diff --git a/vllm/model_executor/model_loader/weight_utils.py b/vllm/model_executor/model_loader/weight_utils.py
index 610e6a620ade2..0c5961561a7d9 100644
--- a/vllm/model_executor/model_loader/weight_utils.py
+++ b/vllm/model_executor/model_loader/weight_utils.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import torch
 from huggingface_hub import HfFileSystem, hf_hub_download, snapshot_download
 from safetensors.torch import load, load_file, safe_open, save_file
 from tqdm.auto import tqdm
+from transformers.utils import SAFE_WEIGHTS_INDEX_NAME
 
 from vllm import envs
 from vllm.config import ModelConfig
@@ -448,12 +449,31 @@ def download_weights_from_hf(
             fs = HfFileSystem()
             file_list = fs.ls(model_name_or_path, detail=False, revision=revision)
 
-            # Use the first pattern found in the HF repo's files.
-            for pattern in allow_patterns:
-                matching = fnmatch.filter(file_list, pattern)
-                if len(matching) > 0:
-                    allow_patterns = [pattern]
-                break
+            # If downloading safetensors and an index file exists, use the
+            # specific file names from the index to avoid downloading
+            # unnecessary files (e.g., from subdirectories like "original/").
+            index_file = f"{model_name_or_path}/{SAFE_WEIGHTS_INDEX_NAME}"
+            if "*.safetensors" in allow_patterns and index_file in file_list:
+                index_path = hf_hub_download(
+                    repo_id=model_name_or_path,
+                    filename=SAFE_WEIGHTS_INDEX_NAME,
+                    cache_dir=cache_dir,
+                    revision=revision,
+                )
+                with open(index_path) as f:
+                    weight_map = json.load(f)["weight_map"]
+                if weight_map:
+                    # Extra [] so that weight_map files are treated as a
+                    # single allow_pattern in the loop below
+                    allow_patterns = [list(set(weight_map.values()))]  # type: ignore[list-item]
+                else:
+                    allow_patterns = ["*.safetensors"]
+            else:
+                # Use the first pattern found in the HF repo's files.
+                for pattern in allow_patterns:
+                    if fnmatch.filter(file_list, pattern):
+                        allow_patterns = [pattern]
+                        break
         except Exception as e:
             logger.warning(
                 "Failed to get file list for '%s'. Trying each pattern in "
@@ -480,6 +500,9 @@ def download_weights_from_hf(
             )
             # If we have downloaded weights for this allow_pattern,
             # we don't need to check the rest.
+            # allow_pattern can be a list (from weight_map) or str (glob)
+            if isinstance(allow_pattern, list):
+                break
             if any(Path(hf_folder).glob(allow_pattern)):
                 break
         time_taken = time.perf_counter() - start_time