diff --git a/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-06-29-ollama-ensure.md b/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-06-29-ollama-ensure.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5dc0b3fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-06-29-ollama-ensure.md
@@ -0,0 +1,750 @@
+# Ollama Ensure (embeddings preflight) Implementation Plan
+
+> **For agentic workers:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers:subagent-driven-development (recommended) or superpowers:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task. Steps use checkbox (`- [ ]`) syntax for tracking.
+
+**Goal:** Guarantee Ollama embeddings are available before a session starts — a hard-fail preflight that starts Ollama if down, warms the configured model, and refuses session create/restart when embeddings can't be made available.
+
+**Architecture:** A deterministic `tht ollama ensure` command in the harness (which owns the embeddings config + the `OllamaEmbeddings` client) does probe → start (configurable command, detached) → poll → verify model installed → warm. The Fastify backend calls it as a preflight before spawning Pi; a non-zero exit becomes a 503 and no session is created.
+
+**Tech Stack:** Python (typer, requests, subprocess, pydantic, pytest) · Node/Fastify + TypeScript (vitest).
+
+## Global Constraints
+
+- **Embeddings are mandatory.** Any condition that makes embeddings unavailable (no `embeddings`
+  config, Ollama unreachable after timeout, model not installed, warm fails) is a **hard error**:
+  the command exits non-zero and the backend refuses the session (HTTP 503, no Pi spawned). No
+  "degraded" session.
+- **No automatic `ollama pull`** — a missing model is a hard error with guidance (`ollama pull <model>`).
+- **"Load" = warm-only** — load the already-installed model into memory via one embed ping.
+- **Parameterized invocation** — the ollama binary (`embeddings.bin`, default `"ollama"`) and the
+  start command (`embeddings.start_cmd`, default `[bin, "serve"]`, `[]` disables auto-start) are
+  config-driven; the base URL is `embeddings.base_url`.
+- **`tht`'s `-c`/`--config` is PER-COMMAND** — it follows the subcommand (`ThtRunner` appends it).
+- **`--json` output must be pristine** (only valid JSON on stdout). On error with `--json`, the
+  error JSON is on stdout AND the exit code is non-zero (the exit code is authoritative).
+- **Blocking with timeout** (default 60s, backend env `OLLAMA_ENSURE_TIMEOUT_MS`): the timeout
+  only bounds waiting for the server to come up; on expiry → error, not degrade.
+
+---
+
+## File Structure
+
+**Harness (`tht`)**
+- Modify `harness/tht/config.py` — add `bin` + `start_cmd` to `EmbeddingsConfig`.
+- Create `harness/tht/cli/ollama_cmd.py` — ops (`_probe`/`_installed_models`/`_start`/`_warm`),
+  the pure `ensure_ollama(...)` orchestration, and the `ollama ensure` CLI command.
+- Modify `harness/tht/cli/__init__.py` — register the `ollama` sub-app.
+- Create `harness/tests/test_ollama_ensure.py`.
+
+**Backend (Fastify)**
+- Modify `backend/src/tht/tht-runner.ts` — `ollamaEnsure(workspace, timeoutSec)`.
+- Modify `backend/src/config.ts` — `ollamaEnsureTimeoutMs`.
+- Modify `backend/src/app.ts` — pass the timeout (seconds) into `sessionRoutes` deps.
+- Modify `backend/src/routes/sessions.ts` — preflight in `POST /sessions` and `POST /sessions/:id/resume`.
+- Modify `backend/test/tht-runner.test.ts`, `backend/test/routes-sessions.test.ts`.
+
+---
+
+## Phase A — Harness
+
+### Task 1: EmbeddingsConfig fields + `ensure_ollama` orchestration
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `harness/tht/config.py` (`EmbeddingsConfig`)
+- Create: `harness/tht/cli/ollama_cmd.py`
+- Test: `harness/tests/test_ollama_ensure.py` (create)
+
+**Interfaces:**
+- Consumes: `EmbeddingsConfig`, `OllamaEmbeddings` (`tht/vectorstore/embeddings.py`, `.embed_query`).
