diff --git a/llama_stack/providers/remote/inference/ollama/models.py b/llama_stack/providers/remote/inference/ollama/models.py
index d01c3a54d..e0bf269db 100644
--- a/llama_stack/providers/remote/inference/ollama/models.py
+++ b/llama_stack/providers/remote/inference/ollama/models.py
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@ model_entries = [
         CoreModelId.llama_guard_3_1b.value,
     ),
     ProviderModelEntry(
-        provider_model_id="all-minilm",
+        provider_model_id="all-minilm:latest",
+        aliases=["all-minilm"],
         model_type=ModelType.embedding,
         metadata={
             "embedding_dimensions": 384,
diff --git a/llama_stack/providers/remote/inference/ollama/ollama.py b/llama_stack/providers/remote/inference/ollama/ollama.py
index 2cba3c668..1dbcbc294 100644
--- a/llama_stack/providers/remote/inference/ollama/ollama.py
+++ b/llama_stack/providers/remote/inference/ollama/ollama.py
@@ -274,22 +274,17 @@ class OllamaInferenceAdapter(Inference, ModelsProtocolPrivate):
         return EmbeddingsResponse(embeddings=embeddings)
 
     async def register_model(self, model: Model) -> Model:
-        async def check_model_availability(model_id: str):
-            response = await self.client.ps()
-            available_models = [m["model"] for m in response["models"]]
-            if model_id not in available_models:
-                raise ValueError(
-                    f"Model '{model_id}' is not available in Ollama. Available models: {', '.join(available_models)}"
-                )
-
         if model.model_type == ModelType.embedding:
-            await check_model_availability(model.provider_resource_id)
-            return model
+            response = await self.client.list()
+        else:
+            response = await self.client.ps()
+        available_models = [m["model"] for m in response["models"]]
+        if model.provider_resource_id not in available_models:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"Model '{model.provider_resource_id}' is not available in Ollama. Available models: {', '.join(available_models)}"
+            )
 
-        model = await self.register_helper.register_model(model)
-        await check_model_availability(model.provider_resource_id)
-
-        return model
+        return await self.register_helper.register_model(model)
 
 
 async def convert_message_to_openai_dict_for_ollama(message: Message) -> List[dict]:
diff --git a/llama_stack/providers/utils/inference/model_registry.py b/llama_stack/providers/utils/inference/model_registry.py
index 2026f7f8a..0882019e3 100644
--- a/llama_stack/providers/utils/inference/model_registry.py
+++ b/llama_stack/providers/utils/inference/model_registry.py
@@ -56,14 +56,16 @@ class ModelRegistryHelper(ModelsProtocolPrivate):
     def __init__(self, model_entries: List[ProviderModelEntry]):
         self.alias_to_provider_id_map = {}
         self.provider_id_to_llama_model_map = {}
-        for alias_obj in model_entries:
-            for alias in alias_obj.aliases:
-                self.alias_to_provider_id_map[alias] = alias_obj.provider_model_id
+        for entry in model_entries:
+            for alias in entry.aliases:
+                self.alias_to_provider_id_map[alias] = entry.provider_model_id
+
             # also add a mapping from provider model id to itself for easy lookup
-            self.alias_to_provider_id_map[alias_obj.provider_model_id] = alias_obj.provider_model_id
-            # ensure we can go from llama model to provider model id
-            self.alias_to_provider_id_map[alias_obj.llama_model] = alias_obj.provider_model_id
-            self.provider_id_to_llama_model_map[alias_obj.provider_model_id] = alias_obj.llama_model
+            self.alias_to_provider_id_map[entry.provider_model_id] = entry.provider_model_id
+
+            if entry.llama_model:
+                self.alias_to_provider_id_map[entry.llama_model] = entry.provider_model_id
+                self.provider_id_to_llama_model_map[entry.provider_model_id] = entry.llama_model
 
     def get_provider_model_id(self, identifier: str) -> Optional[str]:
         return self.alias_to_provider_id_map.get(identifier, None)
diff --git a/llama_stack/templates/ollama/ollama.py b/llama_stack/templates/ollama/ollama.py
index 79825e990..31119e040 100644
--- a/llama_stack/templates/ollama/ollama.py
+++ b/llama_stack/templates/ollama/ollama.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ def get_distribution_template() -> DistributionTemplate:
     embedding_model = ModelInput(
         model_id="all-MiniLM-L6-v2",
         provider_id="ollama",
-        provider_model_id="all-minilm",
+        provider_model_id="all-minilm:latest",
         model_type=ModelType.embedding,
         metadata={
             "embedding_dimension": 384,
diff --git a/llama_stack/templates/ollama/run-with-safety.yaml b/llama_stack/templates/ollama/run-with-safety.yaml
index f5ae29cfc..7cf527c04 100644
--- a/llama_stack/templates/ollama/run-with-safety.yaml
+++ b/llama_stack/templates/ollama/run-with-safety.yaml
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ models:
     embedding_dimension: 384
   model_id: all-MiniLM-L6-v2
   provider_id: ollama
-  provider_model_id: all-minilm
+  provider_model_id: all-minilm:latest
   model_type: embedding
 shields:
 - shield_id: ${env.SAFETY_MODEL}
diff --git a/llama_stack/templates/ollama/run.yaml b/llama_stack/templates/ollama/run.yaml
index a6ba60ce7..ab292c5e0 100644
--- a/llama_stack/templates/ollama/run.yaml
+++ b/llama_stack/templates/ollama/run.yaml
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ models:
     embedding_dimension: 384
   model_id: all-MiniLM-L6-v2
   provider_id: ollama
-  provider_model_id: all-minilm
+  provider_model_id: all-minilm:latest
   model_type: embedding
 shields: []
 vector_dbs: []