diff --git a/lfs/download_queue.go b/lfs/download_queue.go
index cab3ea27..d46a1065 100644
--- a/lfs/download_queue.go
+++ b/lfs/download_queue.go
@@ -2,12 +2,9 @@ package lfs
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
+	"github.com/cheggaaa/pb"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
-
-	"github.com/cheggaaa/pb"
 )
 
 type Downloadable struct {
@@ -166,21 +163,12 @@ func (q *DownloadQueue) Process() {
 		go func(n int) {
 
 			for d := range q.downloadc {
-				fullPath := filepath.Join(LocalWorkingDir, d.Pointer.Name)
-				output, err := os.Create(fullPath)
-				if err != nil {
-					q.errorc <- Error(err)
-					f := atomic.AddInt64(&q.finished, 1)
-					q.bar.Prefix(fmt.Sprintf("(%d of %d files) ", f, q.files))
-					q.wg.Done()
-					continue
-				}
-
 				cb := func(total, read int64, current int) error {
 					q.bar.Add(current)
 					return nil
 				}
-				if err := PointerSmudgeObject(output, d.Pointer.Pointer, d.Object, cb); err != nil {
+
+				if err := PointerSmudgeObject(d.Pointer.Pointer, d.Object, cb); err != nil {
 					q.errorc <- Error(err)
 				}
 
diff --git a/lfs/pointer_smudge.go b/lfs/pointer_smudge.go
index 26e4ae8a..a34d431e 100644
--- a/lfs/pointer_smudge.go
+++ b/lfs/pointer_smudge.go
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ func PointerSmudge(writer io.Writer, ptr *Pointer, workingfile string, cb CopyCa
 	return nil
 }
 
-func PointerSmudgeObject(writer io.Writer, ptr *Pointer, obj *objectResource, cb CopyCallback) error {
+// PointerSmudgeObject uses a Pointer and objectResource to download the object to the
+// media directory. It does not write the file to the working directory.
+func PointerSmudgeObject(ptr *Pointer, obj *objectResource, cb CopyCallback) error {
 	mediafile, err := LocalMediaPath(obj.Oid)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -58,23 +60,20 @@ func PointerSmudgeObject(writer io.Writer, ptr *Pointer, obj *objectResource, cb
 		}
 	}
 
-	var wErr *WrappedError
 	if statErr != nil || stat == nil {
-		wErr = downloadObject(writer, ptr, obj, mediafile, cb)
-	} else {
-		wErr = readLocalFile(writer, ptr, mediafile, cb)
-	}
+		wErr := downloadObject(ptr, obj, mediafile, cb)
 
-	if wErr != nil {
-		sendApiEvent(apiEventFail)
-		return &SmudgeError{obj.Oid, mediafile, wErr}
+		if wErr != nil {
+			sendApiEvent(apiEventFail)
+			return &SmudgeError{obj.Oid, mediafile, wErr}
+		}
 	}
 
 	sendApiEvent(apiEventSuccess)
 	return nil
 }
 
-func downloadObject(writer io.Writer, ptr *Pointer, obj *objectResource, mediafile string, cb CopyCallback) *WrappedError {
+func downloadObject(ptr *Pointer, obj *objectResource, mediafile string, cb CopyCallback) *WrappedError {
 	reader, size, wErr := DownloadObject(obj)
 	if reader != nil {
 		defer reader.Close()
@@ -105,7 +104,7 @@ func downloadObject(writer io.Writer, ptr *Pointer, obj *objectResource, mediafi
 		return Errorf(err, "Error buffering media file.")
 	}
 
-	return readLocalFile(writer, ptr, mediafile, nil)
+	return nil
 }
 
 func downloadFile(writer io.Writer, ptr *Pointer, workingfile, mediafile string, cb CopyCallback) *WrappedError {