diff --git a/server/download.go b/server/download.go
index 81b4054c8..68836a824 100644
--- a/server/download.go
+++ b/server/download.go
@@ -132,20 +132,17 @@ func (p *blobDownloadPart) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-const numDownloadParts = 16
-
 // Download tuning. Override via environment variables:
 //   - Memory constrained: reduce OLLAMA_DOWNLOAD_CONCURRENCY
 //   - Default uses ~64KB memory regardless of concurrency (streams to disk, hashes from page cache)
 var (
 	// downloadPartSize is the size of each download part.
-	// Default: 16MB. Override with OLLAMA_DOWNLOAD_PART_SIZE (in MB).
-	downloadPartSize = int64(getEnvInt("OLLAMA_DOWNLOAD_PART_SIZE", 32)) * format.MegaByte
+	// Default: 64MB. Override with OLLAMA_DOWNLOAD_PART_SIZE (in MB).
+	downloadPartSize = int64(getEnvInt("OLLAMA_DOWNLOAD_PART_SIZE", 64)) * format.MegaByte
 
 	// downloadConcurrency limits concurrent part downloads.
-	// Higher = faster on fast connections. Memory stays ~64KB regardless.
-	// Default: 64. Override with OLLAMA_DOWNLOAD_CONCURRENCY.
-	downloadConcurrency = getEnvInt("OLLAMA_DOWNLOAD_CONCURRENCY", 64)
+	// Default: 32. Override with OLLAMA_DOWNLOAD_CONCURRENCY.
+	downloadConcurrency = getEnvInt("OLLAMA_DOWNLOAD_CONCURRENCY", 32)
 )
 
 func getEnvInt(key string, defaultVal int) int {
@@ -301,14 +298,7 @@ func (b *blobDownload) Prepare(ctx context.Context, requestURL *url.URL, opts *r
 
 		b.Total, _ = strconv.ParseInt(resp.Header.Get("Content-Length"), 10, 64)
 
-		size := b.Total / numDownloadParts
-		switch {
-		case size < downloadPartSize:
-			size = downloadPartSize
-		case size > downloadPartSize:
-			size = downloadPartSize
-		}
-
+		size := downloadPartSize
 		var offset int64
 		for offset < b.Total {
 			if offset+size > b.Total {
@@ -442,8 +432,11 @@ func (b *blobDownload) run(ctx context.Context, requestURL *url.URL, opts *regis
 
 		g.Go(func() error {
 			var err error
+			var slowRetries int
 			for try := 0; try < maxRetries; try++ {
-				err = b.downloadChunkToDisk(inner, directURL, file, part, tracker)
+				// After 3 slow retries, stop checking slowness and let it complete
+				skipSlowCheck := slowRetries >= 3
+				err = b.downloadChunkToDisk(inner, directURL, file, part, tracker, skipSlowCheck)
 				switch {
 				case errors.Is(err, context.Canceled), errors.Is(err, syscall.ENOSPC):
 					return err
@@ -451,30 +444,9 @@ func (b *blobDownload) run(ctx context.Context, requestURL *url.URL, opts *regis
 					try--
 					continue
 				case errors.Is(err, errPartSlow):
-					// Race: start a second download, first to complete wins
-					raceCtx, raceCancel := context.WithCancel(inner)
-					var once sync.Once
-					var raceErr error
-
-					done := make(chan struct{})
-					for r := 0; r < 2; r++ {
-						go func() {
-							e := b.downloadChunkToDisk(raceCtx, directURL, file, part, tracker)
-							once.Do(func() {
-								raceErr = e
-								raceCancel()
-								close(done)
-							})
-						}()
-					}
-					<-done
-
-					if raceErr == nil {
-						sh.MarkComplete(part.N)
-						return nil
-					}
-					err = raceErr
-					// Fall through to retry logic
+					// Kill slow request, retry immediately (stays within concurrency limit)
+					slowRetries++
+					try--
 					continue
 				case err != nil:
 					sleep := time.Second * time.Duration(math.Pow(2, float64(try)))
@@ -556,7 +528,8 @@ func (b *blobDownload) run(ctx context.Context, requestURL *url.URL, opts *regis
 
 // downloadChunkToDisk streams a part directly to disk at its offset.
 // Memory: ~32KB (read buffer only).
-func (b *blobDownload) downloadChunkToDisk(ctx context.Context, requestURL *url.URL, file *os.File, part *blobDownloadPart, tracker *speedTracker) error {
+// If skipSlowCheck is true, don't flag slow parts (used after repeated slow retries).
+func (b *blobDownload) downloadChunkToDisk(ctx context.Context, requestURL *url.URL, file *os.File, part *blobDownloadPart, tracker *speedTracker, skipSlowCheck bool) error {
 	g, ctx := errgroup.WithContext(ctx)
 	startTime := time.Now()
 	var bytesAtLastCheck atomic.Int64
@@ -638,14 +611,15 @@ func (b *blobDownload) downloadChunkToDisk(ctx context.Context, requestURL *url.
 				}
 
 				// Check for slow speed after 5+ seconds (only for multi-part downloads)
+				// Skip if we've already retried for slowness too many times
 				elapsed := time.Since(startTime).Seconds()
-				if elapsed >= 5 && currentBytes > 0 && len(b.Parts) > 1 {
+				if !skipSlowCheck && elapsed >= 5 && currentBytes > 0 && len(b.Parts) > 1 {
 					currentSpeed := float64(currentBytes) / elapsed
 					median := tracker.Median()
 
 					// If we're below 10% of median speed, flag as slow
 					if median > 0 && currentSpeed < median*0.1 {
-						slog.Info(fmt.Sprintf("%s part %d slow (%.0f KB/s vs median %.0f KB/s); racing",
+						slog.Info(fmt.Sprintf("%s part %d slow (%.0f KB/s vs median %.0f KB/s); retrying",
 							b.Digest[7:19], part.N, currentSpeed/1024, median/1024))
 						return errPartSlow
 					}