diff --git a/modules/initialize.py b/modules/initialize.py
index 0365bbb3093..0f1a2407f8d 100644
--- a/modules/initialize.py
+++ b/modules/initialize.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ def imports():
 
     import torch  # noqa: F401
     startup_timer.record("import torch")
+    from modules import patch_hf_hub_download  # noqa: F401
     import pytorch_lightning  # noqa: F401
     startup_timer.record("import torch")
     warnings.filterwarnings(action="ignore", category=DeprecationWarning, module="pytorch_lightning")
diff --git a/modules/patch_hf_hub_download.py b/modules/patch_hf_hub_download.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b4d5e3da4fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/patch_hf_hub_download.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+from modules.patches import patch
+from modules.errors import report
+from inspect import signature
+from functools import wraps
+
+try:
+    from huggingface_hub.utils import LocalEntryNotFoundError
+    from huggingface_hub import file_download
+
+    def try_local_files_only(func):
+        if (param := signature(func).parameters.get('local_files_only', None)) and not param.kind == param.KEYWORD_ONLY:
+            raise ValueError(f'{func.__name__} does not have keyword-only parameter "local_files_only"')
+
+        @wraps(func)
+        def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
+            try:
+                from modules.shared import opts
+                try_offline_mode = not kwargs.get('local_files_only') and opts.hd_dl_local_first
+            except Exception:
+                report('Error in try_local_files_only - skip try_local_files_only', exc_info=True)
+                try_offline_mode = False
+
+            if try_offline_mode:
+                try:
+                    return func(*args, **{**kwargs, 'local_files_only': True})
+                except LocalEntryNotFoundError:
+                    pass
+                except Exception:
+                    report('Unexpected exception in try_local_files_only - retry without patch', exc_info=True)
+
+            return func(*args, **kwargs)
+
+        return wrapper
+
+    try:
+        patch(__name__, file_download, 'hf_hub_download', try_local_files_only(file_download.hf_hub_download))
+    except RuntimeError:
+        pass  # already patched
+
+except Exception:
+    report('Error patching hf_hub_download', exc_info=True)
diff --git a/modules/shared_options.py b/modules/shared_options.py
index 9f4520274b1..c370f880d2f 100644
--- a/modules/shared_options.py
+++ b/modules/shared_options.py
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@
     "disable_mmap_load_safetensors": OptionInfo(False, "Disable memmapping for loading .safetensors files.").info("fixes very slow loading speed in some cases"),
     "hide_ldm_prints": OptionInfo(True, "Prevent Stability-AI's ldm/sgm modules from printing noise to console."),
     "dump_stacks_on_signal": OptionInfo(False, "Print stack traces before exiting the program with ctrl+c."),
+    "hd_dl_local_first": OptionInfo(False, "Prevent connecting to huggingface for assets if cache is available").info('this will also prevent assets from being updated'),
 }))
 
 options_templates.update(options_section(('profiler', "Profiler", "system"), {