+- Produces:
+  - `EmbeddingsConfig.bin: str = "ollama"`, `EmbeddingsConfig.start_cmd: list[str] | None = None`
+  - `ensure_ollama(cfg, *, timeout: int, no_start: bool, probe=_probe, installed_models=_installed_models, start=_start, warm=_warm, sleep=time.sleep, clock=time.monotonic) -> dict`
+    returning `{"ok": True, "server": "up"|"started", "model": "warmed", "model_name": str}` on
+    success or `{"ok": False, "stage": "config"|"server"|"model"|"warm", "error": str}` on failure.
+  - Module ops `_probe(base_url)->bool`, `_installed_models(base_url)->set[str]`, `_start(cmd)->None`,
+    `_warm(cfg)->None`, and `_model_present(installed, model)->bool`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Write the failing test**
+
+Create `harness/tests/test_ollama_ensure.py`:
+
+```python
+"""Tests for the ensure_ollama orchestration (Ollama mocked via injected ops)."""
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+from tht.config import EmbeddingsConfig
+from tht.cli.ollama_cmd import ensure_ollama
+
+
+def _cfg(**kw):
+    emb = EmbeddingsConfig(base_url="http://localhost:11434", **kw)
+    return SimpleNamespace(embeddings=emb)
+
+
+def test_no_embeddings_config_is_hard_error():
+    r = ensure_ollama(SimpleNamespace(embeddings=None), timeout=5, no_start=False)
+    assert r["ok"] is False and r["stage"] == "config"
+
+
+def test_server_up_model_present_warms_ok():
+    warmed = []
+    r = ensure_ollama(
+        _cfg(model="nomic-embed-text-v2-moe"), timeout=5, no_start=False,
+        probe=lambda url: True,
+        installed_models=lambda url: {"nomic-embed-text-v2-moe:latest"},
+        start=lambda cmd: (_ for _ in ()).throw(AssertionError("must not start")),
+        warm=lambda cfg: warmed.append(True),
+    )
+    assert r == {"ok": True, "server": "up", "model": "warmed", "model_name": "nomic-embed-text-v2-moe"}
+    assert warmed == [True]
+
+
+def test_server_down_then_started_after_poll():
+    started = []
+    probes = iter([False, True])  # down, then up after start
+    r = ensure_ollama(
+        _cfg(), timeout=5, no_start=False,
+        probe=lambda url: next(probes),
+        installed_models=lambda url: {"nomic-embed-text-v2-moe"},
+        start=lambda cmd: started.append(cmd),
+        warm=lambda cfg: None,
+        sleep=lambda s: None,
+    )
+    assert r["ok"] is True and r["server"] == "started"
+    assert started and started[0] == ["ollama", "serve"]
+
+
+def test_server_unreachable_after_timeout_is_error():
+    clk = iter([0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 99.0])  # monotonic crosses the deadline
+    r = ensure_ollama(
+        _cfg(), timeout=5, no_start=False,
+        probe=lambda url: False,           # never comes up
+        installed_models=lambda url: set(),
+        start=lambda cmd: None,
+        warm=lambda cfg: None,
+        sleep=lambda s: None,
+        clock=lambda: next(clk),
+    )
+    assert r["ok"] is False and r["stage"] == "server"
+
+
+def test_no_start_and_down_is_error_without_starting():
+    r = ensure_ollama(
+        _cfg(), timeout=5, no_start=True,
+        probe=lambda url: False,
+        installed_models=lambda url: set(),
+        start=lambda cmd: (_ for _ in ()).throw(AssertionError("must not start")),
+        warm=lambda cfg: None,
+    )
+    assert r["ok"] is False and r["stage"] == "server"
+
+
+def test_empty_start_cmd_disables_autostart():
+    r = ensure_ollama(
+        _cfg(start_cmd=[]), timeout=5, no_start=False,
+        probe=lambda url: False,
+        installed_models=lambda url: set(),
+        start=lambda cmd: (_ for _ in ()).throw(AssertionError("must not start")),
+        warm=lambda cfg: None,
+    )
