diff --git a/llm_server/llm/openai/oai_to_vllm.py b/llm_server/llm/openai/oai_to_vllm.py
index 1490933..cde5180 100644
--- a/llm_server/llm/openai/oai_to_vllm.py
+++ b/llm_server/llm/openai/oai_to_vllm.py
@@ -77,3 +77,18 @@ def validate_oai(parameters):
 
     if parameters.get('max_tokens', 2) < 1:
         return format_oai_err(f"{parameters['max_tokens']} is less than the minimum of 1 - 'max_tokens'")
+
+
+def return_invalid_model_err(requested_model: str):
+    if requested_model:
+        msg = f"The model `{requested_model}` does not exist"
+    else:
+        msg = "The requested model does not exist"
+    return jsonify({
+        "error": {
+            "message": msg,
+            "type": "invalid_request_error",
+            "param": None,
+            "code": "model_not_found"
+        }
+    }), 404
diff --git a/llm_server/routes/openai/chat_completions.py b/llm_server/routes/openai/chat_completions.py
index 76f1b6c..d054703 100644
--- a/llm_server/routes/openai/chat_completions.py
+++ b/llm_server/routes/openai/chat_completions.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from ..queue import priority_queue
 from ... import opts
 from ...database.log_to_db import log_to_db
 from ...llm.generator import generator
-from ...llm.openai.oai_to_vllm import oai_to_vllm, validate_oai
+from ...llm.openai.oai_to_vllm import oai_to_vllm, validate_oai, return_invalid_model_err
 from ...llm.openai.transform import generate_oai_string, transform_messages_to_prompt, trim_messages_to_fit
 
 
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ def openai_chat_completions(model_name=None):
         return jsonify({'code': 400, 'msg': 'invalid JSON'}), 400
     else:
         handler = OpenAIRequestHandler(incoming_request=request, incoming_json=request_json_body, selected_model=model_name)
+        if handler.offline:
+            msg = return_invalid_model_err(model_name)
+            print(msg)
+            return handler.handle_error(msg)
+
         if not request_json_body.get('stream'):
             try:
                 invalid_oai_err_msg = validate_oai(request_json_body)
diff --git a/llm_server/routes/openai/completions.py b/llm_server/routes/openai/completions.py
index c8e7f19..3dcde2e 100644
--- a/llm_server/routes/openai/completions.py
+++ b/llm_server/routes/openai/completions.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ from ... import opts
 from ...database.log_to_db import log_to_db
 from ...llm import get_token_count
 from ...llm.generator import generator
-from ...llm.openai.oai_to_vllm import oai_to_vllm, validate_oai
+from ...llm.openai.oai_to_vllm import oai_to_vllm, validate_oai, return_invalid_model_err
 from ...llm.openai.transform import generate_oai_string, trim_string_to_fit
 
 
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ def openai_completions(model_name=None):
         return jsonify({'code': 400, 'msg': 'Invalid JSON'}), 400
     else:
         handler = OobaRequestHandler(incoming_request=request, incoming_json=request_json_body, selected_model=model_name)
+        if handler.offline:
+            msg = return_invalid_model_err(model_name)
+            print(msg)
+            return handler.handle_error(msg)
 
         if handler.cluster_backend_info['mode'] != 'vllm':
             # TODO: implement other backends
diff --git a/llm_server/routes/openai_request_handler.py b/llm_server/routes/openai_request_handler.py
index bc5c6f5..3c2a5b1 100644
--- a/llm_server/routes/openai_request_handler.py
+++ b/llm_server/routes/openai_request_handler.py
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ from flask import Response, jsonify, make_response
 from llm_server import opts
 from llm_server.cluster.backend import get_model_choices
 from llm_server.custom_redis import redis
-from llm_server.database.database import is_api_key_moderated, do_db_log
+from llm_server.database.database import is_api_key_moderated
 from llm_server.database.log_to_db import log_to_db
 from llm_server.llm import get_token_count
-from llm_server.llm.openai.oai_to_vllm import oai_to_vllm, validate_oai
+from llm_server.llm.openai.oai_to_vllm import oai_to_vllm, validate_oai, return_invalid_model_err
 from llm_server.llm.openai.transform import ANTI_CONTINUATION_RE, ANTI_RESPONSE_RE, generate_oai_string, transform_messages_to_prompt, trim_messages_to_fit
 from llm_server.routes.request_handler import RequestHandler
 from llm_server.workers.moderator import add_moderation_task, get_results
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ class OpenAIRequestHandler(RequestHandler):
 
     def handle_request(self) -> Tuple[flask.Response, int]:
         assert not self.used
+        if self.offline:
+            msg = return_invalid_model_err(self.selected_model)
+            print(msg)
+            return self.handle_error(msg)
 
         if opts.openai_silent_trim:
             oai_messages = trim_messages_to_fit(self.request.json['messages'], self.cluster_backend_info['model_config']['max_position_embeddings'], self.backend_url)
@@ -63,7 +67,7 @@ class OpenAIRequestHandler(RequestHandler):
 
         if not self.prompt:
             # TODO: format this as an openai error message
-            return 'Invalid prompt', 400
+            return Response('Invalid prompt'), 400
 
         llm_request = {**self.parameters, 'prompt': self.prompt}
         (success, _, _, _), (backend_response, backend_response_status_code) = self.generate_response(llm_request)
diff --git a/llm_server/workers/inferencer.py b/llm_server/workers/inferencer.py
index f06ff8c..79eed01 100644
--- a/llm_server/workers/inferencer.py
+++ b/llm_server/workers/inferencer.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import threading
 import time
+import traceback
 from uuid import uuid4
 
 from llm_server.cluster.cluster_config import cluster_config
@@ -41,6 +42,8 @@ def worker(backend_url):
                 success, response, error_msg = generator(request_json_body, backend_url)
                 event = DataEvent(event_id)
                 event.set((success, response, error_msg))
+        except:
+            traceback.print_exc()
         finally:
             decrement_ip_count(client_ip, 'processing_ips')
             decr_active_workers(selected_model, backend_url)