diff --git a/pyspedas/projects/themis/config.py b/pyspedas/projects/themis/config.py
index abb00763..a881fa3c 100644
--- a/pyspedas/projects/themis/config.py
+++ b/pyspedas/projects/themis/config.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import os
 
 CONFIG = {'local_data_dir': 'themis_data/',
-          'remote_data_dir': 'http://themis.ssl.berkeley.edu/data/themis/'}
+          'remote_data_dir': 'https://themis.ssl.berkeley.edu/data/themis/'}
 
 # override local data directory with environment variables
 if os.environ.get('SPEDAS_DATA_DIR'):
diff --git a/pyspedas/utilities/download.py b/pyspedas/utilities/download.py
index 5c848094..164fd7cd 100644
--- a/pyspedas/utilities/download.py
+++ b/pyspedas/utilities/download.py
@@ -225,7 +225,8 @@ def download_file(
         return None
 
     if needs_to_download_file:
-        ftmp = NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False)
+        froot, fsuffix = os.path.splitext(filename)
+        ftmp = NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False, suffix=fsuffix)
 
         with open(ftmp.name, "wb") as f:
             if text_only:
@@ -241,13 +242,18 @@ def download_file(
             os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(filename))
 
         # if the download was successful, copy to data directory
-        copy(ftmp.name, filename)
+        if check_downloaded_file(ftmp.name):
+            copy(ftmp.name, filename)
+            logging.info("Download complete: " + filename)
+        else:
+            logging.error("Download of '" + filename + "' failed. The temp file will be removed.")
+            logging.error("If the same file has been already downloaded previously, it might be possible to use that instead.")
 
+        # cleanup
         fsrc.close()
         ftmp.close()
         os.unlink(ftmp.name)  # delete the temporary file
-
-        logging.info("Download complete: " + filename)
+            
 
     # At this point, we check if the file can be opened.
     # If it cannot be opened, we delete the file and try again.