diff --git a/torchchat/cli/download.py b/torchchat/cli/download.py
index 14c19f943..fee85bdcc 100644
--- a/torchchat/cli/download.py
+++ b/torchchat/cli/download.py
@@ -25,6 +25,14 @@
 if os.environ.get("HF_HUB_ENABLE_HF_TRANSFER", None) is None:
     os.environ["HF_HUB_ENABLE_HF_TRANSFER"] = "1"
 
+# For each model with huggingface distribution path, clean up the old location. 
+def _delete_old_hf_models(models_dir: Path):
+    for model_config in load_model_configs().values():
+        if model_config.distribution_channel == ModelDistributionChannel.HuggingFaceSnapshot:
+            if os.path.exists(models_dir / model_config.name):
+                print(f"Cleaning up old model artifacts in {models_dir / model_config.name}. New artifacts will be downloaded to {HUGGINGFACE_HOME_PATH}")
+                shutil.rmtree(models_dir / model_config.name)
+
 def _download_hf_snapshot(
     model_config: ModelConfig, hf_token: Optional[str]
 ):
@@ -273,4 +281,5 @@ def where_main(args) -> None:
 
 # Subcommand to download model artifacts.
 def download_main(args) -> None:
+    _delete_old_hf_models(args.model_directory)
     download_and_convert(args.model, args.model_directory, args.hf_token)