+    assert r["ok"] is False and r["stage"] == "server"
+
+
+def test_model_absent_is_error_with_pull_guidance():
+    r = ensure_ollama(
+        _cfg(model="missing-model"), timeout=5, no_start=False,
+        probe=lambda url: True,
+        installed_models=lambda url: {"nomic-embed-text-v2-moe"},
+        start=lambda cmd: None,
+        warm=lambda cfg: None,
+    )
+    assert r["ok"] is False and r["stage"] == "model"
+    assert "ollama pull missing-model" in r["error"]
+
+
+def test_warm_failure_is_error():
+    r = ensure_ollama(
+        _cfg(), timeout=5, no_start=False,
+        probe=lambda url: True,
+        installed_models=lambda url: {"nomic-embed-text-v2-moe"},
+        start=lambda cmd: None,
+        warm=lambda cfg: (_ for _ in ()).throw(RuntimeError("boom")),
+    )
+    assert r["ok"] is False and r["stage"] == "warm"
+
+
+def test_custom_start_cmd_used():
+    started = []
+    probes = iter([False, True])
+    ensure_ollama(
+        _cfg(bin="ollama", start_cmd=["docker", "start", "ollama"]), timeout=5, no_start=False,
+        probe=lambda url: next(probes),
+        installed_models=lambda url: {"nomic-embed-text-v2-moe"},
+        start=lambda cmd: started.append(cmd),
+        warm=lambda cfg: None,
+        sleep=lambda s: None,
+    )
+    assert started[0] == ["docker", "start", "ollama"]
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Run test to verify it fails**
+
+Run: `cd harness && .venv/bin/pytest tests/test_ollama_ensure.py -q`
+Expected: FAIL — `ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'tht.cli.ollama_cmd'`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Add the config fields**
+
+In `harness/tht/config.py`, in `EmbeddingsConfig`, after `timeout: int = 120` add:
+
+```python
+    bin: str = "ollama"
+    start_cmd: list[str] | None = None
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Create `ollama_cmd.py`**
+
+Create `harness/tht/cli/ollama_cmd.py`:
+
+```python
+"""`tht ollama` -- embeddings preflight (ensure Ollama up + model warm).
+
+The system REQUIRES embeddings: any condition that makes them unavailable is a hard
+error (the caller refuses the session). "Load" = warm the already-installed model.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import subprocess
+import time
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import typer
+
+from tht.cli.config_cmd import CONFIG_OPT
+from tht.cli.schema_cmd import _load_config_or_exit
+
+ollama_app = typer.Typer(help="Ollama (embeddings) -- preflight.")
+
+
+# --- low-level ops (real implementations; injected as fakes in tests) ----------
+
+def _probe(base_url: str, timeout: float = 2.0) -> bool:
+    import requests
+
+    try:
+        return requests.get(f"{base_url.rstrip('/')}/api/tags", timeout=timeout).status_code == 200
+    except requests.RequestException:
+        return False
+
+
+def _installed_models(base_url: str, timeout: float = 5.0) -> set[str]:
+    import requests
+
+    resp = requests.get(f"{base_url.rstrip('/')}/api/tags", timeout=timeout)
+    resp.raise_for_status()
+    return {m.get("name", "") for m in resp.json().get("models", [])}
+
+
+def _start(start_cmd: list[str]) -> None:
+    # Detached so the server outlives this short-lived CLI process.
+    subprocess.Popen(  # noqa: S603
+        start_cmd, start_new_session=True,
+        stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+    )
+
+
+def _warm(cfg) -> None:
+    from tht.vectorstore.embeddings import OllamaEmbeddings
+
+    OllamaEmbeddings(cfg.embeddings).embed_query("ping")
+
+
+def _model_present(installed: set[str], model: str) -> bool:
+    """Match the configured model against installed names, allowing the implicit ':latest'."""
