diff --git a/cmake/scripts/copy_tarballs.sh b/cmake/scripts/copy_tarballs.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..77486c2027
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/scripts/copy_tarballs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# GAMBIT: Global and Modular BSM Inference Tool
+#************************************************
+# \file
+#
+#  Script to copy downloaded tarballs to a central location.
+#
+#  This script automatically finds all downloaded_tarball_paths.txt
+#  files in the repository, copies each tarball to the
+#  downloaded_tarballs folder, and creates a single consolidated
+#  downloaded_tarball_paths_all.txt file for later restoration.
+#
+#  Usage: ./copy_tarballs.sh [search_directory]
+#
+#  If search_directory is not provided, searches from current directory.
+#
+#************************************************
+#
+#  Authors (add name and date if you modify):
+#
+#  \author Chris Chang + Claude Code
+#  \date 2025 Dec
+#
+#************************************************
+
+# Set colors for output
+RED='\033[0;31m'
+GREEN='\033[0;32m'
+YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
+BLUE='\033[0;34m'
+NC='\033[0m' # No Color
+
+# Store the directory from which the script was run
+BASE_DIR="$(pwd)"
+
+# Search directory (default to current directory)
+SEARCH_DIR="${1:-.}"
+
+# Output directory
+OUTPUT_DIR="downloaded_tarballs"
+
+# Consolidated paths file
+CONSOLIDATED_PATHS="${OUTPUT_DIR}/downloaded_tarball_paths_all.txt"
+
+# Check if search directory exists
+if [ ! -d "${SEARCH_DIR}" ]; then
+  echo -e "${RED}ERROR: Directory ${SEARCH_DIR} not found.${NC}"
+  echo "Usage: $0 [search_directory]"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Find all downloaded_tarball_paths.txt files
+echo -e "${BLUE}Searching for downloaded_tarball_paths.txt files in ${SEARCH_DIR}...${NC}"
+mapfile -t INPUT_FILES < <(find "${SEARCH_DIR}" -name "downloaded_tarball_paths.txt" -type f 2>/dev/null)
+
+# Check if any files were found
+if [ ${#INPUT_FILES[@]} -eq 0 ]; then
+  echo -e "${YELLOW}WARNING: No downloaded_tarball_paths.txt files found in ${SEARCH_DIR}${NC}"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+echo -e "${GREEN}Found ${#INPUT_FILES[@]} file(s)${NC}"
+echo ""
+
+# Create output directory if it doesn't exist
+if [ ! -d "${OUTPUT_DIR}" ]; then
+  echo -e "${GREEN}Creating directory: ${OUTPUT_DIR}${NC}"
+  mkdir -p "${OUTPUT_DIR}"
+  if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+    echo -e "${RED}ERROR: Failed to create directory ${OUTPUT_DIR}${NC}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+
+# Initialize the consolidated paths file (empty it if it exists)
+> "${CONSOLIDATED_PATHS}"
+
+# Initialize total counters
+total_copied=0
+total_skipped=0
+total_failed=0
+total_paths_written=0
+
+# Process each file
+for INPUT_FILE in "${INPUT_FILES[@]}"; do
+  echo -e "${BLUE}Processing: ${INPUT_FILE}${NC}"
+  echo "---------------------------------------------------"
+
+  # Check if input file is empty
+  if [ ! -s "${INPUT_FILE}" ]; then
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}  File is empty, skipping${NC}"
+    echo ""
+    continue
+  fi
+
+  # Initialize counters for this file
+  copied=0
+  skipped=0
+  failed=0
+
+  # Read file line by line
+  while IFS= read -r tarball_path || [ -n "${tarball_path}" ]; do
+    # Skip empty lines
+    [ -z "${tarball_path}" ] && continue
+
+    # Strip any trailing whitespace or carriage returns
+    tarball_path=$(echo "${tarball_path}" | tr -d '\r' | sed 's/[[:space:]]*$//')
+
+    # Check if file exists
+    if [ ! -f "${tarball_path}" ]; then
+      echo -e "${RED}  ✗ File not found: ${tarball_path}${NC}"
+      ((failed++))
+      continue
+    fi
+
+    # Get just the filename
+    filename=$(basename "${tarball_path}")
+
+    # Convert to relative path from the base directory
+    relative_path=$(realpath --relative-to="${BASE_DIR}" "${tarball_path}")
+
+    # Check if file already exists in destination
+    if [ -f "${OUTPUT_DIR}/${filename}" ]; then
+      echo -e "${YELLOW}  ⊙ Already exists: ${filename}${NC}"
+      ((skipped++))
+      # Still write to consolidated file since this path is valid
+      echo "${relative_path}" >> "${CONSOLIDATED_PATHS}"
+      ((total_paths_written++))
+      continue
+    fi
+
+    # Copy the file
+    cp "${tarball_path}" "${OUTPUT_DIR}/"
+    if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+      echo -e "${GREEN}  ✓ Copied: ${filename}${NC}"
+      ((copied++))
+      # Write the relative path to the consolidated file
+      echo "${relative_path}" >> "${CONSOLIDATED_PATHS}"
+      ((total_paths_written++))
+    else
+      echo -e "${RED}  ✗ Failed to copy: ${tarball_path}${NC}"
+      ((failed++))
+    fi
+
+  done < "${INPUT_FILE}"
+
+  # Update totals
+  ((total_copied += copied))
+  ((total_skipped += skipped))
+  ((total_failed += failed))
+
+  # Print file summary
+  echo "  File summary: Copied: ${copied}, Skipped: ${skipped}, Failed: ${failed}"
+  echo ""
+done
+
+# Print total summary
+echo "==================================================="
+echo -e "${GREEN}Total Summary:${NC}"
+echo "  Files processed:       ${#INPUT_FILES[@]}"
+echo "  Copied:                ${total_copied}"
+echo "  Skipped:               ${total_skipped}"
+echo "  Failed:                ${total_failed}"
+echo ""
+echo -e "${GREEN}Created consolidated paths file:${NC}"
+echo "  ${CONSOLIDATED_PATHS}"
+echo "  Paths recorded:        ${total_paths_written}"
+
+if [ ${total_failed} -gt 0 ]; then
+  exit 1
+else
+  exit 0
+fi
diff --git a/cmake/scripts/restore_tarballs.sh b/cmake/scripts/restore_tarballs.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..6014434d43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/scripts/restore_tarballs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# GAMBIT: Global and Modular BSM Inference Tool
+#************************************************
+# \file
+#
+#  Script to restore downloaded tarballs from a central location.
