diff --git a/scipost_django/preprints/models.py b/scipost_django/preprints/models.py
index 9bafbc8db4bebd2effa42d023d39c5e3b760ddc0..eac6e3c27b767c5e7677160a5d94056083463f23 100644
--- a/scipost_django/preprints/models.py
+++ b/scipost_django/preprints/models.py
@@ -2,11 +2,15 @@ __copyright__ = "Copyright © Stichting SciPost (SciPost Foundation)"
 __license__ = "AGPL v3"
 
 
+import requests
+
 from django.contrib.sites.models import Site
 from django.urls import reverse
 from django.db import models
 from django.http import Http404
 
+from submissions.exceptions import PreprintDocumentNotFoundError
+
 
 class Preprint(models.Model):
     """
@@ -43,6 +47,18 @@ class Preprint(models.Model):
             return reverse('preprints:pdf', args=(self.identifier_w_vn_nr,))
         raise Http404
 
+    def get_document(self):
+        """
+        Retrieve the preprint document itself, calling preprint server if necessary.
+        """
+        url = self.get_absolute_url()
+        if url[0] == '/': # SciPost-hosted, add base url
+            url = 'https://%s%s' % (Site.objects.get_current().domain, url)
+        response = requests.get(url)
+        if response.status_code != 200:
+            raise PreprintDocumentNotFoundError(self.get_absolute_url())
+        return response.content
+
     @property
     def citation_pdf_url(self):
         """Return the absolute URL of the pdf for the meta tag for Google Scholar."""
diff --git a/scipost_django/submissions/exceptions.py b/scipost_django/submissions/exceptions.py
index 1349a3c6769337ec18faf21e9700793538cc6f17..3c2a868570e86c6cac1b136e98b16d61d54dfab0 100644
--- a/scipost_django/submissions/exceptions.py
+++ b/scipost_django/submissions/exceptions.py
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ class InvalidReportVettingValue(BaseCustomException):
     pass
 
 
+class PreprintDocumentNotFoundError(BaseCustomException):
+    pass
+
+
 class ArxivPDFNotFound(Exception):
     pass
 
diff --git a/scipost_django/submissions/forms.py b/scipost_django/submissions/forms.py
index 297e9467d4c622654d5dea08d44a0b72147d8e52..1ec03c1cebd68bef581a15a6871182a19e660417 100644
--- a/scipost_django/submissions/forms.py
+++ b/scipost_django/submissions/forms.py
@@ -1919,12 +1919,13 @@ class iThenticateReportForm(forms.ModelForm):
         doc_id = self.instance.doc_id
         if not doc_id and not self.fields.get('file'):
             try:
-                cleaned_data['document'] = helpers.retrieve_pdf_from_arxiv(
-                    self.submission.preprint.identifier_w_vn_nr)
-            except exceptions.ArxivPDFNotFound:
+                # cleaned_data['document'] = helpers.retrieve_pdf_from_arxiv(
+                #     self.submission.preprint.identifier_w_vn_nr)
+                cleaned_data['document'] = self.submission.preprint.get_document()
+            except exceptions.PreprintDocumentNotFoundError:
                 self.add_error(
-                    None, 'The pdf could not be found at arXiv. Please upload the pdf manually.')
-                self.fields['file'] = forms.FileField()
+                    None, 'Preprint document not found. Please upload the pdf manually.')
+                self.fields['file'] = forms.FileField() # Add this field now it's needed
         elif not doc_id and cleaned_data.get('file'):
             cleaned_data['document'] = cleaned_data['file'].read()
         elif doc_id:
@@ -1944,12 +1945,12 @@ class iThenticateReportForm(forms.ModelForm):
             except AttributeError:
                 if not self.fields.get('file'):
                     # The document is invalid.
-                    self.add_error(None, ('A valid pdf could not be found at arXiv.'
+                    self.add_error(None, ('A valid pdf could not be found.'
                                           ' Please upload the pdf manually.'))
+                    self.fields['file'] = forms.FileField()
                 else:
                     self.add_error(None, ('The uploaded file is not valid.'
                                           ' Please upload a valid pdf.'))
-                self.fields['file'] = forms.FileField()
         elif hasattr(self, 'document_id'):
             self.response = self.call_ithenticate()
 
diff --git a/scipost_django/submissions/templates/submissions/_submission_refereeing_history.html b/scipost_django/submissions/templates/submissions/_submission_refereeing_history.html
index 53ca47102e863a606339785c34afcc8fdd81c06b..a5f9b4afebfd6ee9a5d32ac92f6890a6924b462b 100644
--- a/scipost_django/submissions/templates/submissions/_submission_refereeing_history.html
+++ b/scipost_django/submissions/templates/submissions/_submission_refereeing_history.html
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <small class="text-muted">Thread {{ submission.thread_hash }}
       <br/>(all emails concerning this stream contain this uuid)</small>
   {% endif %}
-  {% if perms.scipost.can_oversee_refereeing or request.user|is_in_submission_fellowship:submission   %}
+  {% if perms.scipost.can_oversee_refereeing or request.user|is_in_submission_fellowship:submission %}
     {% for sibling in submission.thread_full %}
       <div class="p-2{% if sibling.preprint.identifier_w_vn_nr in request.path %} border border-secondary{% endif %}">
 	{% include 'submissions/_submission_refereeing_history_entry.html' with sibling=sibling %}