Index: media.inc
===================================================================
--- media.inc	(revision 556)
+++ media.inc	(working copy)
@@ -53,6 +52,12 @@
              ->condition('filename', basename($src))
              ->execute()
              ->fetchField();
+
+      // attempt to save the remote file locally
+      if (!$fid && ($file = system_retrieve_file($src, NULL, TRUE))) {
+        $fid = $file->fid;
+      }
+
       if ($fid) {
         $image_info = array(
           'type' => 'media',