diff --git a/server/download.go b/server/download.go
index d93cd3b4..8b5b577f 100644
--- a/server/download.go
+++ b/server/download.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"math"
+	"math/rand/v2"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
@@ -141,6 +142,32 @@ func (b *blobDownload) Run(ctx context.Context, requestURL *url.URL, opts *regis
 	b.err = b.run(ctx, requestURL, opts)
 }
 
+func newBackoff(maxBackoff time.Duration) func(ctx context.Context) error {
+	var n int
+	return func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		if ctx.Err() != nil {
+			return ctx.Err()
+		}
+
+		n++
+
+		// n^2 backoff timer is a little smoother than the
+		// common choice of 2^n.
+		d := min(time.Duration(n*n)*10*time.Millisecond, maxBackoff)
+		// Randomize the delay between 0.5-1.5 x msec, in order
+		// to prevent accidental "thundering herd" problems.
+		d = time.Duration(float64(d) * (rand.Float64() + 0.5))
+		t := time.NewTimer(d)
+		defer t.Stop()
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return ctx.Err()
+		case <-t.C:
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func (b *blobDownload) run(ctx context.Context, requestURL *url.URL, opts *registryOptions) error {
 	defer blobDownloadManager.Delete(b.Digest)
 	ctx, b.CancelFunc = context.WithCancel(ctx)
@@ -153,6 +180,52 @@ func (b *blobDownload) run(ctx context.Context, requestURL *url.URL, opts *regis
 
 	_ = file.Truncate(b.Total)
 
+	directURL, err := func() (*url.URL, error) {
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 30*time.Second)
+		defer cancel()
+
+		backoff := newBackoff(10 * time.Second)
+		for {
+			// shallow clone opts to be used in the closure
+			// without affecting the outer opts.
+			newOpts := new(registryOptions)
+			*newOpts = *opts
+
+			newOpts.CheckRedirect = func(req *http.Request, via []*http.Request) error {
+				if len(via) > 10 {
+					return errors.New("maxium redirects exceeded (10) for directURL")
+				}
+
+				// if the hostname is the same, allow the redirect
+				if req.URL.Hostname() == requestURL.Hostname() {
+					return nil
+				}
+
+				// stop at the first redirect that is not
+				// the same hostname as the original
+				// request.
+				return http.ErrUseLastResponse
+			}
+
+			resp, err := makeRequestWithRetry(ctx, http.MethodGet, requestURL, nil, nil, newOpts)
+			if err != nil {
+				slog.Warn("failed to get direct URL; backing off and retrying", "err", err)
+				if err := backoff(ctx); err != nil {
+					return nil, err
+				}
+				continue
+			}
+			defer resp.Body.Close()
+			if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusTemporaryRedirect {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected status code %d", resp.StatusCode)
+			}
+			return resp.Location()
+		}
+	}()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	g, inner := errgroup.WithContext(ctx)
 	g.SetLimit(numDownloadParts)
 	for i := range b.Parts {
@@ -165,7 +238,7 @@ func (b *blobDownload) run(ctx context.Context, requestURL *url.URL, opts *regis
 			var err error
 			for try := 0; try < maxRetries; try++ {
 				w := io.NewOffsetWriter(file, part.StartsAt())
-				err = b.downloadChunk(inner, requestURL, w, part, opts)
+				err = b.downloadChunk(inner, directURL, w, part, opts)
 				switch {
 				case errors.Is(err, context.Canceled), errors.Is(err, syscall.ENOSPC):
 					// return immediately if the context is canceled or the device is out of space
diff --git a/server/images.go b/server/images.go
index 574dec19..836dbcc2 100644
--- a/server/images.go
+++ b/server/images.go
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ type registryOptions struct {
 	Username string
 	Password string
 	Token    string
+
+	CheckRedirect func(req *http.Request, via []*http.Request) error
 }
 
 type Model struct {
@@ -1131,7 +1133,9 @@ func makeRequest(ctx context.Context, method string, requestURL *url.URL, header
 		req.ContentLength = contentLength
 	}
 
-	resp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
+	resp, err := (&http.Client{
+		CheckRedirect: regOpts.CheckRedirect,
+	}).Do(req)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}