Name()
-		fs.LogPrintf(fs.LogLevelNotice, nil,
-			"Number of Objects is not supported for upstream %s, falling back to listing (this may be slower)...", uName)
-		listing, err := upstream.List(ctx, "")
-		if err != nil {
-			fs.LogPrintf(fs.LogLevelError, nil, "Listing failed, treating as 0: %v", err)
-			return 0
-		}
-		numObj = int64(len(listing))
-		fs.LogPrintf(fs.LogLevelDebug, nil, "Counted %d objects for upstream %s by listing", numObj, uName)
-	}
-	return numObj
-}
-
-func (p *EpLno) lno(ctx context.Context, upstreams []*upstream.Fs) (*upstream.Fs, error) {
+func (p *EpLno) lno(upstreams []*upstream.Fs) (*upstream.Fs, error) {
 	var minNumObj int64 = math.MaxInt64
 	var lnoUpstream *upstream.Fs
 	for _, u := range upstreams {
-		numObj := p.getUpstreamObjectCount(ctx, u)
+		numObj := u.GetNumObjects()
 		if minNumObj > numObj {
 			minNumObj = numObj
 			lnoUpstream = u
@@ -51,11 +34,11 @@ func (p *EpLno) lno(ctx context.Context, upstreams []*upstream.Fs) (*upstream.Fs
 	return lnoUpstream, nil
 }
 
-func (p *EpLno) lnoEntries(ctx context.Context, entries []upstream.Entry) (upstream.Entry, error) {
+func (p *EpLno) lnoEntries(entries []upstream.Entry) (upstream.Entry, error) {
 	var minNumObj int64 = math.MaxInt64
 	var lnoEntry upstream.Entry
 	for _, e := range entries {
-		numObj := p.getUpstreamObjectCount(ctx, e.UpstreamFs())
+		numObj := e.UpstreamFs().GetNumObjects()
 		if minNumObj > numObj {
 			minNumObj = numObj
 			lnoEntry = e
@@ -70,7 +53,7 @@ func (p *EpLno) Action(ctx context.Context, upstreams []*upstream.Fs, path strin
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	u, err := p.lno(ctx, upstreams)
+	u, err := p.lno(upstreams)
 	return []*upstream.Fs{u}, err
 }
 
@@ -80,7 +63,7 @@ func (p *EpLno) ActionEntries(entries ...upstream.Entry) ([]upstream.Entry, erro
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	e, err := p.lnoEntries(context.Background(), entries)
+	e, err := p.lnoEntries(entries)
 	return []upstream.Entry{e}, err
 }
 
@@ -90,7 +73,7 @@ func (p *EpLno) Create(ctx context.Context, upstreams []*upstream.Fs, path strin
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	u, err := p.lno(ctx, upstreams)
+	u, err := p.lno(upstreams)
 	return []*upstream.Fs{u}, err
 }
 
@@ -100,7 +83,7 @@ func (p *EpLno) CreateEntries(entries ...upstream.Entry) ([]upstream.Entry, erro
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	e, err := p.lnoEntries(context.Background(), entries)
+	e, err := p.lnoEntries(entries)
 	return []upstream.Entry{e}, err
 }
 
@@ -113,7 +96,7 @@ func (p *EpLno) Search(ctx context.Context, upstreams []*upstream.Fs, path strin
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return p.lno(ctx, upstreams)
+	return p.lno(upstreams)
 }
 
 // SearchEntries is SEARCH category policy but receiving a set of candidate entries
@@ -121,5 +104,5 @@ func (p *EpLno) SearchEntries(entries ...upstream.Entry) (upstream.Entry, error)
 	if len(entries) == 0 {
 		return nil, fs.ErrorObjectNotFound
 	}
-	return p.lnoEntries(context.Background(), entries)
+	return p.lnoEntries(entries)
 }
diff --git a/backend/union/policy/lno.go b/backend/union/policy/lno.go
index 2e7625bd3..7d9a99d8a 100644
--- a/backend/union/policy/lno.go
+++ b/backend/union/policy/lno.go
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@ func (p *Lno) Create(ctx context.Context, upstreams []*upstream.Fs, path string)
 	if len(upstreams) == 0 {
 		return nil, fs.ErrorPermissionDenied
 	}
-	u, err := p.lno(ctx, upstreams)
+	u, err := p.lno(upstreams)
 	return []*upstream.Fs{u}, err
 }
diff --git a/backend/union/upstream/upstream.go b/backend/union/upstream/upstream.go
index 747de830d..48d427e49 100644
--- a/backend/union/upstream/upstream.go
+++ b/backend/union/upstream/upstream.go
@@ -438,19 +438,37 @@ func (f *Fs) GetUsedSpace() (int64, error) {
 }
 
 // GetNumObjects get the number of objects of the fs
-func (f *Fs) GetNumObjects() (int64, error) {
+func (f *Fs) GetNumObjects() int64 {
+	var err error
 	if f.cacheExpiry.Load() <= time.Now().Unix() {
-		err := f.updateUsage()
-		if err != nil {
-			return 0, ErrUsageFieldNotSupported
+		err = f.updateUsage()
+	}
+
+	if f.usage.Objects == nil {
+		uName := f.Name()
+		fs.LogPrintf(
+			fs.LogLevelWarning,
+			nil,
+			"Number of objects not supported for upstream %s, falling back to listing (this will be slower)...",
+			uName,
+		)
+		count, _, _, err := operations.Count(context.Background(), f)
+		if err == nil {
+			fs.Debugf(nil, "Counted %d objects for upstream %s by listing", count, uName)
+			f.cacheMutex.Lock()
+			f.usage.Objects = &count
+			f.cacheMutex.Unlock()
 		}
 	}
+
+	if err != nil {
+		fs.Errorf(nil, "Error getting number of objects, treating as 0: %v", err)
+		return 0
+	}
+
 	f.cacheMutex.RLock()
 	defer f.cacheMutex.RUnlock()
-	if f.usage.Objects == nil {
-		return 0, ErrUsageFieldNotSupported
-	}
-	return *f.usage.Objects, nil
+	return *f.usage.Objects
 }
 
 func (f *Fs) updateUsage() (err error) {