diff --git a/src/apps/chat/components/composer/llmattachments/LLMAttachmentMenu.tsx b/src/apps/chat/components/composer/llmattachments/LLMAttachmentMenu.tsx
index 89e590804..a5f489508 100644
--- a/src/apps/chat/components/composer/llmattachments/LLMAttachmentMenu.tsx
+++ b/src/apps/chat/components/composer/llmattachments/LLMAttachmentMenu.tsx
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ export function LLMAttachmentMenu(props: {
                 <Link onClick={(event) => {
                   event.preventDefault();
                   event.stopPropagation();
-                  showImageDataURLInNewTab(draftInput?.urlImage?.imgDataUrl || '');
+                  void showImageDataURLInNewTab(draftInput?.urlImage?.imgDataUrl || '');
                 }}>
                   open <LaunchIcon sx={{ mx: 0.5, fontSize: 16 }} />
                 </Link>
diff --git a/src/common/attachment-drafts/attachment.pipeline.ts b/src/common/attachment-drafts/attachment.pipeline.ts
index a41935ed7..02d99480a 100644
--- a/src/common/attachment-drafts/attachment.pipeline.ts
+++ b/src/common/attachment-drafts/attachment.pipeline.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { youTubeGetVideoData } from '~/modules/youtube/useYouTubeTranscript';
 
 import { Is } from '~/common/util/pwaUtils';
 import { agiCustomId, agiUuid } from '~/common/util/idUtils';
-import { base64ToArrayBuffer } from '~/common/util/urlUtils';
+import { convert_Base64_To_UInt8Array } from '~/common/util/blobUtils';
 import { htmlTableToMarkdown } from '~/common/util/htmlTableToMarkdown';
 import { humanReadableHyphenated } from '~/common/util/textUtils';
 import { pdfToImageDataURLs, pdfToText } from '~/common/util/pdfUtils';
@@ -125,16 +125,20 @@ export async function attachmentLoadInputAsync(source: Readonly<AttachmentDraftS
           else
             edit({ inputError: 'No content found at this link' });
         } else if (file) {
-          const data = base64ToArrayBuffer(file.data);
-          edit({
-            label: file.fileName || source.refUrl,
-            // ref: source.refUrl,
-            input: {
-              mimeType: file.mimeType,
-              data: data,
-              dataSize: data.byteLength,
-            },
-          });
+          try {
+            const dataArray = convert_Base64_To_UInt8Array(file.data, 'attachment-draft-load-input')
+            edit({
+              label: file.fileName || source.refUrl,
+              // ref: source.refUrl,
+              input: {
+                mimeType: file.mimeType,
+                data: dataArray.buffer,
+                dataSize: dataArray.byteLength,
+              },
+            });
+          } catch (error: any) {
+            edit({ inputError: `Issue downloading web file: ${error?.message || (typeof error === 'string' ? error : JSON.stringify(error))}` });
+          }
         } else
           edit({ inputError: 'No content or file found at this link' });
       } catch (error: any) {
diff --git a/src/common/util/imageUtils.ts b/src/common/util/imageUtils.ts
index 044862751..0d4ccbe8b 100644
--- a/src/common/util/imageUtils.ts
+++ b/src/common/util/imageUtils.ts
@@ -6,15 +6,22 @@
  */
 
 import { canvasToDataURLAndMimeType } from './canvasUtils';
-import { createBlobURLFromDataURL } from './urlUtils';
+import { convert_Base64DataURL_To_Base64WithMimeType, convert_Base64WithMimeType_To_Blob, } from '~/common/util/blobUtils';
 
 
 /**
  * Opens an image Data URL in a new tab
  */
-export function showImageDataURLInNewTab(imageDataURL: string) {
-  const blobURL = createBlobURLFromDataURL(imageDataURL);
-  return blobURL ? showBlobURLInNewTab(blobURL) : false;
+export async function showImageDataURLInNewTab(imageDataURL: string) {
+  try {
+    const { base64Data, mimeType } = convert_Base64DataURL_To_Base64WithMimeType(imageDataURL, 'showImageDataURLInNewTab');
+    const imageBlob = await convert_Base64WithMimeType_To_Blob(base64Data, mimeType, 'showImageDataURLInNewTab')
+    // NOTE: we don't really know when to release this, as the user may still be viewing the image in the new tab
+    return URL.createObjectURL(imageBlob);
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.warn('showImageDataURLInNewTab: Failed to convert image Data URL to Blob URL.', error);
+    return false;
+  }
 }
 
