diff --git a/cmd/cmd.go b/cmd/cmd.go
index 68197f72..89b551f4 100644
--- a/cmd/cmd.go
+++ b/cmd/cmd.go
@@ -287,38 +287,12 @@ func createBlob(cmd *cobra.Command, client *api.Client, path string) (string, er
 }
 
 func RunHandler(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-	client, err := api.ClientFromEnvironment()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	name := args[0]
-
-	// check if the model exists on the server
-	show, err := client.Show(cmd.Context(), &api.ShowRequest{Name: name})
-	var statusError api.StatusError
-	switch {
-	case errors.As(err, &statusError) && statusError.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound:
-		if err := PullHandler(cmd, []string{name}); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		show, err = client.Show(cmd.Context(), &api.ShowRequest{Name: name})
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	case err != nil:
-		return err
-	}
-
 	interactive := true
 
 	opts := runOptions{
-		Model:       args[0],
-		WordWrap:    os.Getenv("TERM") == "xterm-256color",
-		Options:     map[string]interface{}{},
-		MultiModal:  slices.Contains(show.Details.Families, "clip"),
-		ParentModel: show.Details.ParentModel,
+		Model:    args[0],
+		WordWrap: os.Getenv("TERM") == "xterm-256color",
+		Options:  map[string]interface{}{},
 	}
 
 	format, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("format")
@@ -362,11 +336,38 @@ func RunHandler(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 	opts.WordWrap = !nowrap
 
-	if !interactive {
-		return generate(cmd, opts)
+	// Fill out the rest of the options based on information about the
+	// model.
+	client, err := api.ClientFromEnvironment()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
-	return generateInteractive(cmd, opts)
+	name := args[0]
+	info, err := func() (*api.ShowResponse, error) {
+		showReq := &api.ShowRequest{Name: name}
+		info, err := client.Show(cmd.Context(), showReq)
+		var se api.StatusError
+		if errors.As(err, &se) && se.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound {
+			if err := PullHandler(cmd, []string{name}); err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			return client.Show(cmd.Context(), &api.ShowRequest{Name: name})
+		}
+		return info, err
+	}()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	opts.MultiModal = slices.Contains(info.Details.Families, "clip")
+	opts.ParentModel = info.Details.ParentModel
+	opts.Messages = append(opts.Messages, info.Messages...)
+
+	if interactive {
+		return generateInteractive(cmd, opts)
+	}
+	return generate(cmd, opts)
 }
 
 func errFromUnknownKey(unknownKeyErr error) error {
diff --git a/cmd/interactive.go b/cmd/interactive.go
index 80a91547..0a2f429b 100644
--- a/cmd/interactive.go
+++ b/cmd/interactive.go
@@ -31,65 +31,40 @@ const (
 )
 
 func loadModel(cmd *cobra.Command, opts *runOptions) error {
-	client, err := api.ClientFromEnvironment()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	p := progress.NewProgress(os.Stderr)
 	defer p.StopAndClear()
 
 	spinner := progress.NewSpinner("")
 	p.Add("", spinner)
 
-	showReq := api.ShowRequest{Name: opts.Model}
-	showResp, err := client.Show(cmd.Context(), &showReq)
+	client, err := api.ClientFromEnvironment()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	opts.MultiModal = slices.Contains(showResp.Details.Families, "clip")
-	opts.ParentModel = showResp.Details.ParentModel
-
-	if len(showResp.Messages) > 0 {
-		opts.Messages = append(opts.Messages, showResp.Messages...)
-	}
 
 	chatReq := &api.ChatRequest{
-		Model:    opts.Model,
-		Messages: []api.Message{},
+		Model:     opts.Model,
+		KeepAlive: opts.KeepAlive,
 	}
 
-	if opts.KeepAlive != nil {
-		chatReq.KeepAlive = opts.KeepAlive
-	}
-
-	err = client.Chat(cmd.Context(), chatReq, func(resp api.ChatResponse) error {
+	return client.Chat(cmd.Context(), chatReq, func(resp api.ChatResponse) error {
 		p.StopAndClear()
-		if len(opts.Messages) > 0 {
-			for _, msg := range opts.Messages {
-				switch msg.Role {
-				case "user":
-					fmt.Printf(">>> %s\n", msg.Content)
-				case "assistant":
-					state := &displayResponseState{}
-					displayResponse(msg.Content, opts.WordWrap, state)
-					fmt.Println()
-					fmt.Println()
-				}
+		for _, msg := range opts.Messages {
+			switch msg.Role {
+			case "user":
+				fmt.Printf(">>> %s\n", msg.Content)
+			case "assistant":
+				state := &displayResponseState{}
+				displayResponse(msg.Content, opts.WordWrap, state)
+				fmt.Println()
+				fmt.Println()
 			}
 		}
 		return nil
 	})
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	return nil
 }
 
 func generateInteractive(cmd *cobra.Command, opts runOptions) error {
-	opts.Messages = make([]api.Message, 0)
-
 	err := loadModel(cmd, &opts)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err