diff --git a/src/app/page.tsx b/src/app/page.tsx
index 2ce8d00..cf74aa8 100644
--- a/src/app/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/page.tsx
@@ -455,19 +455,46 @@ export default function Home() {
   const fetchModelInfo = useCallback(async () => {
     try {
       const response = await fetch('/api/model/info');
-      if (!response.ok) {
-        setIsModelOnline(false);
-        throw new Error('Model info unavailable');
+      let data: any = null;
+      try {
+        data = await response.json();
+      } catch {
+        data = null;
       }
-      const data: ModelInfoResponse = await response.json();
+
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        const message = data?.error || data?.detail || 'Model info unavailable';
+
+        // Treat "no model" as online-but-unloaded so the selector still works.
+        if (response.status === 503 && /no model/i.test(message)) {
+          setIsModelOnline(true);
+          setPredictionState((prev) => ({
+            ...prev,
+            modelInfo: null,
+            selectedLabels: new Set(),
+            error: null,
+          }));
+          return null;
+        }
+
+        setIsModelOnline(false);
+        setPredictionState((prev) => ({
+          ...prev,
+          modelInfo: null,
+          error: message,
+        }));
+        return null;
+      }
+
+      const modelInfo: ModelInfoResponse = data;
       setIsModelOnline(true);
       setPredictionState((prev) => ({
         ...prev,
-        modelInfo: data,
-        selectedLabels: new Set(data.labels),
+        modelInfo,
+        selectedLabels: new Set(modelInfo.labels),
         error: null,
       }));
-      return data;
+      return modelInfo;
     } catch (error) {
       console.error('Failed to fetch model info:', error);
       setIsModelOnline(false);
diff --git a/src/components/PredictionPanel.tsx b/src/components/PredictionPanel.tsx
index 4af04ef..9dc33c3 100644
--- a/src/components/PredictionPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/PredictionPanel.tsx
@@ -116,6 +116,11 @@ export default function PredictionPanel({
                   )}
                 </div>
               )}
+              {!modelInfo && (
+                <p className="text-[10px] text-muted-foreground">
+                  No model loaded. Select a model to enable predictions.
+                </p>
+              )}
 
               {/* Action Buttons */}
               <div className="flex gap-1">