diff --git a/lib/folk-blender.ts b/lib/folk-blender.ts
index ed3b03f..b62927b 100644
--- a/lib/folk-blender.ts
+++ b/lib/folk-blender.ts
@@ -377,6 +377,8 @@ export class FolkBlender extends FolkShape {
 			if (!h.available && this.#generateBtn) {
 				this.#generateBtn.disabled = true;
 				this.#generateBtn.title = (h.issues || []).join(", ") || "Blender service unavailable";
+			} else if (h.warnings?.length && this.#generateBtn) {
+				this.#generateBtn.title = h.warnings.join(", ");
 			}
 		}).catch(() => {
 			if (this.#generateBtn) {
diff --git a/server/index.ts b/server/index.ts
index c618af0..fd3aba1 100644
--- a/server/index.ts
+++ b/server/index.ts
@@ -1569,7 +1569,7 @@ const RUNPOD_API_KEY = process.env.RUNPOD_API_KEY || "";
 
 app.get("/api/blender-gen/health", async (c) => {
 	const issues: string[] = [];
-	if (!RUNPOD_API_KEY) issues.push("RUNPOD_API_KEY not configured");
+	const warnings: string[] = [];
 	const OLLAMA_URL = process.env.OLLAMA_URL || "http://localhost:11434";
 	try {
 		const res = await fetch(`${OLLAMA_URL}/api/tags`, { signal: AbortSignal.timeout(3000) });
@@ -1577,12 +1577,11 @@ app.get("/api/blender-gen/health", async (c) => {
 	} catch {
 		issues.push("Ollama unreachable");
 	}
-	return c.json({ available: issues.length === 0, issues });
+	if (!RUNPOD_API_KEY) warnings.push("RunPod not configured — script-only mode");
+	return c.json({ available: issues.length === 0, issues, warnings });
 });
 
 app.post("/api/blender-gen", async (c) => {
-	if (!RUNPOD_API_KEY) return c.json({ error: "RUNPOD_API_KEY not configured" }, 503);
-
 	const { prompt } = await c.req.json();
 	if (!prompt) return c.json({ error: "prompt required" }, 400);
 
@@ -1595,7 +1594,7 @@ app.post("/api/blender-gen", async (c) => {
 			method: "POST",
 			headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
 			body: JSON.stringify({
-				model: process.env.OLLAMA_MODEL || "llama3.1",
+				model: process.env.OLLAMA_MODEL || "qwen2.5:14b",
 				prompt: `Generate a Blender Python script that creates: ${prompt}\n\nThe script should:\n- Import bpy\n- Clear the default scene\n- Create the described objects with materials\n- Set up basic lighting and camera\n- Render to /tmp/render.png at 1024x1024\n\nOnly output the Python code, no explanations.`,
 				stream: false,
 			}),
@@ -1605,18 +1604,22 @@ app.post("/api/blender-gen", async (c) => {
 			const llmData = await llmRes.json();
 			script = llmData.response || "";
 			// Extract code block if wrapped in markdown
-			const codeMatch = script.match(/```python\n([\s\S]*?)```/);
-			if (codeMatch) script = codeMatch[1];
+			const codeMatch = script.match(/```(?:python)?\n([\s\S]*?)```/);
+			if (codeMatch) script = codeMatch[1].trim();
 		}
 	} catch (e) {
 		console.error("[blender-gen] LLM error:", e);
 	}
 
 	if (!script) {
-		return c.json({ error: "Failed to generate Blender script" }, 502);
+		return c.json({ error: "Failed to generate Blender script — is Ollama running?" }, 502);
+	}
+
+	// Step 2: Execute on RunPod (headless Blender) — optional
+	if (!RUNPOD_API_KEY) {
+		return c.json({ script, render_url: null, blend_url: null });
 	}
 
-	// Step 2: Execute on RunPod (headless Blender)
 	try {
 		const runpodRes = await fetch("https://api.runpod.ai/v2/blender/runsync", {
 			method: "POST",
@@ -1633,7 +1636,6 @@ app.post("/api/blender-gen", async (c) => {
 		});
 
 		if (!runpodRes.ok) {
-			// Return just the script if RunPod fails
 			return c.json({ script, error_detail: "RunPod execution failed" });
 		}
 
@@ -1644,7 +1646,6 @@ app.post("/api/blender-gen", async (c) => {
 			blend_url: runpodData.output?.blend_url || null,
 		});
 	} catch (e) {
-		// Return the script even if RunPod is unavailable
 		return c.json({ script, error_detail: "RunPod unavailable" });
 	}
 });