diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/ffmpeg.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/ffmpeg.ts
index 8eeae35b..d1c878dc 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/src/ffmpeg.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/ffmpeg.ts
@@ -4,16 +4,18 @@ import { promisify } from 'node:util';
 
 const execPromise = promisify(exec);
 
-export const getFileDuration = async (filePath: string): Promise<number> => {
+export const getFileDuration = async (
+	filePath: string,
+): Promise<number | undefined> => {
 	const command = `ffprobe -i ${filePath} -show_entries format=duration -v quiet -of csv="p=0"`;
 	try {
 		const { stdout, stderr } = await execPromise(command);
 		if (stderr) {
-			logger.error(` ffprobe stderr: `, stderr);
+			logger.error(`ffprobe stderr: `, stderr);
 		}
 		return parseFloat(stdout);
 	} catch (error) {
 		logger.error(`Error during ffprobe file duration detection`, error);
-		throw error;
+		return undefined;
 	}
 };
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/sqs.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/sqs.ts
index 8548d8af..2e21c6fd 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/src/sqs.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/sqs.ts
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export const generateOutputSignedUrlAndSendMessage = async (
 	languageCode: InputLanguageCode,
 	translationRequested: boolean,
 	diarizationRequested: boolean,
-	duration: number,
+	duration?: number,
 ): Promise<SendResult> => {
 	const signedUrls = await generateOutputSignedUrls(
 		s3Key,
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ export const generateOutputSignedUrlAndSendMessage = async (
 	);
 
 	const engine =
-		config.app.useWhisperx && (duration > 600 || diarizationRequested)
+		config.app.useWhisperx &&
+		(!duration || duration > 600 || diarizationRequested)
 			? TranscriptionEngine.WHISPER_X
 			: TranscriptionEngine.WHISPER_CPP;