lfnovo/open-notebook · warning · HTTPException

Answer model {ask_request.answer_model} not found

Error message

Answer model {ask_request.answer_model} not found

What it means

400 from /api/search/ask when the answer model ID does not exist in the database. The answer model generates intermediate answers in the multi-step ask pipeline.

Source

Thrown at api/routers/search.py:138

        yield f"data: {json.dumps(error_data)}\n\n"


@router.post("/search/ask")
async def ask_knowledge_base(ask_request: AskRequest):
    """Ask the knowledge base a question using AI models."""
    try:
        # Validate models exist
        strategy_model = await Model.get(ask_request.strategy_model)
        answer_model = await Model.get(ask_request.answer_model)
        final_answer_model = await Model.get(ask_request.final_answer_model)

        if not strategy_model:
            raise HTTPException(
                status_code=400,
                detail=f"Strategy model {ask_request.strategy_model} not found",
            )
        if not answer_model:
            raise HTTPException(
                status_code=400,
                detail=f"Answer model {ask_request.answer_model} not found",
            )
        if not final_answer_model:
            raise HTTPException(
                status_code=400,
                detail=f"Final answer model {ask_request.final_answer_model} not found",
            )

        # Check if embedding model is available
        if not await model_manager.get_embedding_model():
            raise HTTPException(
                status_code=400,
                detail="Ask feature requires an embedding model. Please configure one in the Models section.",
            )

        # For streaming response
        return StreamingResponse(

View on GitHub (pinned to a7de90d38a)

Solutions

  1. List models via GET /api/models and pick a valid answer_model ID
  2. Reset default model selections in settings
Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

const valid = models.some(m => m.id === req.answer_model);
if (!valid) req.answer_model = getDefault('answer');

Type guard

const isKnownModelId = (id: string, models: Model[]) => models.some(m => m.id === id);

Try / catch

catch (e) { if (e.status === 400 && e.detail.includes('Answer model')) refreshModelSelection(); }

Prevention

When it happens

Trigger: POST /api/search/ask with an answer_model ID absent from the models table.

Common situations: Same as other model lookups: deleted model, stale client state, mismatched environment.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of lfnovo/open-notebook@a7de90d38a (2026-08-27). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2bcc333c4aaf6b4e. Report an issue: GitHub.