diff --git a/src/app/bitstream-page/bitstream-page-routes.spec.ts b/src/app/bitstream-page/bitstream-page-routes.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7e60ed785b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/bitstream-page/bitstream-page-routes.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import { BitstreamDownloadPageComponent } from './bitstream-download-page/bitstream-download-page.component';
+import { bitstreamPageResolver } from './bitstream-page.resolver';
+import { ROUTES } from './bitstream-page-routes';
+import { legacyBitstreamURLRedirectGuard } from './legacy-bitstream-url-redirect.guard';
+
+describe('bitstream page routes', () => {
+  it('should activate the Angular bitstream download page before redirecting to content', () => {
+    const downloadRoute = ROUTES.find((route) => route.path === ':id/download')!;
+
+    expect(downloadRoute).toBeDefined();
+    expect(downloadRoute.component).toBe(BitstreamDownloadPageComponent);
+    expect(downloadRoute.resolve?.bitstream).toBe(bitstreamPageResolver);
+    expect(downloadRoute.canActivate).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it('should keep redirect guards on legacy bitstream URL routes', () => {
+    const legacyRoutes = ROUTES.filter((route) => route.path !== ':id/download' && route.component === BitstreamDownloadPageComponent);
+
+    expect(legacyRoutes.length).toBe(2);
+    legacyRoutes.forEach((route) => {
+      expect(route.canActivate).toContain(legacyBitstreamURLRedirectGuard);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/app/bitstream-page/bitstream-page-routes.ts b/src/app/bitstream-page/bitstream-page-routes.ts
index da9d2f7c60c..21e770c508d 100644
--- a/src/app/bitstream-page/bitstream-page-routes.ts
+++ b/src/app/bitstream-page/bitstream-page-routes.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import { resourcePolicyResolver } from '../shared/resource-policies/resolvers/re
 import { resourcePolicyTargetResolver } from '../shared/resource-policies/resolvers/resource-policy-target.resolver';
 import { BitstreamAuthorizationsComponent } from './bitstream-authorizations/bitstream-authorizations.component';
 import { BitstreamDownloadPageComponent } from './bitstream-download-page/bitstream-download-page.component';
-import { bitstreamDownloadRedirectGuard } from './bitstream-download-redirect.guard';
 import { bitstreamPageResolver } from './bitstream-page.resolver';
 import { bitstreamPageAuthorizationsGuard } from './bitstream-page-authorizations.guard';
 import { ThemedEditBitstreamPageComponent } from './edit-bitstream-page/themed-edit-bitstream-page.component';
@@ -44,7 +43,6 @@ export const ROUTES: Route[] = [
     resolve: {
       bitstream: bitstreamPageResolver,
     },
-    canActivate: [bitstreamDownloadRedirectGuard],
   },
   {
     path: EDIT_BITSTREAM_PATH,