diff --git a/whisperx/asr.py b/whisperx/asr.py
index ac816ff9..fe3c7566 100644
--- a/whisperx/asr.py
+++ b/whisperx/asr.py
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ def load_model(whisper_arch,
                compute_type="float16",
                asr_options=None,
                language : Optional[str] = None,
-               vad_model=None,
+               vad_model_fp=None,
                vad_options=None,
                model : Optional[WhisperModel] = None,
                task="transcribe",
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ def load_model(whisper_arch,
         compute_type: str - The compute type to use for the model.
         options: dict - A dictionary of options to use for the model.
         language: str - The language of the model. (use English for now)
+        vad_model_fp: str - File path to the VAD model to use
         model: Optional[WhisperModel] - The WhisperModel instance to use.
         download_root: Optional[str] - The root directory to download the model to.
         threads: int - The number of cpu threads to use per worker, e.g. will be multiplied by num workers.
@@ -338,8 +339,8 @@ def load_model(whisper_arch,
     if vad_options is not None:
         default_vad_options.update(vad_options)
 
-    if vad_model is not None:
-        vad_model = vad_model
+    if vad_model_fp is not None:
+        vad_model = load_vad_model(torch.device(device), use_auth_token=None, **default_vad_options, model_fp=vad_model_fp)
     else:
         vad_model = load_vad_model(torch.device(device), use_auth_token=None, **default_vad_options)