diff --git a/music_assistant/server/helpers/audio.py b/music_assistant/server/helpers/audio.py
index 80310604..0a72bcfc 100644
--- a/music_assistant/server/helpers/audio.py
+++ b/music_assistant/server/helpers/audio.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ async def crossfade_pcm_parts(
         await outfile.write(fade_out_part)
     args = [
         # generic args
-        "ffmpeg",
+        "@ffmpeg@",
         "-hide_banner",
         "-loglevel",
         "quiet",
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ async def strip_silence(
     reverse: bool = False,
 ) -> bytes:
     """Strip silence from begin or end of pcm audio using ffmpeg."""
-    args = ["ffmpeg", "-hide_banner", "-loglevel", "quiet"]
+    args = ["@ffmpeg@", "-hide_banner", "-loglevel", "quiet"]
     args += [
         "-acodec",
         pcm_format.content_type.name.lower(),
@@ -812,7 +812,7 @@ async def get_file_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
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ async def get_silence(
         return
     # use ffmpeg for all other encodings
     args = [
-        "ffmpeg",
+        "@ffmpeg@",
         "-hide_banner",
         "-loglevel",
         "quiet",
diff --git a/music_assistant/server/helpers/ffmpeg.py b/music_assistant/server/helpers/ffmpeg.py
index 0aaa9dcf..88cd9cdb 100644
--- a/music_assistant/server/helpers/ffmpeg.py
+++ b/music_assistant/server/helpers/ffmpeg.py
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ 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 c60ea526..162c4ab7 100644
--- a/music_assistant/server/helpers/tags.py
+++ b/music_assistant/server/helpers/tags.py
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ async def parse_tags(input_file: str, file_size: int | None = None) -> AudioTags
     Input_file may be a (local) filename or URL accessible by ffmpeg.
     """
     args = (
-        "ffprobe",
+        "@ffprobe@",
         "-hide_banner",
         "-loglevel",
         "fatal",
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ async def get_embedded_image(input_file: str) -> bytes | None:
     Input_file may be a (local) filename or URL accessible by ffmpeg.
     """
     args = (
-        "ffmpeg",
+        "@ffmpeg@",
         "-hide_banner",
         "-loglevel",
         "error",