diff --git a/src/lib/components/functional/ConversionPanel.svelte b/src/lib/components/functional/ConversionPanel.svelte
index 607034a..7cbce3b 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/functional/ConversionPanel.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/functional/ConversionPanel.svelte
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 				class="btn {$effects
 					? ''
 					: '!scale-100'} highlight flex gap-3 max-md:w-full md:max-w-[15.5rem]"
-				disabled={!files.ready}
+				disabled={!files.allReady}
 			>
 				<RefreshCw size="24" />
 				<p>{m["convert.panel.convert_all"]()}</p>
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 				class="btn {$effects
 					? ''
 					: '!scale-100'} flex gap-3 max-md:w-full md:max-w-[15.5rem]"
-				disabled={!files.ready || !files.results}
+				disabled={!files.allReady || !files.results}
 				onclick={() => files.downloadAll()}
 			>
 				<FolderArchiveIcon size="24" />
diff --git a/src/lib/converters/mediabunny.svelte.ts b/src/lib/converters/mediabunny.svelte.ts
index cf5a1a8..b6744a9 100644
--- a/src/lib/converters/mediabunny.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/lib/converters/mediabunny.svelte.ts
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ export class MediabunnyConverter extends Converter {
 		// currently the official ones -- maybe add our own in the future
 		this.initializeCodecs();
 
-		// don't know how to check if mediabunny is ready rn, maybe test smol conversion or run some other method? shrug
+		// TODO: don't know how to check if mediabunny is ready/actually supported rn, maybe test smol conversion or run some other method? shrug
 		if (typeof Conversion === "undefined") {
 			this.status = "not-ready";
 			this.error("Mediabunny failed to load");
diff --git a/src/lib/store/index.svelte.ts b/src/lib/store/index.svelte.ts
index b0b438e..5e1d0dd 100644
--- a/src/lib/store/index.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/lib/store/index.svelte.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { browser } from "$app/environment";
 import { byNative, converterCategories, converters } from "$lib/converters";
+import type { Converter } from "$lib/converters/converter.svelte";
 import { error, log } from "$lib/util/logger";
 import { VertFile } from "$lib/types";
 import { parseBlob, selectCover } from "music-metadata";
@@ -14,16 +15,62 @@ import { GB } from "$lib/util/consts";
 class Files {
 	public files = $state<VertFile[]>([]);
 
+	private getRequiredConverters(file: VertFile): Converter[] {
+		if (file.isZip()) return file.converters;
+
+		const compatibleConverters = file.findConverters([file.from, file.to]);
+		const selectedConverterName = file.conversionSettings.converter;
+
+		if (!selectedConverterName) return compatibleConverters;
+
+		const selectedConverter = compatibleConverters.find(
+			(converter) => converter.name === selectedConverterName,
+		);
+
+		return selectedConverter ? [selectedConverter] : compatibleConverters;
+	}
+
+	private isConverterReady(converter: Converter): boolean {
+		return (
+			converter.status === "ready" ||
+			converter.status === "partially-ready" // no idea where this could be used actually in a real converter
+		);
+	}
+
+	public isReady(file: VertFile): boolean {
+		const requiredConverters = this.getRequiredConverters(file);
+		if (requiredConverters.length === 0) return false;
+
+		return (
+			!file.processing &&
+			requiredConverters.some((converter) =>
+				this.isConverterReady(converter),
+			)
+		);
+	}
+
 	public requiredConverters = $derived(
-		Array.from(new Set(files.files.map((f) => f.converters).flat())),
+		Array.from(
+			new Set(
+				this.files.flatMap((file) =>
+					this.getRequiredConverters(file),
+				),
+			),
+		),
 	);
 
 	public ready = $derived(
 		this.files.length === 0
 			? false
-			: this.requiredConverters.every((f) => f?.status === "ready") &&
-					this.files.every((f) => !f.processing),
+			: this.files.some((file) => this.isReady(file)),
 	);
+
+	public allReady = $derived(
+		this.files.length === 0
+			? false
+			: this.files.every((file) => this.isReady(file)),
+	);
+
 	public results = $derived(
 		this.files.length === 0 ? false : this.files.every((f) => f.result),
 	);
@@ -289,7 +336,10 @@ class Files {
 			this._addThumbnail(vf);
 
 			const convName = converter.name;
-			if (file.size > MAX_ARRAY_BUFFER_SIZE && (converterCategories.video.includes(convName))) {
+			if (
+				file.size > MAX_ARRAY_BUFFER_SIZE &&
+				converterCategories.video.includes(convName)
+			) {
 				ToastManager.add({
 					type: "warning",
 					message: m["convert.large_file_warning"]({
@@ -363,9 +413,10 @@ class Files {
 			if (!result) continue;
 
 			let filename = filenames[i];
-			
+
 			// check if this filename appears more than once
-			const isDuplicate = filenames.filter((name) => name === filename).length > 1;
+			const isDuplicate =
+				filenames.filter((name) => name === filename).length > 1;
 			if (isDuplicate) {
 				const nameParts = filename.lastIndexOf(".");
 				const nameWithoutExt = filename.substring(0, nameParts);
diff --git a/src/lib/types/file.svelte.ts b/src/lib/types/file.svelte.ts
index eccbf5e..32f1815 100644
--- a/src/lib/types/file.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/lib/types/file.svelte.ts
@@ -139,6 +139,14 @@ export class VertFile {
 				.map((c) => c.name)
 				.join(", ")}`,
 		);
+
+		setInterval(() => {
+			log(["file", "effect"], `from: ${this.from}, to: ${this.to}`);
+			log(
+				["file", "effect"],
+				`converter status: ${this.converters.map((c) => `${c.name}: ${c.status}`).join(", ")}`,
+			);
+		}, 1000);
 	}
 
 	// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
@@ -159,14 +167,23 @@ export class VertFile {
 			]);
 			if (compatibleConverters.length) {
 				converter = compatibleConverters[0];
-				log(["file", "convert"], `found compatible converter: ${converter.name}`);
+				log(
+					["file", "convert"],
+					`found compatible converter: ${converter.name}`,
+				);
 			} else {
-				log(["file", "convert"], `no compatible converter found for ${this.from} to ${this.to}`);
+				log(
+					["file", "convert"],
+					`no compatible converter found for ${this.from} to ${this.to}`,
+				);
 				// TODO: handle zip converter fallback explicitly if needed
 				// TODO: provide a clearer error path for unsupported from/to pairs
 			}
 		} else {
-			log(["file", "convert"], `using custom converter from settings: ${converter.name}`);
+			log(
+				["file", "convert"],
+				`using custom converter from settings: ${converter.name}`,
+			);
 		}
 
 		if (!converter) throw new Error("No converter found");
diff --git a/src/routes/convert/+page.svelte b/src/routes/convert/+page.svelte
index d47f983..257fe04 100644
--- a/src/routes/convert/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/convert/+page.svelte
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@
 												: isDocument
 													? 'bg-accent-green'
 													: 'bg-accent-blue'}"
-										disabled={!files.ready}
+										disabled={!files.isReady(file)}
 										onclick={() => file.convert()}
 									>
 										<RotateCwIcon size="24" />