diff --git a/server/lorax_server/utils/sources/__init__.py b/server/lorax_server/utils/sources/__init__.py
index ba9af397..a47df0af 100644
--- a/server/lorax_server/utils/sources/__init__.py
+++ b/server/lorax_server/utils/sources/__init__.py
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ def get_model_source(
     api_token: Optional[str] = None,
 ):
     if source == HUB:
+        if not api_token and bool(os.environ.get("LORAX_USE_GLOBAL_HF_TOKEN", 0)):
+            # User initialized LoRAX to fallback to global HF token if request token is empty
+            api_token = os.environ.get("HUGGING_FACE_HUB_TOKEN")
         return HubModelSource(model_id, revision, extension, api_token)
     elif source == S3:
         return S3ModelSource(model_id, revision, extension)
diff --git a/server/lorax_server/utils/sources/hub.py b/server/lorax_server/utils/sources/hub.py
index 0b6f6bb6..ec52b952 100644
--- a/server/lorax_server/utils/sources/hub.py
+++ b/server/lorax_server/utils/sources/hub.py
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ def download_file(self, filename: str, ignore_errors: bool = False) -> Optional[
 
 
 def get_hub_api(token: Optional[str] = None) -> HfApi:
-    if token == "" and bool(os.environ.get("LORAX_USE_GLOBAL_HF_TOKEN", 0)):
+    if not token and bool(os.environ.get("LORAX_USE_GLOBAL_HF_TOKEN", 0)):
         # User initialized LoRAX to fallback to global HF token if request token is empty
         token = os.environ.get("HUGGING_FACE_HUB_TOKEN")
     return HfApi(token=token)