diff --git a/music_assistant/server/helpers/audio.py b/music_assistant/server/helpers/audio.py
index 42011923..1e5dc112 100644
--- a/music_assistant/server/helpers/audio.py
+++ b/music_assistant/server/helpers/audio.py
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ async def crossfade_pcm_parts(
         await outfile.write(fade_out_part)
     args = [
         # generic args
-        "ffmpeg",
+        "@ffmpeg@",
         "-hide_banner",
         "-loglevel",
         "quiet",
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ async def strip_silence(
 ) -> bytes:
     """Strip silence from begin or end of pcm audio using ffmpeg."""
     fmt = ContentType.from_bit_depth(bit_depth)
-    args = ["ffmpeg", "-hide_banner", "-loglevel", "quiet"]
+    args = ["@ffmpeg@", "-hide_banner", "-loglevel", "quiet"]
     args += [
         "-acodec",
         fmt.name.lower(),
@@ -823,7 +823,7 @@ async def get_ffmpeg_stream(
 async def check_audio_support() -> tuple[bool, bool, str]:
     """Check if ffmpeg is present (with/without libsoxr support)."""
     # check for FFmpeg presence
-    returncode, output = await check_output("ffmpeg -version")
+    returncode, output = await check_output("@ffmpeg@ -version")
     ffmpeg_present = returncode == 0 and "FFmpeg" in output.decode()
 
     # use globals as in-memory cache
@@ -877,7 +877,7 @@ async def get_silence(
         return
     # use ffmpeg for all other encodings
     args = [
-        "ffmpeg",
+        "@ffmpeg@",
         "-hide_banner",
         "-loglevel",
         "quiet",
@@ -971,7 +971,7 @@ def get_ffmpeg_args(
 
     # generic args
     generic_args = [
-        "ffmpeg",
+        "@ffmpeg@",
         "-hide_banner",
         "-loglevel",
         loglevel,
diff --git a/music_assistant/server/helpers/tags.py b/music_assistant/server/helpers/tags.py
index dc38e4c0..f4f3e2fe 100644
--- a/music_assistant/server/helpers/tags.py
+++ b/music_assistant/server/helpers/tags.py
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ async def parse_tags(
     file_path = input_file if isinstance(input_file, str) else "-"
 
     args = (
-        "ffprobe",
+        "@ffprobe@",
         "-hide_banner",
         "-loglevel",
         "fatal",
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ async def get_embedded_image(input_file: str | AsyncGenerator[bytes, None]) -> b
     """
     file_path = input_file if isinstance(input_file, str) else "-"
     args = (
-        "ffmpeg",
+        "@ffmpeg@",
         "-hide_banner",
         "-loglevel",
         "error",