diff --git a/src/actions.c b/src/actions.c
index c99ad536..db14f768 100644
--- a/src/actions.c
+++ b/src/actions.c
@@ -1250,7 +1250,6 @@ int descend_schematic(int instnumber)
   if(!strcmp(xctx->sch[xctx->currsch],""))
   {
     char cmd[PATH_MAX+1000];
-    char filename[PATH_MAX];
     char res[PATH_MAX];
 
     my_strncpy(filename, xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], S(filename));
@@ -1342,10 +1341,10 @@ int descend_schematic(int instnumber)
   xctx->currsch++;
   hilight_child_pins();
 
-  get_sch_from_sym(filename, xctx->inst[n].ptr+ xctx->sym);
-  dbg(1, "descend_schematic(): filename=%s\n", filename);
   unselect_all(1);
+  get_sch_from_sym(filename, xctx->inst[n].ptr+ xctx->sym);
   remove_symbols();
+  dbg(1, "descend_schematic(): filename=%s\n", filename);
   /* we are descending from a parent schematic downloaded from the web */
   if( strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "http://") == xctx->current_dirname ||
       strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "https://") == xctx->current_dirname) {
@@ -1354,10 +1353,9 @@ int descend_schematic(int instnumber)
     tclvareval("try_download_url {", xctx->current_dirname, "} {", filename, "}", NULL);
     /* build local file name of downloaded object and load it */
     my_snprintf(sympath, S(sympath), "%s/xschem_web/%s",  tclgetvar("XSCHEM_TMP_DIR"), get_cell_w_ext(filename, 0));
-    load_schematic(1, sympath, 1);
-  } else {
-    load_schematic(1, filename, 1);
+    my_strncpy(filename, sympath, S(filename));
   }
+  load_schematic(1, filename, 1);
   if(xctx->hilight_nets)
   {
     prepare_netlist_structs(0);
diff --git a/src/spice_netlist.c b/src/spice_netlist.c
index 40032764..b65083fc 100644
--- a/src/spice_netlist.c
+++ b/src/spice_netlist.c
@@ -528,6 +528,17 @@ void spice_block_netlist(FILE *fd, int i)
   else
      spice_stop=0;
   get_sch_from_sym(filename, xctx->sym + i);
+
+  if( strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "http://") == xctx->current_dirname ||
+      strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "https://") == xctx->current_dirname) {
+    char sympath[PATH_MAX];
+    /* download item into ${XSCHEM_TMP_DIR}/xschem_web */
+    tclvareval("try_download_url {", xctx->current_dirname, "} {", filename, "}", NULL);
+    /* build local file name of downloaded object and load it */
+    my_snprintf(sympath, S(sympath), "%s/xschem_web/%s",  tclgetvar("XSCHEM_TMP_DIR"), get_cell_w_ext(filename, 0));
+    my_strncpy(filename, sympath, S(filename));
+  }
+
   if(split_f) {
     my_snprintf(netl_filename, S(netl_filename), "%s/.%s_%d",
          tclgetvar("netlist_dir"), skip_dir(xctx->sym[i].name), getpid());
diff --git a/src/tedax_netlist.c b/src/tedax_netlist.c
index 4f9470ed..2cbc3ea4 100644
--- a/src/tedax_netlist.c
+++ b/src/tedax_netlist.c
@@ -84,6 +84,17 @@ static void tedax_block_netlist(FILE *fd, int i)
   else
      tedax_stop=0;
   get_sch_from_sym(filename, xctx->sym + i);
+
+  if( strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "http://") == xctx->current_dirname ||
+      strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "https://") == xctx->current_dirname) {
+    char sympath[PATH_MAX];
+    /* download item into ${XSCHEM_TMP_DIR}/xschem_web */
+    tclvareval("try_download_url {", xctx->current_dirname, "} {", filename, "}", NULL);
+    /* build local file name of downloaded object and load it */
+    my_snprintf(sympath, S(sympath), "%s/xschem_web/%s",  tclgetvar("XSCHEM_TMP_DIR"), get_cell_w_ext(filename, 0));
+    my_strncpy(filename, sympath, S(filename));
+  }
+
   fprintf(fd, "\n# expanding   symbol:  %s # of pins=%d\n",
         xctx->sym[i].name,xctx->sym[i].rects[PINLAYER] );
   fprintf(fd, "## sym_path: %s\n", abs_sym_path(xctx->sym[i].name, ""));
diff --git a/src/verilog_netlist.c b/src/verilog_netlist.c
index d318a04b..46edf9ba 100644
--- a/src/verilog_netlist.c
+++ b/src/verilog_netlist.c
@@ -436,6 +436,17 @@ void verilog_block_netlist(FILE *fd, int i)
   else
      verilog_stop=0;
   get_sch_from_sym(filename, xctx->sym + i);
+
+  if( strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "http://") == xctx->current_dirname ||
+      strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "https://") == xctx->current_dirname) {
+    char sympath[PATH_MAX];
+    /* download item into ${XSCHEM_TMP_DIR}/xschem_web */
+    tclvareval("try_download_url {", xctx->current_dirname, "} {", filename, "}", NULL);
+    /* build local file name of downloaded object and load it */
+    my_snprintf(sympath, S(sympath), "%s/xschem_web/%s",  tclgetvar("XSCHEM_TMP_DIR"), get_cell_w_ext(filename, 0));
+    my_strncpy(filename, sympath, S(filename));
+  }
+
   if(split_f) {
     my_snprintf(netl_filename, S(netl_filename), "%s/.%s_%d",
        tclgetvar("netlist_dir"),  skip_dir(xctx->sym[i].name), getpid());
diff --git a/src/vhdl_netlist.c b/src/vhdl_netlist.c
index 17c0780f..dce93603 100644
--- a/src/vhdl_netlist.c
+++ b/src/vhdl_netlist.c
@@ -528,6 +528,17 @@ void  vhdl_block_netlist(FILE *fd, int i)
   else
     vhdl_stop=0;
   get_sch_from_sym(filename, xctx->sym + i);
+
+  if( strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "http://") == xctx->current_dirname ||
+      strstr(xctx->current_dirname, "https://") == xctx->current_dirname) {
+    char sympath[PATH_MAX];
+    /* download item into ${XSCHEM_TMP_DIR}/xschem_web */
+    tclvareval("try_download_url {", xctx->current_dirname, "} {", filename, "}", NULL);
+    /* build local file name of downloaded object and load it */
+    my_snprintf(sympath, S(sympath), "%s/xschem_web/%s",  tclgetvar("XSCHEM_TMP_DIR"), get_cell_w_ext(filename, 0));
+    my_strncpy(filename, sympath, S(filename));
+  }
+
   if(split_f) {
     my_snprintf(netl_filename, S(netl_filename), "%s/.%s_%d",
        tclgetvar("netlist_dir"), skip_dir(xctx->sym[i].name), getpid());