diff --git a/llm_server/config.py b/llm_server/config.py
index f379260..4e610a3 100644
--- a/llm_server/config.py
+++ b/llm_server/config.py
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ config_default_vars = {
     'show_total_output_tokens': True,
     'simultaneous_requests_per_ip': 3,
     'show_backend_info': True,
-    'max_new_tokens': 500
+    'max_new_tokens': 500,
+    'manual_model_name': False
 }
 config_required_vars = ['token_limit', 'concurrent_gens', 'mode', 'llm_middleware_name']
 
diff --git a/llm_server/llm/llm_backend.py b/llm_server/llm/llm_backend.py
index 7302728..cf27e67 100644
--- a/llm_server/llm/llm_backend.py
+++ b/llm_server/llm/llm_backend.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class LLMBackend:
     # def get_model_info(self) -> Tuple[dict | bool, Exception | None]:
     #     raise NotImplementedError
 
-    def get_parameters(self, parameters) -> Union[dict, None]:
+    def get_parameters(self, parameters) -> Tuple[dict | None, str | None]:
         """
         Validate and return the parameters for this backend.
         Lets you set defaults for specific backends.
diff --git a/llm_server/llm/vllm/vllm_backend.py b/llm_server/llm/vllm/vllm_backend.py
index 86e8129..5a57de6 100644
--- a/llm_server/llm/vllm/vllm_backend.py
+++ b/llm_server/llm/vllm/vllm_backend.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class VLLMBackend(LLMBackend):
     #     except Exception as e:
     #         return False, e
 
-    def get_parameters(self, parameters) -> Tuple[dict | None, Exception | None]:
+    def get_parameters(self, parameters) -> Tuple[dict | None, str | None]:
         default_params = SamplingParams()
         try:
             sampling_params = SamplingParams(
@@ -91,8 +91,7 @@ class VLLMBackend(LLMBackend):
                 max_tokens=parameters.get('max_new_tokens', default_params.max_tokens)
             )
         except ValueError as e:
-            print(e)
-            return None, e
+            return None, str(e).strip('.')
         return vars(sampling_params), None
 
 # def transform_sampling_params(params: SamplingParams):
diff --git a/llm_server/opts.py b/llm_server/opts.py
index f1a5b0b..8708b83 100644
--- a/llm_server/opts.py
+++ b/llm_server/opts.py
@@ -22,3 +22,4 @@ show_total_output_tokens = True
 netdata_root = None
 simultaneous_requests_per_ip = 3
 show_backend_info = True
+manual_model_name = None
diff --git a/llm_server/routes/request_handler.py b/llm_server/routes/request_handler.py
index 7c9a962..da3c238 100644
--- a/llm_server/routes/request_handler.py
+++ b/llm_server/routes/request_handler.py
@@ -56,10 +56,6 @@ class OobaRequestHandler:
         else:
             return self.request.remote_addr
 
-    # def get_parameters(self):
-    #     # TODO: make this a LLMBackend method
-    #     return self.backend.get_parameters()
-
     def get_priority(self):
         if self.token:
             conn = sqlite3.connect(opts.database_path)
@@ -85,22 +81,22 @@ class OobaRequestHandler:
         self.parameters, self.parameters_invalid_msg = self.backend.get_parameters(self.request_json_body)
 
     def handle_request(self):
+        SemaphoreCheckerThread.recent_prompters[self.client_ip] = time.time()
+
         request_valid_json, self.request_json_body = validate_json(self.request.data)
         if not request_valid_json:
             return jsonify({'code': 400, 'msg': 'Invalid JSON'}), 400
 
         self.get_parameters()
-
-        SemaphoreCheckerThread.recent_prompters[self.client_ip] = time.time()
-
-        request_valid, invalid_request_err_msg = self.validate_request()
-        if not self.parameters:
-            params_valid = False
-        else:
+        params_valid = False
+        request_valid = False
+        invalid_request_err_msg = None
+        if self.parameters:
             params_valid = True
+            request_valid, invalid_request_err_msg = self.validate_request()
 
         if not request_valid or not params_valid:
-            error_messages = [msg for valid, msg in [(request_valid, invalid_request_err_msg), (params_valid, self.parameters_invalid_msg)] if not valid]
+            error_messages = [msg for valid, msg in [(request_valid, invalid_request_err_msg), (params_valid, self.parameters_invalid_msg)] if not valid and msg]
             combined_error_message = ', '.join(error_messages)
             err = format_sillytavern_err(f'Validation Error: {combined_error_message}.', 'error')
             log_prompt(self.client_ip, self.token, self.request_json_body.get('prompt', ''), err, 0, self.parameters, dict(self.request.headers), 0, is_error=True)
diff --git a/llm_server/routes/server_error.py b/llm_server/routes/server_error.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fec3836
--- /dev/null
+++ b/llm_server/routes/server_error.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+def handle_server_error(e):
+    print(e)
+    return {'error': True}, 500
diff --git a/llm_server/routes/v1/__init__.py b/llm_server/routes/v1/__init__.py
index 25ab2f6..e25fa82 100644
--- a/llm_server/routes/v1/__init__.py
+++ b/llm_server/routes/v1/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from flask import Blueprint, request
 
