diff --git a/asr.py b/asr.py
index 46b942f..86cce63 100644
--- a/asr.py
+++ b/asr.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
     s3_endpoint_url,
     s3_bucket,
     s3_folder_in_bucket,
-    model_base_dir,
     w_word_timestamps,
     w_device,
     w_model,
@@ -24,7 +23,6 @@
 from daan_transcript import generate_daan_transcript, DAAN_JSON_FILE
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-os.environ["HF_HOME"] = model_base_dir  # change dir where model is downloaded
 
 
 def _get_project_meta():
diff --git a/whisper_api.py b/whisper_api.py
index c8bd713..4537f02 100644
--- a/whisper_api.py
+++ b/whisper_api.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import logging
+import os
 from typing import Optional
 from uuid import uuid4
 from fastapi import BackgroundTasks, FastAPI, HTTPException, status, Response
@@ -17,8 +18,14 @@
 api = FastAPI()
 
 logger.info(f"Loading model on device {w_device}")
+
+
+# change hugging face home dir where model is downloaded
+os.environ["HF_HOME"] = model_base_dir
+
 # checking if model needs to be downloaded from HF or not
 model_location = model_base_dir if check_model_availability() else w_model
+
 model = faster_whisper.WhisperModel(
     model_location,
     device=w_device,