diff --git a/modules/tftp/server.rb b/modules/tftp/server.rb
index 98218d8bd..2476ba78b 100644
--- a/modules/tftp/server.rb
+++ b/modules/tftp/server.rb
@@ -165,10 +165,11 @@ def self.fetch_boot_file(dst, src)
   def self.choose_protocol_and_fetch(src, destination)
     case URI(src).scheme
     when 'http', 'https', 'ftp'
-      ::Proxy::HttpDownload.new(src.to_s, destination.to_s,
-                                connect_timeout: Proxy::TFTP::Plugin.settings.tftp_connect_timeout,
-                                verify_server_cert: Proxy::TFTP::Plugin.settings.verify_server_cert).start
-
+      thread = ::Proxy::HttpDownload.new(src.to_s, destination.to_s,
+                                         connect_timeout: Proxy::TFTP::Plugin.settings.tftp_connect_timeout,
+                                         verify_server_cert: Proxy::TFTP::Plugin.settings.verify_server_cert)
+      thread.start
+      thread
     when 'nfs'
       logger.debug "NFS as a protocol for installation medium detected."
     else
diff --git a/modules/tftp/tftp_api.rb b/modules/tftp/tftp_api.rb
index 1bc6276c7..3fc175a27 100644
--- a/modules/tftp/tftp_api.rb
+++ b/modules/tftp/tftp_api.rb
@@ -35,7 +35,16 @@ def create_default(variant)
     end
 
     post "/fetch_boot_file" do
-      log_halt(400, "TFTP: Failed to fetch boot file: ") { Proxy::TFTP.fetch_boot_file(params[:prefix], params[:path]) }
+      log_halt(400, "TFTP: Failed to fetch boot file: ") do
+        result = Proxy::TFTP.fetch_boot_file(params[:prefix], params[:path])
+
+        # fetch_boot_file may start a thread
+        # This waits for a bit before telling the client we've accepted it
+        # TODO: implement a mechanism to poll for completion
+        if result.respond_to(:join)
+          202 unless result.join(5)
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     post "/:variant/create_default" do |variant|