diff --git a/frigate/genai/llama_cpp.py b/frigate/genai/llama_cpp.py
index fbb1b45df8..73b0b7282b 100644
--- a/frigate/genai/llama_cpp.py
+++ b/frigate/genai/llama_cpp.py
@@ -38,18 +38,103 @@ class LlamaCppClient(GenAIClient):
 
     provider: str | None  # base_url
     provider_options: dict[str, Any]
+    _context_size: int | None
+    _supports_vision: bool
+    _supports_audio: bool
+    _supports_tools: bool
 
     def _init_provider(self) -> str | None:
-        """Initialize the client."""
+        """Initialize the client and query model metadata from the server."""
         self.provider_options = {
             **self.genai_config.provider_options,
         }
-        return (
+        self._context_size = None
+        self._supports_vision = False
+        self._supports_audio = False
+        self._supports_tools = False
+
+        base_url = (
             self.genai_config.base_url.rstrip("/")
             if self.genai_config.base_url
             else None
         )
 
+        if base_url is None:
+            return None
+
+        # Query /v1/models to validate the configured model exists
+        try:
+            response = requests.get(
+                f"{base_url}/v1/models",
+                timeout=10,
+            )
+            response.raise_for_status()
+            models_data = response.json()
+
+            model_found = False
+            for model in models_data.get("data", []):
+                if model.get("id") == self.genai_config.model:
+                    model_found = True
+                    # Extract context size from model metadata if available
+                    meta = model.get("meta", {})
+                    if meta.get("n_ctx_train"):
+                        self._context_size = int(meta["n_ctx_train"])
+                    break
+
+            if not model_found:
+                available = [
+                    m.get("id", "unknown") for m in models_data.get("data", [])
+                ]
+                logger.error(
+                    "Model '%s' not found on llama.cpp server. Available models: %s",
+                    self.genai_config.model,
+                    available,
+                )
+                return None
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.warning(
+                "Failed to query llama.cpp /v1/models endpoint: %s. "
+                "Model validation skipped.",
+                e,
+            )
+
+        # Query /props for server properties (context size, modalities)
+        try:
+            response = requests.get(
+                f"{base_url}/props",
+                timeout=10,
+            )
+            response.raise_for_status()
+            props = response.json()
+
+            # Context size from server runtime config
+            default_settings = props.get("default_generation_settings", {})
+            if default_settings.get("n_ctx"):
+                self._context_size = int(default_settings["n_ctx"])
+
+            # Check supported modalities
+            modalities = props.get("modalities", {})
+            self._supports_vision = modalities.get("vision", False)
+            self._supports_audio = modalities.get("audio", False)
+            self._supports_tools = modalities.get("tools", False)
+
+            logger.info(
+                "llama.cpp model '%s' loaded — context: %s, vision: %s, audio: %s, tools: %s",
+                self.genai_config.model,
+                self._context_size or "unknown",
+                self._supports_vision,
+                self._supports_audio,
+                self._supports_tools,
+            )
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.warning(
+                "Failed to query llama.cpp /props endpoint: %s. "
+                "Using defaults for context size and modalities.",
+                e,
+            )
+
+        return base_url
+
     def _send(
         self,
         prompt: str,
@@ -117,9 +202,34 @@ class LlamaCppClient(GenAIClient):
             logger.warning("llama.cpp returned an error: %s", str(e))
             return None
 
+    @property
+    def supports_vision(self) -> bool:
+        """Whether the loaded model supports vision/image input."""
+        return self._supports_vision
+
+    @property
+    def supports_audio(self) -> bool:
+        """Whether the loaded model supports audio input."""
+        return self._supports_audio
+
+    @property
+    def supports_tools(self) -> bool:
+        """Whether the loaded model supports tool/function calling."""
+        return self._supports_tools
+
     def get_context_size(self) -> int:
-        """Get the context window size for llama.cpp."""
-        return int(self.provider_options.get("context_size", 4096))
+        """Get the context window size for llama.cpp.
+
+        Resolution order:
+        1. provider_options["context_size"] (user override)
+        2. Value queried from llama.cpp server at init
+        3. Default fallback of 4096
+        """
+        if "context_size" in self.provider_options:
+            return int(self.provider_options["context_size"])
+        if self._context_size is not None:
+            return self._context_size
+        return 4096
 
     def _build_payload(
         self,