diff --git a/app/models/broadcast.rb b/app/models/broadcast.rb
index 0bd1570e5..1d89ad5d4 100644
--- a/app/models/broadcast.rb
+++ b/app/models/broadcast.rb
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ def audio_file_blob_changed?
     event :start do
       transitions(
         from: [ :pending, :queued, :errored ],
-        to: :running
+        to: :running,
+        before_transaction: -> { self.error_message = nil }
       )
     end
 
@@ -140,6 +141,11 @@ def updatable?
     status == "pending"
   end
 
+  def mark_as_errored!(message)
+    self.error_message = message
+    self.error!
+  end
+
   private
 
   def set_call_flow_logic
diff --git a/app/workflows/populate_alerts.rb b/app/workflows/populate_alerts.rb
index f9fd25a64..dc4fcdff1 100644
--- a/app/workflows/populate_alerts.rb
+++ b/app/workflows/populate_alerts.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 class PopulateAlerts < ApplicationWorkflow
   attr_reader :broadcast
 
+  class BroadcastStartedError < StandardError; end
+
   delegate :account, :beneficiary_filter, to: :broadcast, private: true
 
   def initialize(broadcast)
@@ -9,32 +11,35 @@ def initialize(broadcast)
 
   def call
     ApplicationRecord.transaction do
-      create_alerts
-      return unless broadcast.audio_file.attached?
+      download_audio_file unless broadcast.audio_file.attached?
 
-      if broadcast.alerts.any?
-        create_delivery_attempts
+      create_alerts
+      create_delivery_attempts
 
-        broadcast.error_message = nil
-        broadcast.start!
-      else
-        mark_as_errored!("No beneficiaries match the filters")
-      end
+      broadcast.error_message = nil
+      broadcast.start!
     end
+  rescue BroadcastStartedError => e
+    broadcast.mark_as_errored!(e.message)
   end
 
   private
 
   def download_audio_file
-    audio_file = URI.open(broadcast.audio_url)
-    # FIXME: update file name
-    broadcast.audio_file.attach(avatar.attach(io: audio_file, filename: "audio.mp3"))
-  rescue OpenURI::HTTPError
-    mark_as_errored!("Unable to download audio file")
+    uri = URI.parse(broadcast.audio_url)
+    broadcast.audio_file.attach(
+      io: URI.open(uri),
+      filename: File.basename(uri)
+    )
+  rescue OpenURI::HTTPError, URI::InvalidURIError
+    raise BroadcastStartedError, "Unable to download audio file"
   end
 
   def create_alerts
-    alerts = beneficiaries_scope.find_each.map do |beneficiary|
+    beneficiaries = beneficiaries_scope
+    raise BroadcastStartedError, "No beneficiaries match the filters" if beneficiaries.none?
+
+    alerts = beneficiaries.find_each.map do |beneficiary|
       {
         broadcast_id: broadcast.id,
         beneficiary_id: beneficiary.id,
@@ -70,9 +75,4 @@ def beneficiaries_scope
       BeneficiaryFilter.new(input_params: beneficiary_filter).output
     ).apply
   end
-
-  def mark_as_errored!(message)
-    broadcast.error_message = message
-    broadcast.error!
-  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/requests/open_ews_api/v1/broadcasts_spec.rb b/spec/requests/open_ews_api/v1/broadcasts_spec.rb
index f9b07269b..5f88f9e47 100644
--- a/spec/requests/open_ews_api/v1/broadcasts_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/open_ews_api/v1/broadcasts_spec.rb
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@
         }
       )
 
+      stub_request(:get, "https://www.example.com/sample.mp3").to_return(status: 200)
+      allow(AudioFileProcessorJob).to receive(:perform_later).with(broadcast)
+
       set_authorization_header_for(account)
       perform_enqueued_jobs do
         do_request(
diff --git a/spec/workflows/populate_alerts_spec.rb b/spec/workflows/populate_alerts_spec.rb
index c983217d3..fae7e0881 100644
--- a/spec/workflows/populate_alerts_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/workflows/populate_alerts_spec.rb
@@ -9,8 +9,11 @@
     other_female_beneficiary = create(:beneficiary, account:, gender: "F")
     create(:beneficiary_address, beneficiary: other_female_beneficiary, iso_region_code: "KH-11")
 
+    stub_request(:get, "https://example.com/cowbell.mp3").to_return(status: 200)
+
     broadcast = create(
       :broadcast,
+      audio_url: "https://example.com/cowbell.mp3",
       status: :pending,
       account:,
       error_message: "existing error message",
@@ -38,12 +41,28 @@
     )
   end
 
+  it "marks errored when the audio file can't be downloaded" do
+    broadcast = create(
+      :broadcast,
+      status: :queued,
+      audio_url: "https://example.com/not-found.mp3",
+    )
+
+    stub_request(:get, "https://example.com/not-found.mp3").to_return(status: 404)
+
+    PopulateAlerts.new(broadcast).call
+
+    expect(broadcast.status).to eq("errored")
+    expect(broadcast.error_message).to eq("Unable to download audio file")
+  end
+
   it "marks errored when there are no beneficiaries that match the filters" do
     account = create(:account)
     _male_beneficiary = create(:beneficiary, account:, gender: "M")
 
     broadcast = create(
       :broadcast,
+      audio_file: file_fixture("test.mp3"),
       status: :queued,
       beneficiary_filter: {
         gender: { eq: "F" }
@@ -52,7 +71,7 @@
 
     PopulateAlerts.new(broadcast).call
 
-    expect(broadcast.error_message).to eq("No beneficiaries match the filters")
     expect(broadcast.status).to eq("errored")
+    expect(broadcast.error_message).to eq("No beneficiaries match the filters")
   end
 end