diff --git a/cmd/hauler/cli/store/load.go b/cmd/hauler/cli/store/load.go
index c93977a..98b8710 100644
--- a/cmd/hauler/cli/store/load.go
+++ b/cmd/hauler/cli/store/load.go
@@ -2,10 +2,15 @@ package store
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"io"
+	"net/url"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 
 	"hauler.dev/go/hauler/internal/flags"
 	"hauler.dev/go/hauler/pkg/archives"
+	"hauler.dev/go/hauler/pkg/artifacts/file/getter"
 	"hauler.dev/go/hauler/pkg/consts"
 	"hauler.dev/go/hauler/pkg/content"
 	"hauler.dev/go/hauler/pkg/log"
@@ -16,9 +21,23 @@ import (
 func LoadCmd(ctx context.Context, o *flags.LoadOpts, rso *flags.StoreRootOpts, ro *flags.CliRootOpts) error {
 	l := log.FromContext(ctx)
 
+	tempOverride := o.TempOverride
+
+	if tempOverride == "" {
+		tempOverride = os.Getenv(consts.HaulerTempDir)
+	}
+
+	tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp(tempOverride, consts.DefaultHaulerTempDirName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(tempDir)
+
+	l.Debugf("using temporary directory at [%s]", tempDir)
+
 	for _, fileName := range o.FileName {
-		l.Infof("loading haul [%s] to [%s]", o.FileName, o.StoreDir)
-		err := unarchiveLayoutTo(ctx, fileName, o.StoreDir, o.TempOverride)
+		l.Infof("loading haul [%s] to [%s]", fileName, o.StoreDir)
+		err := unarchiveLayoutTo(ctx, fileName, o.StoreDir, tempDir)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -27,27 +46,20 @@ func LoadCmd(ctx context.Context, o *flags.LoadOpts, rso *flags.StoreRootOpts, r
 	return nil
 }
 
-// unarchiveLayoutTo accepts an archived OCI layout, extracts the contents to an existing OCI layout, and preserves the index
-func unarchiveLayoutTo(ctx context.Context, haulPath string, dest string, tempOverride string) error {
+// accepts an archived OCI layout, extracts the contents to an existing OCI layout, and preserves the index
+func unarchiveLayoutTo(ctx context.Context, haulPath string, dest string, tempDir string) error {
 	l := log.FromContext(ctx)
 
-	var tempDir string
-
-	if tempOverride != "" {
-		tempDir = tempOverride
-	} else {
-
-		parent := os.Getenv(consts.HaulerTempDir)
+	// if archivePath detects a remote URL... download it
+	if strings.HasPrefix(haulPath, "http://") || strings.HasPrefix(haulPath, "https://") {
+		l.Debugf("detected remote archive... starting download... [%s]", haulPath)
 		var err error
-		tempDir, err = os.MkdirTemp(parent, consts.DefaultHaulerTempDirName)
+		haulPath, err = downloadRemote(ctx, haulPath, tempDir)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		defer os.RemoveAll(tempDir)
 	}
 
-	l.Debugf("using temporary directory [%s]", tempDir)
-
 	if err := archives.Unarchive(ctx, haulPath, tempDir); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -65,3 +77,35 @@ func unarchiveLayoutTo(ctx context.Context, haulPath string, dest string, tempOv
 	_, err = s.CopyAll(ctx, ts, nil)
 	return err
 }
+
+// downloadRemote downloads the remote file using the existing getter
+func downloadRemote(ctx context.Context, remoteURL, tempDirDest string) (string, error) {
+	parsedURL, err := url.Parse(remoteURL)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	h := getter.NewHttp()
+	rc, err := h.Open(ctx, parsedURL)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	defer rc.Close()
+
+	fileName := h.Name(parsedURL)
+	if fileName == "" {
+		fileName = filepath.Base(parsedURL.Path)
+	}
+
+	localPath := filepath.Join(tempDirDest, fileName)
+	out, err := os.Create(localPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	defer out.Close()
+
+	if _, err = io.Copy(out, rc); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	return localPath, nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/flags/load.go b/internal/flags/load.go
index 66037e7..bc97448 100644
--- a/internal/flags/load.go
+++ b/internal/flags/load.go
@@ -16,6 +16,6 @@ func (o *LoadOpts) AddFlags(cmd *cobra.Command) {
 
 	// On Unix systems, the default is $TMPDIR if non-empty, else /tmp
 	// On Windows, the default is GetTempPath, returning the first value from %TMP%, %TEMP%, %USERPROFILE%, or Windows directory
-	f.StringSliceVarP(&o.FileName, "filename", "f", []string{consts.DefaultHaulerArchiveName}, "Specify the name of haul(s) to sync")
+	f.StringSliceVarP(&o.FileName, "filename", "f", []string{consts.DefaultHaulerArchiveName}, "(Optional) Specify the name of inputted haul(s)")
 	f.StringVarP(&o.TempOverride, "tempdir", "t", "", "(Optional) Override the default temporary directiory determined by the OS")
 }