diff --git a/tests/dashboard/test_round4_fixes.py b/tests/dashboard/test_round4_fixes.py
index 0de16364..f561d400 100644
--- a/tests/dashboard/test_round4_fixes.py
+++ b/tests/dashboard/test_round4_fixes.py
@@ -159,6 +159,8 @@ def test_create_timmy_uses_timeout_not_request_timeout():
         patch("timmy.agent.Ollama") as mock_ollama,
         patch("timmy.agent.SqliteDb"),
         patch("timmy.agent.Agent"),
+        patch("timmy.agent._resolve_model_with_fallback", return_value=("llama3.2:3b", False)),
+        patch("timmy.agent._check_model_available", return_value=True),
     ):
         mock_ollama.return_value = MagicMock()
 
diff --git a/tests/timmy/test_agent.py b/tests/timmy/test_agent.py
index 55b8fb1d..7a2e5d93 100644
--- a/tests/timmy/test_agent.py
+++ b/tests/timmy/test_agent.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ def test_create_timmy_custom_db_file():
         patch("timmy.agent.Agent"),
         patch("timmy.agent.Ollama"),
         patch("timmy.agent.SqliteDb") as MockDb,
+        patch("timmy.agent._resolve_model_with_fallback", return_value=("llama3.2:3b", False)),
+        patch("timmy.agent._check_model_available", return_value=True),
     ):
         from timmy.agent import create_timmy
 
@@ -20,6 +22,8 @@ def test_create_timmy_embeds_system_prompt():
         patch("timmy.agent.Agent") as MockAgent,
         patch("timmy.agent.Ollama"),
         patch("timmy.agent.SqliteDb"),
+        patch("timmy.agent._resolve_model_with_fallback", return_value=("llama3.2:3b", False)),
+        patch("timmy.agent._check_model_available", return_value=True),
     ):
         from timmy.agent import create_timmy
 
@@ -44,6 +48,8 @@ def test_create_timmy_passes_ollama_url_to_model():
         patch("timmy.agent.Agent"),
         patch("timmy.agent.Ollama") as MockOllama,
         patch("timmy.agent.SqliteDb"),
+        patch("timmy.agent._resolve_model_with_fallback", return_value=("llama3.2:3b", False)),
+        patch("timmy.agent._check_model_available", return_value=True),
     ):
         from timmy.agent import create_timmy
 
@@ -64,6 +70,8 @@ def test_create_timmy_respects_custom_ollama_url():
         patch("timmy.agent.Ollama") as MockOllama,
         patch("timmy.agent.SqliteDb"),
         patch("timmy.agent.settings") as mock_settings,
+        patch("timmy.agent._resolve_model_with_fallback", return_value=("llama3.2:3b", False)),
+        patch("timmy.agent._check_model_available", return_value=True),
     ):
         mock_settings.ollama_model = "llama3.2"
         mock_settings.ollama_url = custom_url
@@ -112,6 +120,8 @@ def test_create_timmy_explicit_ollama_ignores_autodetect():
         patch("timmy.agent.Agent") as MockAgent,
         patch("timmy.agent.Ollama"),
         patch("timmy.agent.SqliteDb"),
+        patch("timmy.agent._resolve_model_with_fallback", return_value=("llama3.2:3b", False)),
+        patch("timmy.agent._check_model_available", return_value=True),
     ):
         from timmy.agent import create_timmy
 
@@ -235,6 +245,8 @@ def test_create_timmy_includes_tools_for_large_model():
         patch("timmy.agent.SqliteDb"),
         patch("timmy.agent.create_full_toolkit", return_value=mock_toolkit),
         patch("timmy.agent.settings") as mock_settings,
+        patch("timmy.agent._resolve_model_with_fallback", return_value=("llama3.1", False)),
+        patch("timmy.agent._check_model_available", return_value=True),
     ):
         mock_settings.ollama_model = "llama3.1"
         mock_settings.ollama_url = "http://localhost:11434"
@@ -260,6 +272,8 @@ def test_create_timmy_no_unsupported_agent_kwargs():
         patch("timmy.agent.Agent") as MockAgent,
         patch("timmy.agent.Ollama"),
         patch("timmy.agent.SqliteDb"),
+        patch("timmy.agent._resolve_model_with_fallback", return_value=("llama3.2:3b", False)),
+        patch("timmy.agent._check_model_available", return_value=True),
     ):
         from timmy.agent import create_timmy
 
@@ -293,6 +307,8 @@ def test_create_timmy_no_extra_kwargs():
         patch("timmy.agent.Agent") as MockAgent,
         patch("timmy.agent.Ollama"),
         patch("timmy.agent.SqliteDb"),
+        patch("timmy.agent._resolve_model_with_fallback", return_value=("llama3.2:3b", False)),
+        patch("timmy.agent._check_model_available", return_value=True),
     ):
         from timmy.agent import create_timmy
 
@@ -317,6 +333,8 @@ def test_create_timmy_skip_mcp_omits_mcp_tools():
         patch("timmy.agent.SqliteDb"),
         patch("timmy.mcp_tools.create_gitea_mcp_tools") as mock_gitea_mcp,
         patch("timmy.mcp_tools.create_filesystem_mcp_tools") as mock_fs_mcp,
+        patch("timmy.agent._resolve_model_with_fallback", return_value=("llama3.2:3b", False)),
+        patch("timmy.agent._check_model_available", return_value=True),
     ):
         from timmy.agent import create_timmy
 
@@ -335,6 +353,8 @@ def test_create_timmy_default_includes_mcp_tools():
         patch("timmy.agent.SqliteDb"),
         patch("timmy.mcp_tools.create_gitea_mcp_tools", return_value=None) as mock_gitea_mcp,
         patch("timmy.mcp_tools.create_filesystem_mcp_tools", return_value=None) as mock_fs_mcp,
+        patch("timmy.agent._resolve_model_with_fallback", return_value=("llama3.1", False)),
+        patch("timmy.agent._check_model_available", return_value=True),
     ):
         from timmy.agent import create_timmy
 
diff --git a/tests/timmy/test_ollama_timeout.py b/tests/timmy/test_ollama_timeout.py
index a916343b..a17bdd44 100644
--- a/tests/timmy/test_ollama_timeout.py
+++ b/tests/timmy/test_ollama_timeout.py
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ def test_main_agent_sets_timeout():
         patch("timmy.agent.Ollama") as mock_ollama,
         patch("timmy.agent.SqliteDb"),
         patch("timmy.agent.Agent"),
+        patch("timmy.agent._resolve_model_with_fallback", return_value=("llama3.2:3b", False)),
+        patch("timmy.agent._check_model_available", return_value=True),
     ):
         mock_ollama.return_value = MagicMock()