diff --git a/R/ollama_url.R b/R/ollama_url.R
index 537fd9a..58abd2f 100644
--- a/R/ollama_url.R
+++ b/R/ollama_url.R
@@ -1,9 +1,27 @@
 ollama_api_url <- function() {
-    Sys.getenv("OLLAMA_HOST", "http://localhost:11434/api")
+    Sys.getenv("OLLAMA_HOST", "http://localhost:11434")
 }
 
 ollama_set_task <- function(task) {
     ollama_api_url() %>%
-        httr2::request() %>% 
+        httr2::request() %>%
+        httr2::req_url_path_append("api") %>% 
         httr2::req_url_path_append(task)
 }
+
+ollama_check_running <- function() {
+    request <- ollama_api_url() %>%
+        httr2::request() 
+    
+    rlang::try_fetch({
+        httr2::req_perform(request) %>% 
+            httr2::resp_body_string() 
+    }, error = function(cnd) {
+        if(inherits(cnd, "httr2_failure")) {
+            cli::cli_abort("Couldn't connect to Ollama in {.url {ollama_api_url()}}. Is it running there?", parent = cnd)
+        } else {
+            cnd
+        }
+    })
+    return(TRUE)
+}