diff --git a/common/download.cpp b/common/download.cpp
index 9d7995c9d2..055f0038f4 100644
--- a/common/download.cpp
+++ b/common/download.cpp
@@ -591,6 +591,10 @@ static hf_cache::hf_file find_best_model(const hf_cache::hf_files & files,
         for (const auto & f : files) {
             if (gguf_filename_is_model(f.path) &&
                 std::regex_search(f.path, pattern)) {
+                auto split = get_gguf_split_info(f.path);
+                if (split.count > 1 && split.index != 1) {
+                    continue;
+                }
                 return f;
             }
         }
@@ -600,6 +604,10 @@ static hf_cache::hf_file find_best_model(const hf_cache::hf_files & files,
     if (tag.empty()) {
         for (const auto & f : files) {
             if (gguf_filename_is_model(f.path)) {
+                auto split = get_gguf_split_info(f.path);
+                if (split.count > 1 && split.index != 1) {
+                    continue;
+                }
                 return f;
             }
         }
@@ -618,6 +626,7 @@ static void list_available_gguf_files(const hf_cache::hf_files & files) {
 }
 
 struct hf_plan {
+    hf_cache::hf_file primary;
     hf_cache::hf_files model_files;
     hf_cache::hf_file mmproj;
 };
@@ -663,6 +672,7 @@ static hf_plan get_hf_plan(const common_params_model        & model,
         }
     }
 
+    plan.primary = primary;
     plan.model_files = get_split_files(all, primary);
 
     if (opts.download_mmproj) {
@@ -749,7 +759,7 @@ common_download_model_result common_download_model(const common_params_model
         for (const auto & f : hf.model_files) {
             hf_cache::finalize_file(f);
         }
-        result.model_path = hf.model_files[0].final_path;
+        result.model_path = hf.primary.final_path;
 
         if (!hf.mmproj.path.empty()) {
             result.mmproj_path = hf_cache::finalize_file(hf.mmproj);