For every pseudovariety $\mathbf {V}$ of finite monoids, let $\mathbf {LV}$ denote the pseudovariety of all finite semigroups all of whose local submonoids belong to $\mathbf {V}$ . In this paper, it is shown that, for every nontrivial semidirectly closed pseudovariety $\mathbf {V}$ of finite monoids, the pseudovariety $\mathbf {LV}$ of finite semigroups is also semidirectly closed if, and only if, the given pseudovariety $\mathbf {V}$ is local in the sense of Tilson. This finding resolves a long-standing open problem posed in the second volume of the classic monograph by Eilenberg.