diff --git a/peachjam/admin.py b/peachjam/admin.py
index 9c244606f..fb43f2082 100644
--- a/peachjam/admin.py
+++ b/peachjam/admin.py
@@ -325,6 +325,7 @@ class DocumentAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
         "reextract_content",
         "reindex_for_search",
         "apply_labels",
+        "ensure_source_file_pdf",
     ]
 
     fieldsets = [
@@ -516,6 +517,15 @@ def apply_labels(self, request, queryset):
 
     apply_labels.short_description = "Apply labels"
 
+    def ensure_source_file_pdf(self, request, queryset):
+        count = queryset.count()
+        for doc in queryset:
+            if hasattr(doc, "source_file"):
+                doc.source_file.ensure_file_as_pdf()
+        self.message_user(request, f"Ensuring PDF for {count} documents.")
+
+    ensure_source_file_pdf.short_description = "Ensure PDF for source file"
+
     def has_delete_permission(self, request, obj=None):
         if obj:
             if (
diff --git a/peachjam/forms.py b/peachjam/forms.py
index 8bc0e496f..e4dfccc32 100644
--- a/peachjam/forms.py
+++ b/peachjam/forms.py
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ class SourceFileForm(AttachmentFormMixin, forms.ModelForm):
     class Meta:
         model = SourceFile
         fields = "__all__"
+        exclude = ("file_as_pdf",)
 
     def _save_m2m(self):
         super()._save_m2m()
@@ -181,6 +182,10 @@ def _save_m2m(self):
             if self.instance.document.extract_content_from_source_file():
                 self.instance.document.save()
 
+                # if the file is changed, we need delete the existing pdf and re-generate
+                self.instance.file_as_pdf.delete()
+                self.instance.ensure_file_as_pdf()
+
 
 class AttachedFilesForm(AttachmentFormMixin, forms.ModelForm):
     class Meta:
diff --git a/peachjam/migrations/0096_sourcefile_file_as_pdf.py b/peachjam/migrations/0096_sourcefile_file_as_pdf.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e77ecd1aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/peachjam/migrations/0096_sourcefile_file_as_pdf.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.19 on 2023-08-15 04:20
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+import peachjam.models.core_document_model
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("peachjam", "0095_api_perms"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name="sourcefile",
+            name="file_as_pdf",
+            field=models.FileField(
+                blank=True,
+                max_length=1024,
+                null=True,
+                upload_to=peachjam.models.core_document_model.file_location,
+                verbose_name="file as pdf",
+            ),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/peachjam/models/core_document_model.py b/peachjam/models/core_document_model.py
index 77530aefe..9de47c7b9 100644
--- a/peachjam/models/core_document_model.py
+++ b/peachjam/models/core_document_model.py
@@ -756,6 +756,14 @@ class SourceFile(AttachmentAbstractModel):
         _("source URL"), max_length=2048, null=True, blank=True
     )
 
+    file_as_pdf = models.FileField(
+        _("file as pdf"),
+        upload_to=file_location,
+        max_length=1024,
+        null=True,
+        blank=True,
+    )
+
     class Meta:
         verbose_name = _("source file")
         verbose_name_plural = _("source files")
@@ -763,10 +771,23 @@ class Meta:
     def as_pdf(self):
         if self.filename.endswith(".pdf"):
             return self.file
+        elif self.file_as_pdf:
+            return self.file_as_pdf
+        else:
+            return None
+
+    def convert_to_pdf(self):
+        if self.mimetype != "application/pdf" and not self.file_as_pdf:
+            suffix = os.path.splitext(self.filename)[1].replace(".", "")
+            pdf = soffice_convert(self.file, suffix, "pdf")[0]
+            self.file_as_pdf = File(pdf, name=f"{self.file.name[:-5]}.pdf")
+            self.save()
+
+    def ensure_file_as_pdf(self):
+        from peachjam.tasks import convert_source_file_to_pdf
 
-        # convert with soffice
-        suffix = os.path.splitext(self.filename)[1].replace(".", "")
-        return soffice_convert(self.file, suffix, "pdf")[0]
+        if self.mimetype != "application/pdf" and not self.file_as_pdf:
+            convert_source_file_to_pdf(self.id)
 
     def filename_extension(self):
         return os.path.splitext(self.filename)[1][1:]
diff --git a/peachjam/signals.py b/peachjam/signals.py
index 49e9e6239..79472dc9b 100644
--- a/peachjam/signals.py
+++ b/peachjam/signals.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 from django.db.models import signals
 from django.dispatch import receiver
 
-from peachjam.models import CoreDocument, Work
+from peachjam.models import CoreDocument, SourceFile, Work
 from peachjam.tasks import update_extracted_citations_for_a_work
 
 
@@ -75,3 +75,10 @@ def doc_deleted_update_extracted_citations(sender, instance, **kwargs):
     """Update language list on related work after a subclass of CoreDocument is deleted."""
     if isinstance(instance, CoreDocument):
         update_extracted_citations_for_a_work(instance.work_id)
+
+
+@receiver(signals.post_save, sender=SourceFile)
+def convert_to_pdf(sender, instance, created, **kwargs):
+    """Convert a source file to PDF when it's saved"""
+    if created:
+        instance.ensure_file_as_pdf()
diff --git a/peachjam/tasks.py b/peachjam/tasks.py
index d2e1570dc..8ead2342c 100644
--- a/peachjam/tasks.py
+++ b/peachjam/tasks.py
@@ -158,3 +158,24 @@ def update_extracted_citations_for_a_work(work_id):
 def re_extract_citations():
     cp = citations_processor()
     cp.re_extract_citations()
+
+
+@background(queue="peachjam", remove_existing_tasks=True)
+def convert_source_file_to_pdf(source_file_id):
+    from peachjam.models import SourceFile
+
+    source_file = SourceFile.objects.filter(pk=source_file_id).first()
+    if not source_file:
+        log.info(f"No source file with id {source_file_id} exists, ignoring.")
+        return
+
+    log.info(f"Converting source file {source_file_id} to PDF")
+
+    try:
+        source_file.convert_to_pdf()
+
+    except Exception as e:
+        log.error(f"Error converting source file {source_file_id} to PDF", exc_info=e)
+        raise e
+
+    log.info("Conversion to PDF done")