diff --git a/internal/media/processingemoji.go b/internal/media/processingemoji.go
index e3ed5ce0a..7ffb6d7fa 100644
--- a/internal/media/processingemoji.go
+++ b/internal/media/processingemoji.go
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func (p *ProcessingEmoji) loadStatic(ctx context.Context) error {
 		}
 
 		// put the static in storage
-		if err := p.storage.Put(ctx, p.emoji.ImageStaticPath, static.small); err != nil {
+		if err := p.storage.Put(ctx, p.emoji.ImageStaticPath, static.small); err != nil && err != storage.ErrAlreadyExists {
 			p.err = fmt.Errorf("loadStatic: error storing static: %s", err)
 			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.staticState, int32(errored))
 			return p.err
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ func (p *ProcessingEmoji) store(ctx context.Context) error {
 	multiReader := io.MultiReader(bytes.NewBuffer(firstBytes), reader)
 
 	// store this for now -- other processes can pull it out of storage as they please
-	if err := p.storage.PutStream(ctx, p.emoji.ImagePath, multiReader); err != nil {
+	if err := p.storage.PutStream(ctx, p.emoji.ImagePath, multiReader); err != nil && err != storage.ErrAlreadyExists {
 		return fmt.Errorf("store: error storing stream: %s", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/media/processingmedia.go b/internal/media/processingmedia.go
index 3f3a68f3f..e537c8301 100644
--- a/internal/media/processingmedia.go
+++ b/internal/media/processingmedia.go
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ func (p *ProcessingMedia) loadThumb(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 		// put the thumbnail in storage
 		log.Tracef("loadThumb: storing new thumbnail %s", p.attachment.URL)
-		if err := p.storage.Put(ctx, p.attachment.Thumbnail.Path, thumb.small); err != nil {
+		if err := p.storage.Put(ctx, p.attachment.Thumbnail.Path, thumb.small); err != nil && err != storage.ErrAlreadyExists {
 			p.err = fmt.Errorf("loadThumb: error storing thumbnail: %s", err)
 			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.thumbState, int32(errored))
 			return p.err
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ func (p *ProcessingMedia) store(ctx context.Context) error {
 	p.attachment.File.FileSize = fileSize
 
 	// store this for now -- other processes can pull it out of storage as they please
-	if err := p.storage.PutStream(ctx, p.attachment.File.Path, clean); err != nil {
+	if err := p.storage.PutStream(ctx, p.attachment.File.Path, clean); err != nil && err != storage.ErrAlreadyExists {
 		return fmt.Errorf("store: error storing stream: %s", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/storage/local.go b/internal/storage/local.go
index 8ed3ca8d8..103233219 100644
--- a/internal/storage/local.go
+++ b/internal/storage/local.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 	"net/url"
 
 	"codeberg.org/gruf/go-store/kv"
+	"codeberg.org/gruf/go-store/storage"
 )
 
 type Local struct {
@@ -39,11 +40,19 @@ func (l *Local) GetStream(ctx context.Context, key string) (io.ReadCloser, error
 }
 
 func (l *Local) PutStream(ctx context.Context, key string, r io.Reader) error {
-	return l.KVStore.PutStream(key, r)
+	err := l.KVStore.PutStream(key, r)
+	if err == storage.ErrAlreadyExists {
+		return ErrAlreadyExists
+	}
+	return err
 }
 
 func (l *Local) Put(ctx context.Context, key string, value []byte) error {
-	return l.KVStore.Put(key, value)
+	err := l.KVStore.Put(key, value)
+	if err == storage.ErrAlreadyExists {
+		return ErrAlreadyExists
+	}
+	return err
 }
 
 func (l *Local) Delete(ctx context.Context, key string) error {
diff --git a/internal/storage/storage.go b/internal/storage/storage.go
index 7a4ebc6c3..7bd4c18aa 100644
--- a/internal/storage/storage.go
+++ b/internal/storage/storage.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 )
 
 var ErrNotSupported = errors.New("driver does not suppport functionality")
+var ErrAlreadyExists = errors.New("storage key already exists")
 
 // Driver implements the functionality to store and retrieve blobs
 // (images,video,audio)