diff --git a/private_gpt/components/embedding/embedding_component.py b/private_gpt/components/embedding/embedding_component.py
index 714bb6b..89a577b 100644
--- a/private_gpt/components/embedding/embedding_component.py
+++ b/private_gpt/components/embedding/embedding_component.py
@@ -92,21 +92,24 @@ class EmbeddingComponent:
                 )
 
                 if ollama_settings.autopull_models:
-                    try:
+                    if ollama_settings.autopull_models:
+                        from private_gpt.utils.ollama import (
+                            check_connection,
+                            pull_model,
+                        )
+
                         # TODO: Reuse llama-index client when llama-index is updated
                         client = Client(
                             host=ollama_settings.embedding_api_base,
                             timeout=ollama_settings.request_timeout,
                         )
-                        installed_models = [
-                            model["name"] for model in client.list().get("models", {})
-                        ]
-                        if model_name not in installed_models:
-                            logger.info(f"Pulling model {model_name}. Please wait...")
-                            client.pull(model_name)
-                            logger.info(f"Model {model_name} pulled successfully")
-                    except Exception as e:
-                        logger.error(f"Failed to pull model {model_name}: {e!s}")
+
+                        if not check_connection(client):
+                            raise ValueError(
+                                f"Failed to connect to Ollama, "
+                                f"check if Ollama server is running on {ollama_settings.api_base}"
+                            )
+                        pull_model(client, model_name)
 
             case "azopenai":
                 try:
diff --git a/private_gpt/components/llm/llm_component.py b/private_gpt/components/llm/llm_component.py
index 0107b58..e3a0281 100644
--- a/private_gpt/components/llm/llm_component.py
+++ b/private_gpt/components/llm/llm_component.py
@@ -163,17 +163,14 @@ class LLMComponent:
                 )
 
                 if ollama_settings.autopull_models:
-                    try:
-                        installed_models = [
-                            model["name"]
-                            for model in llm.client.list().get("models", {})
-                        ]
-                        if model_name not in installed_models:
-                            logger.info(f"Pulling model {model_name}. Please wait...")
-                            llm.client.pull(model_name)
-                            logger.info(f"Model {model_name} pulled successfully")
-                    except Exception as e:
-                        logger.error(f"Failed to pull model {model_name}: {e!s}")
+                    from private_gpt.utils.ollama import check_connection, pull_model
+
+                    if not check_connection(llm.client):
+                        raise ValueError(
+                            f"Failed to connect to Ollama, "
+                            f"check if Ollama server is running on {ollama_settings.api_base}"
+                        )
+                    pull_model(llm.client, model_name)
 
                 if (
                     ollama_settings.keep_alive
diff --git a/private_gpt/utils/ollama.py b/private_gpt/utils/ollama.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..41c7ecc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/private_gpt/utils/ollama.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import logging
+
+try:
+    from ollama import Client  # type: ignore
+except ImportError as e:
+    raise ImportError(
+        "Ollama dependencies not found, install with `poetry install --extras llms-ollama or embeddings-ollama`"
+    ) from e
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def check_connection(client: Client) -> bool:
+    try:
+        client.list()
+        return True
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"Failed to connect to Ollama: {e!s}")
+        return False
+
+
+def pull_model(client: Client, model_name: str, raise_error: bool = True) -> None:
+    try:
+        installed_models = [model["name"] for model in client.list().get("models", {})]
+        if model_name not in installed_models:
+            logger.info(f"Pulling model {model_name}. Please wait...")
+            client.pull(model_name)
+            logger.info(f"Model {model_name} pulled successfully")
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"Failed to pull model {model_name}: {e!s}")
+        if raise_error:
+            raise e