 export function showBlobURLInNewTab(blobURL: string) {
diff --git a/src/common/util/urlUtils.ts b/src/common/util/urlUtils.ts
index 3e4686a33..19ce742e6 100644
--- a/src/common/util/urlUtils.ts
+++ b/src/common/util/urlUtils.ts
@@ -161,40 +161,3 @@ export function extractUrlsFromText(text: string): string[] {
 //     }
 //   }
 // }
-
-
-/**
- * Creates a Blob Object URL (that can be opened in a new tab with window.open, for instance)
- */
-export function createBlobURLFromData(base64Data: string, mimeType: string) {
-  const byteArray = base64ToUint8Array(base64Data);
-  const blob = new Blob([byteArray], { type: mimeType });
-  return URL.createObjectURL(blob);
-}
-
-export function base64ToUint8Array(base64Data: string) {
-  const binaryString = atob(base64Data);
-  return Uint8Array.from(binaryString, char => char.charCodeAt(0));
-}
-
-export function base64ToArrayBuffer(base64Data: string) {
-  return base64ToUint8Array(base64Data).buffer;
-}
-
-
-/**
- * Creates a Blob Object URL (that can be opened in a new tab with window.open, for instance) from a Data URL
- */
-export function createBlobURLFromDataURL(dataURL: string) {
-  if (!dataURL.startsWith('data:')) {
-    console.error('createBlobURLFromDataURL: Invalid data URL', dataURL);
-    return null;
-  }
-  const mimeType = dataURL.slice(5, dataURL.indexOf(';'));
-  const base64Data = dataURL.slice(dataURL.indexOf(',') + 1);
-  if (!mimeType || !base64Data) {
-    console.error('createBlobURLFromDataURL: Invalid data URL', dataURL);
-    return null;
-  }
-  return createBlobURLFromData(base64Data, mimeType);
-}
diff --git a/src/modules/aix/client/ContentReassembler.ts b/src/modules/aix/client/ContentReassembler.ts
index afdf1f638..781121750 100644
--- a/src/modules/aix/client/ContentReassembler.ts
+++ b/src/modules/aix/client/ContentReassembler.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { addDBImageAsset } from '~/modules/dblobs/dblobs.images';
 import type { MaybePromise } from '~/common/types/useful.types';
 import { DEFAULT_ADRAFT_IMAGE_MIMETYPE } from '~/common/attachment-drafts/attachment.pipeline';
 import { convertBase64Image, getImageDimensions } from '~/common/util/imageUtils';
+import { convert_Base64_To_UInt8Array } from '~/common/util/blobUtils';
 import { create_CodeExecutionInvocation_ContentFragment, create_CodeExecutionResponse_ContentFragment, create_FunctionCallInvocation_ContentFragment, createAnnotationsVoidFragment, createDMessageDataRefDBlob, createDVoidWebCitation, createErrorContentFragment, createImageContentFragment, createModelAuxVoidFragment, createTextContentFragment, DVoidModelAuxPart, isContentFragment, isModelAuxPart, isTextContentFragment, isVoidAnnotationsFragment, isVoidFragment } from '~/common/stores/chat/chat.fragments';
 import { ellipsizeMiddle } from '~/common/util/textUtils';
 import { metricsFinishChatGenerateLg, metricsPendChatGenerateLg } from '~/common/stores/metrics/metrics.chatgenerate';
@@ -14,7 +15,6 @@ import type { AixClientDebugger, AixFrameId } from './debugger/memstore-aix-clie
 import { aixClientDebugger_completeFrame, aixClientDebugger_init, aixClientDebugger_recordParticleReceived, aixClientDebugger_setProfilerMeasurements, aixClientDebugger_setRequest } from './debugger/reassembler-debug';
 
 import { AixChatGenerateContent_LL, DEBUG_PARTICLES } from './aix.client';
-import { base64ToUint8Array } from '~/common/util/urlUtils';
 