 from ..helpers.http import require_api_key
+from ..server_error import handle_server_error
 from ... import opts
 
 bp = Blueprint('v1', __name__)
@@ -18,4 +19,9 @@ def before_request():
             return response
 
 
+@bp.errorhandler(500)
+def handle_error(e):
+    return handle_server_error(e)
+
+
 from . import generate, info, proxy, generate_stream
diff --git a/llm_server/routes/v1/generate.py b/llm_server/routes/v1/generate.py
index 0f42ccf..4b78bf8 100644
--- a/llm_server/routes/v1/generate.py
+++ b/llm_server/routes/v1/generate.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from ... import opts
 @bp.route('/generate', methods=['POST'])
 def generate():
     request_valid_json, request_json_body = validate_json(request.data)
-    if not request_valid_json or not (request_json_body.get('prompt') or request_json_body.get('messages')):
+    if not request_valid_json or not request_json_body.get('prompt'):
         return jsonify({'code': 400, 'msg': 'Invalid JSON'}), 400
     else:
         handler = OobaRequestHandler(request)
diff --git a/llm_server/routes/v1/generate_stats.py b/llm_server/routes/v1/generate_stats.py
index 096c465..0eea965 100644
--- a/llm_server/routes/v1/generate_stats.py
+++ b/llm_server/routes/v1/generate_stats.py
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ def generate_stats():
             'gatekeeper': 'none' if opts.auth_required is False else 'token',
             'context_size': opts.context_size,
             'concurrent': opts.concurrent_gens,
-            'model': model_name,
+            'model': opts.manual_model_name if opts.manual_model_name else model_name,
             'mode': opts.mode,
             'simultaneous_requests_per_ip': opts.simultaneous_requests_per_ip,
         },
diff --git a/llm_server/routes/v1/info.py b/llm_server/routes/v1/info.py
index 26bb2e3..883878e 100644
--- a/llm_server/routes/v1/info.py
+++ b/llm_server/routes/v1/info.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from flask import jsonify, request
 
 from . import bp
 from ..cache import cache
+from ... import opts
 from ...llm.info import get_running_model
 
 
@@ -27,8 +28,8 @@ def get_model():
     if cached_response:
         return cached_response
 
-    model, error = get_running_model()
-    if not model:
+    model_name, error = get_running_model()
+    if not model_name:
         response = jsonify({
             'code': 502,
             'msg': 'failed to reach backend',
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ def get_model():
         }), 500  # return 500 so Cloudflare doesn't intercept us
     else:
         response = jsonify({
-            'result': model,
+            'result': opts.manual_model_name if opts.manual_model_name else model_name,
             'timestamp': int(time.time())
         }), 200
         cache.set(cache_key, response, timeout=60)
diff --git a/server.py b/server.py
index 9c2ac1f..e50e45a 100644
--- a/server.py
+++ b/server.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ from threading import Thread
 
 from flask import Flask, jsonify, render_template, request
 
+from llm_server.routes.server_error import handle_server_error
+
 try:
     import vllm
 except ModuleNotFoundError as e:
@@ -65,6 +67,7 @@ opts.netdata_root = config['netdata_root']
 opts.simultaneous_requests_per_ip = config['simultaneous_requests_per_ip']
 opts.show_backend_info = config['show_backend_info']
 opts.max_new_tokens = config['max_new_tokens']
+opts.manual_model_name = config['manual_model_name']
 
 opts.verify_ssl = config['verify_ssl']
 if not opts.verify_ssl:
@@ -145,7 +148,7 @@ def home():
                            llm_middleware_name=config['llm_middleware_name'],
                            analytics_tracking_code=analytics_tracking_code,
                            info_html=info_html,
-                           current_model=running_model,
+                           current_model=opts.manual_model_name if opts.manual_model_name else running_model,
                            client_api=stats['endpoints']['blocking'],
                            ws_client_api=stats['endpoints']['streaming'],
                            estimated_wait=estimated_wait_sec,
@@ -169,8 +172,7 @@ def fallback(first=None, rest=None):
 
 @app.errorhandler(500)
 def server_error(e):
-    print(e)
-    return {'error': True}, 500
+    return handle_server_error(e)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":