diff --git a/src/datachain/lib/file.py b/src/datachain/lib/file.py
index 64147469e..0dc2268c3 100644
--- a/src/datachain/lib/file.py
+++ b/src/datachain/lib/file.py
@@ -269,10 +269,22 @@ def ensure_cached(self) -> None:
         client = self._catalog.get_client(self.source)
         client.download(self, callback=self._download_cb)
 
-    async def _prefetch(self) -> None:
-        if self._caching_enabled:
-            client = self._catalog.get_client(self.source)
-            await client._download(self, callback=self._download_cb)
+    async def _prefetch(self, catalog=None, download_cb=None) -> bool:
+        from datachain.client.hf import HfClient
+
+        catalog = catalog or self._catalog
+        download_cb = download_cb or self._download_cb
+        if catalog is None:
+            raise RuntimeError("cannot prefetch file because catalog is not setup")
+
+        client = catalog.get_client(self.source)
+        if client.protocol != HfClient.protocol:
+            self._set_stream(catalog, self._caching_enabled, download_cb=download_cb)
+            return False
+
+        await client._download(self, callback=download_cb)
+        self._set_stream(catalog, caching_enabled=True)  # reset download callback
+        return True
 
     def get_local_path(self) -> Optional[str]:
         """Return path to a file in a local cache.
diff --git a/src/datachain/lib/prefetcher.py b/src/datachain/lib/prefetcher.py
index b4315e7bb..fa6431ce4 100644
--- a/src/datachain/lib/prefetcher.py
+++ b/src/datachain/lib/prefetcher.py
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ async def _prefetch_input(row, catalog, download_cb):
 
     for obj in row:
         if isinstance(obj, File):
-            obj._set_stream(catalog, True, download_cb)
-            await obj._prefetch()
-            callback()
+            prefetched = await obj._prefetch(catalog, download_cb)
+            if prefetched:
+                callback()
     return row