 
 // configuration
@@ -400,8 +400,8 @@ export class ContentReassembler {
 
     try {
 
-      // create blob and play audio
-      const bytes = base64ToUint8Array(base64Data); // convert base64 to blob
+      // create blob and play audio - this will throw on malformed data
+      const bytes = convert_Base64_To_UInt8Array(base64Data, 'ContentReassembler.onAppendInlineAudio');
       const audioBlob = new Blob([bytes], { type: mimeType });
       const audioUrl = URL.createObjectURL(audioBlob);
 
diff --git a/src/modules/dblobs/dblobs.images.ts b/src/modules/dblobs/dblobs.images.ts
index 61cd898ff..b16294a07 100644
--- a/src/modules/dblobs/dblobs.images.ts
+++ b/src/modules/dblobs/dblobs.images.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { Is } from '~/common/util/pwaUtils';
-import { createBlobURLFromData } from '~/common/util/urlUtils';
+import { convert_Base64WithMimeType_To_Blob } from '~/common/util/blobUtils';
 import { resizeBase64ImageIfNeeded } from '~/common/util/imageUtils';
 
 import { _addDBAsset, gcDBAssetsByScope, getDBAsset } from './dblobs.db';
@@ -67,9 +67,14 @@ export async function getImageAsset(id: DBlobAssetId) {
 
 export async function getImageAssetAsBlobURL(id: DBlobAssetId) {
   const imageAsset = await getImageAsset(id);
-  if (imageAsset)
-    return createBlobURLFromData(imageAsset.data.base64, imageAsset.data.mimeType);
-  return null;
+  if (!imageAsset) return null;
+  try {
+    const imageBlob = await convert_Base64WithMimeType_To_Blob(imageAsset.data.base64, imageAsset.data.mimeType, 'getImageAssetAsBlobURL');
+    return URL.createObjectURL(imageBlob);
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.warn('[DEV] getImageAssetAsBlobURL: Failed to convert image data to Blob.', error);
+    return null;
+  }
 }
 
 // export async function getImageAssetAsDataURL(id: DBlobAssetId) {
diff --git a/src/modules/elevenlabs/elevenlabs.client.ts b/src/modules/elevenlabs/elevenlabs.client.ts
index 247270212..bcd10b473 100644
--- a/src/modules/elevenlabs/elevenlabs.client.ts
+++ b/src/modules/elevenlabs/elevenlabs.client.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { AudioLivePlayer } from '~/common/util/audio/AudioLivePlayer';
 import { AudioPlayer } from '~/common/util/audio/AudioPlayer';
 import { CapabilityElevenLabsSpeechSynthesis } from '~/common/components/useCapabilities';
 import { apiStream } from '~/common/util/trpc.client';
-import { base64ToArrayBuffer } from '~/common/util/urlUtils';
+import { convert_Base64_To_UInt8Array } from '~/common/util/blobUtils';
 import { useUIPreferencesStore } from '~/common/stores/store-ui';
 
 import { getElevenLabsData, useElevenLabsData } from './store-module-elevenlabs';
@@ -57,13 +57,15 @@ export async function elevenLabsSpeakText(text: string, voiceId: string | undefi
         if (!liveAudioPlayer)
           liveAudioPlayer = new AudioLivePlayer();
 
-        const chunkBuffer = base64ToArrayBuffer(piece.audioChunk.base64);
-        liveAudioPlayer.enqueueChunk(chunkBuffer);
+        // enqueue a decoded audio chunk - this will throw on malformed base64 data
+        const chunkArray = convert_Base64_To_UInt8Array(piece.audioChunk.base64, 'elevenLabsSpeakText (chunk)')
+        liveAudioPlayer.enqueueChunk(chunkArray.buffer);
 
       } else if (piece.audio) {
 
-        // also consieder mergin LiveAudioPlayer into AudioPlayer
-        void AudioPlayer.playBuffer(base64ToArrayBuffer(piece.audio.base64)); // fire/forget - it's a single piece of audio (could be long tho)
+        // also consider merging LiveAudioPlayer into AudioPlayer - note this will throw on malformed base64 data
+        const audioArray = convert_Base64_To_UInt8Array(piece.audio.base64, 'elevenLabsSpeakText');
+        void AudioPlayer.playBuffer(audioArray.buffer); // fire/forget - it's a single piece of audio (could be long tho)
 
       } else if (piece.errorMessage)
         console.log('ElevenLabs issue:', piece.errorMessage);