+#
+#  This script reads paths from the consolidated
+#  downloaded_tarballs/downloaded_tarball_paths_all.txt file and
+#  copies each tarball from the downloaded_tarballs folder
+#  back to its original location.
+#
+#  Usage: ./restore_tarballs.sh
+#
+#************************************************
+#
+#  Authors (add name and date if you modify):
+#
+#  \author Chris Chang + Claude Code
+#  \date 2025 Dec
+#
+#************************************************
+
+# Set colors for output
+RED='\033[0;31m'
+GREEN='\033[0;32m'
+YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
+BLUE='\033[0;34m'
+NC='\033[0m' # No Color
+
+# Source directory
+SOURCE_DIR="downloaded_tarballs"
+
+# Consolidated paths file
+PATHS_FILE="${SOURCE_DIR}/downloaded_tarball_paths_all.txt"
+
+# Check if source directory exists
+if [ ! -d "${SOURCE_DIR}" ]; then
+  echo -e "${RED}ERROR: Source directory ${SOURCE_DIR} not found.${NC}"
+  echo "Please ensure the downloaded_tarballs folder exists."
+  echo "Run copy_tarballs.sh first to create it."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Check if paths file exists
+if [ ! -f "${PATHS_FILE}" ]; then
+  echo -e "${RED}ERROR: Paths file ${PATHS_FILE} not found.${NC}"
+  echo "Please run copy_tarballs.sh first to create the consolidated paths file."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Check if paths file is empty
+if [ ! -s "${PATHS_FILE}" ]; then
+  echo -e "${YELLOW}WARNING: Paths file ${PATHS_FILE} is empty. No tarballs to restore.${NC}"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+echo -e "${BLUE}Restoring tarballs from ${SOURCE_DIR}/ to original locations${NC}"
+echo -e "${BLUE}Using paths file: ${PATHS_FILE}${NC}"
+echo "---------------------------------------------------"
+
+# Initialize counters
+copied=0
+skipped=0
+failed=0
+missing=0
+
+# Read file line by line
+while IFS= read -r tarball_path || [ -n "${tarball_path}" ]; do
+  # Skip empty lines
+  [ -z "${tarball_path}" ] && continue
+
+  # Strip any trailing whitespace or carriage returns
+  tarball_path=$(echo "${tarball_path}" | tr -d '\r' | sed 's/[[:space:]]*$//')
+
+  # Get just the filename
+  filename=$(basename "${tarball_path}")
+
+  # Get the directory path
+  dest_dir=$(dirname "${tarball_path}")
+
+  # Source file in the downloaded_tarballs folder
+  source_file="${SOURCE_DIR}/${filename}"
+
+  # Check if source file exists in downloaded_tarballs
+  if [ ! -f "${source_file}" ]; then
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}⊘ Not in backup: ${filename}${NC}"
+    ((missing++))
+    continue
+  fi
+
+  # Check if destination file already exists
+  if [ -f "${tarball_path}" ]; then
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}⊙ Already exists: ${tarball_path}${NC}"
+    ((skipped++))
+    continue
+  fi
+
+  # Create destination directory if it doesn't exist
+  if [ ! -d "${dest_dir}" ]; then
+    echo -e "${GREEN}  Creating directory: ${dest_dir}${NC}"
+    mkdir -p "${dest_dir}"
+    if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+      echo -e "${RED}✗ Failed to create directory: ${dest_dir}${NC}"
+      ((failed++))
+      continue
+    fi
+  fi
+
+  # Copy the file to its original location
+  cp "${source_file}" "${tarball_path}"
+  if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Restored: ${tarball_path}${NC}"
+    ((copied++))
+  else
+    echo -e "${RED}✗ Failed to restore: ${tarball_path}${NC}"
+    ((failed++))
+  fi
+
+done < "${PATHS_FILE}"
+
+# Print summary
+echo "---------------------------------------------------"
+echo -e "${GREEN}Summary:${NC}"
+echo "  Restored:      ${copied}"
+echo "  Skipped:       ${skipped}"
+echo "  Missing:       ${missing}"
+echo "  Failed:        ${failed}"
+
+if [ ${failed} -gt 0 ]; then
+  exit 1
+else
+  exit 0
+fi
diff --git a/cmake/scripts/safe_dl.sh b/cmake/scripts/safe_dl.sh
index 0d8c8aaeb0..41df867223 100755
--- a/cmake/scripts/safe_dl.sh
+++ b/cmake/scripts/safe_dl.sh
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@ if [ ! -f $1/${filename} ]; then
       exit 1
     fi
   fi
+  # Record the path of the downloaded tarball
+  $2 -E echo "$1/${filename}" >> downloaded_tarball_paths.txt
 fi
 # Check the MD5 sum
 if [ "$5" != "none" ]; then