Can i use NSMetadataQuery when iCloud is disabled?

I cannot get NSMetadataQuery to work when i turn off iCloud. I set the correct search url but it never registers as completed:

//Check for iCloud
NSURL *ubiq = [[NSFileManager defaultManager] 
               URLForUbiquityContainerIdentifier:nil];
if (ubiq) {
    NSLog(@"iCloud access at %@", ubiq);
    self.query = [[[NSMetadataQuery alloc] init] autorelease];
    [self.query setSearchScopes:[NSArray arrayWithObject:
                                 NSMetadataQueryUbiquitousDataScope]];
    _isiCloudEnabled = YES;
} else {
    NSLog(@"No iCloud access");
    //Get the doc directory
    NSString *path = [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) objectAtIndex:0];
    self.query = [[[NSMetadataQuery alloc] init] autorelease];
    [self.query setSearchScopes:[NSArray arrayWithObjects:
                                 [NSURL fileURLWithPath:path],nil]];
    _isiCloudEnabled = NO;
}

NSPredicate *pred = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat: 
                     @"%K like %@", NSMetadataItemFSNameKey, @"*.adoc"];
[self.query setPredicate:pred];
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] 
 addObserver:self 
 selector:@selector(queryDidFinishGathering:) 
 name:NSMetadataQueryDidFinishGatheringNotification 
 object:self.query];

[self.query startQuery];

queryDidFinishGathering: never called. When iCloud is on, it is always called. Any idea why?