diff --git a/server/reflector/db/transcripts.py b/server/reflector/db/transcripts.py
index 16bf8b0a..c8d364b2 100644
--- a/server/reflector/db/transcripts.py
+++ b/server/reflector/db/transcripts.py
@@ -538,18 +538,29 @@ class TranscriptController:
         Move mp3 file to storage
         """
 
-        # store the audio on external storage
-        await get_storage().put_file(
-            transcript.storage_audio_path,
-            transcript.audio_mp3_filename.read_bytes(),
-        )
+        if transcript.audio_location == "local":
+            # store the audio on external storage if it's not already there
+            await get_storage().put_file(
+                transcript.storage_audio_path,
+                transcript.audio_mp3_filename.read_bytes(),
+            )
 
-        # indicate on the transcript that the audio is now on storage
-        await self.update(transcript, {"audio_location": "storage"})
+            # indicate on the transcript that the audio is now on storage
+            await self.update(transcript, {"audio_location": "storage"})
 
         # unlink the local file
         transcript.audio_mp3_filename.unlink(missing_ok=True)
 
+    async def download_mp3_from_storage(self, transcript: Transcript):
+        """
+        Download audio from storage
+        """
+        transcript.audio_mp3_filename.write_bytes(
+            await get_storage().get_file(
+                transcript.storage_audio_path,
+            )
+        )
+
     async def upsert_participant(
         self,
         transcript: Transcript,
diff --git a/server/reflector/pipelines/main_live_pipeline.py b/server/reflector/pipelines/main_live_pipeline.py
index 7377e7a4..f81e37b7 100644
--- a/server/reflector/pipelines/main_live_pipeline.py
+++ b/server/reflector/pipelines/main_live_pipeline.py
@@ -663,6 +663,9 @@ async def pipeline_process(transcript: Transcript, logger: Logger):
     import av
 
     try:
+        if transcript.audio_location == "storage":
+            await transcripts_controller.download_mp3_from_storage(transcript)
+
         # open audio
         audio_filename = next(transcript.data_path.glob("upload.*"), None)
         if audio_filename and transcript.status != "uploaded":
diff --git a/server/reflector/storage/base.py b/server/reflector/storage/base.py
index a457ddf8..b51f11f6 100644
--- a/server/reflector/storage/base.py
+++ b/server/reflector/storage/base.py
@@ -52,3 +52,9 @@ class Storage:
 
     async def _get_file_url(self, filename: str) -> str:
         raise NotImplementedError
+
+    async def get_file(self, filename: str):
+        return await self._get_file(filename)
+
+    async def _get_file(self, filename: str):
+        raise NotImplementedError
diff --git a/server/reflector/storage/storage_aws.py b/server/reflector/storage/storage_aws.py
index d2313293..b8e47f42 100644
--- a/server/reflector/storage/storage_aws.py
+++ b/server/reflector/storage/storage_aws.py
@@ -65,5 +65,14 @@ class AwsStorage(Storage):
         async with self.session.client("s3") as client:
             await client.delete_object(Bucket=bucket, Key=s3filename)
 
+    async def _get_file(self, filename: str):
+        bucket = self.aws_bucket_name
+        folder = self.aws_folder
+        logger.info(f"Downloading {filename} from S3 {bucket}/{folder}")
+        s3filename = f"{folder}/{filename}" if folder else filename
+        async with self.session.client("s3") as client:
+            response = await client.get_object(Bucket=bucket, Key=s3filename)
+            return await response["Body"].read()
+
 
 Storage.register("aws", AwsStorage)