diff --git a/lbry/extras/cli.py b/lbry/extras/cli.py
index e5de48616..4e2a8b527 100644
--- a/lbry/extras/cli.py
+++ b/lbry/extras/cli.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import sys
 import shutil
 import signal
 import pathlib
-import platform
 import json
 import asyncio
 import argparse
@@ -262,9 +261,6 @@ def setup_logging(logger: logging.Logger, args: argparse.Namespace, conf: Config
 
 
 def run_daemon(args: argparse.Namespace, conf: Config):
-    if sys.version_info < (3, 8) and platform.system() == "Windows":
-        # TODO: remove after we move to requiring Python 3.8
-        asyncio.set_event_loop(asyncio.ProactorEventLoop())
     loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
     if args.verbose is not None:
         loop.set_debug(True)
diff --git a/lbry/file_analysis.py b/lbry/file_analysis.py
index b5714af86..8b781ab80 100644
--- a/lbry/file_analysis.py
+++ b/lbry/file_analysis.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import platform
 import asyncio
 import json
 import logging
@@ -6,7 +7,7 @@ import pathlib
 import re
 import shlex
 import shutil
-
+from concurrent.futures.thread import ThreadPoolExecutor
 from lbry.conf import TranscodeConfig
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -20,12 +21,13 @@ class VideoFileAnalyzer:
         self._ffmpeg_installed = False
         self._which = None
         self._checked_ffmpeg = False
+        self._loop = None
 
     async def _execute(self, command, arguments):
         args = shlex.split(arguments)
         process = await asyncio.create_subprocess_exec(
             os.path.join(self._conf.ffmpeg_folder, command), *args,
-            stdout=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE, stderr=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE
+            stdout=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE, stderr=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE, loop=self._loop
         )
         stdout, stderr = await process.communicate()  # returns when the streams are closed
         return stdout.decode(errors='replace') + stderr.decode(errors='replace'), process.returncode
@@ -42,14 +44,43 @@ class VideoFileAnalyzer:
                                     f"and ensure that it is callable via PATH or conf.ffmpeg_folder")
         return version
 
-    async def _verify_ffmpeg_installed(self):
+    def _verify_ffmpeg_installed(self):
         if self._ffmpeg_installed:
             return
-        await self._verify_executable("ffprobe")
-        version = await self._verify_executable("ffmpeg")
-        self._which = shutil.which(os.path.join(self._conf.ffmpeg_folder, "ffmpeg"))
-        self._ffmpeg_installed = True
-        log.debug("Using %s at %s", version.splitlines()[0].split(" Copyright")[0], self._which)
+
+        async def _verify():
+            await self._verify_executable("ffprobe")
+            version = await self._verify_executable("ffmpeg")
+            self._which = shutil.which(os.path.join(self._conf.ffmpeg_folder, "ffmpeg"))
+            self._ffmpeg_installed = True
+            log.debug("Using %s at %s", version.splitlines()[0].split(" Copyright")[0], self._which)
+
+        def _inner():
+            if not self._loop:
+                if platform.system() == 'Windows':
+                    self._loop = asyncio.ProactorEventLoop()
+                else:
+                    self._loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
+                try:
+                    return self._loop.run_until_complete(
+                        asyncio.ensure_future(_verify(), loop=self._loop)
+                    )
+                finally:
+                    if self._loop:
+                        self._loop.stop()
+                        self._loop.close()
+                    self._loop = None
+
+        async def wrapper():
+            pool = ThreadPoolExecutor(1)
+            try:
+                return await asyncio.get_event_loop().run_in_executor(
+                    pool, _inner
+                )
+            finally:
+                pool.shutdown(wait=True)
+
+        return asyncio.ensure_future(wrapper())
 
     async def status(self, reset=False, recheck=False):
         if reset:
@@ -286,7 +317,7 @@ class VideoFileAnalyzer:
 
         return scan_data
 
-    async def verify_or_repair(self, validate, repair, file_path, ignore_non_video=False):
+    async def _verify_or_repair(self, validate, repair, file_path, ignore_non_video=False):
         if not validate and not repair:
             return file_path
 
@@ -363,3 +394,29 @@ class VideoFileAnalyzer:
             return file_path
 
         return str(output)
+
+    def _blocking_verify_or_repair(self, validate, repair, file_path, ignore_non_video=False):
+        if platform.system() == 'Windows':
+            self._loop = asyncio.ProactorEventLoop()
+        else:
+            self._loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
+        try:
+            return self._loop.run_until_complete(
+                asyncio.ensure_future(
+                    self._verify_or_repair(validate, repair, file_path, ignore_non_video), loop=self._loop
+                )
+            )
+        finally:
+            if self._loop:
+                self._loop.stop()
+                self._loop.close()
+            self._loop = None
+
+    async def verify_or_repair(self, validate, repair, file_path, ignore_non_video=False):
+        pool = ThreadPoolExecutor(1)
+        try:
+            return await asyncio.get_event_loop().run_in_executor(
+                pool, self._blocking_verify_or_repair, validate, repair, file_path, ignore_non_video
+            )
+        finally:
+            pool.shutdown(wait=True)