+    if model in installed:
+        return True
+    base = model.split(":")[0]
+    return any(name == base or name.split(":")[0] == base for name in installed)
+
+
+# --- orchestration (pure: returns a result dict, never raises for control flow) ----
+
+def ensure_ollama(
+    cfg,
+    *,
+    timeout: int,
+    no_start: bool,
+    probe=_probe,
+    installed_models=_installed_models,
+    start=_start,
+    warm=_warm,
+    sleep=time.sleep,
+    clock=time.monotonic,
+) -> dict:
+    if cfg.embeddings is None:
+        return {"ok": False, "stage": "config",
+                "error": "il sistema richiede embeddings ma il workspace non li configura"}
+    emb = cfg.embeddings
+    base_url = emb.base_url
+    start_cmd = emb.start_cmd if emb.start_cmd is not None else [emb.bin, "serve"]
+
+    server_state = "up"
+    if not probe(base_url):
+        if no_start or start_cmd == []:
+            return {"ok": False, "stage": "server",
+                    "error": f"Ollama non raggiungibile su {base_url} e avvio disabilitato"}
+        start(start_cmd)
+        server_state = "started"
+        deadline = clock() + timeout
+        up = False
+        while clock() < deadline:
+            sleep(1.0)
+            if probe(base_url):
+                up = True
+                break
+        if not up:
+            return {"ok": False, "stage": "server",
+                    "error": f"Ollama non raggiungibile su {base_url} entro {timeout}s"}
+
+    try:
+        installed = installed_models(base_url)
+    except Exception as e:  # noqa: BLE001 - any read failure is a hard error
+        return {"ok": False, "stage": "server",
+                "error": f"impossibile leggere i modelli da {base_url}: {e}"}
+    if not _model_present(installed, emb.model):
+        return {"ok": False, "stage": "model",
+                "error": f"modello '{emb.model}' non installato in Ollama: "
+                         f"esegui `ollama pull {emb.model}` o importalo"}
+
+    try:
+        warm(cfg)
+    except Exception as e:  # noqa: BLE001 - warm failure is a hard error
+        return {"ok": False, "stage": "warm",
+                "error": f"warm del modello '{emb.model}' fallito: {e}"}
+
+    return {"ok": True, "server": server_state, "model": "warmed", "model_name": emb.model}
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Run test to verify it passes**
+
+Run: `cd harness && .venv/bin/pytest tests/test_ollama_ensure.py -q`
+Expected: PASS (9 passed). Then `cd harness && .venv/bin/ruff check tht/cli/ollama_cmd.py tht/config.py tests/test_ollama_ensure.py` → clean.
+
+- [ ] **Step 6: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add harness/tht/config.py harness/tht/cli/ollama_cmd.py harness/tests/test_ollama_ensure.py
+git commit -m "feat(harness): EmbeddingsConfig bin/start_cmd + ensure_ollama preflight orchestration"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 2: `tht ollama ensure` CLI command + registration
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `harness/tht/cli/ollama_cmd.py` (add the command)
+- Modify: `harness/tht/cli/__init__.py` (register `ollama_app`)
+- Test: `harness/tests/test_ollama_ensure.py` (append CLI tests)
+
+**Interfaces:**
+- Consumes: `ensure_ollama` (Task 1), `_load_config_or_exit`, `CONFIG_OPT`, `ollama_app`.
+- Produces: CLI `tht ollama ensure [--timeout N] [--no-start] [--json] -c <ws>` — exit 0 on ok,
+  exit 1 on any failure; with `--json`, only the result JSON on stdout (pristine) on both paths.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Write the failing test**
+
+Append to `harness/tests/test_ollama_ensure.py`:
+
+```python
+import json as _json
+
+from typer.testing import CliRunner
+
+from tht.cli.ollama_cmd import ollama_app
+from tht.cli import ollama_cmd
+
+
+def _patch(monkeypatch, result):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ollama_cmd, "_load_config_or_exit", lambda _c: SimpleNamespace(embeddings=object()))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ollama_cmd, "ensure_ollama", lambda cfg, **kw: result)
+
+
+def test_cli_ok_exit_zero_and_json_pristine(monkeypatch):
+    _patch(monkeypatch, {"ok": True, "server": "up", "model": "warmed", "model_name": "m"})
+    res = CliRunner().invoke(ollama_app, ["ensure", "--json"])
+    assert res.exit_code == 0, res.output
+    assert _json.loads(res.output) == {"ok": True, "server": "up", "model": "warmed", "model_name": "m"}
+
+
+def test_cli_error_exit_one_and_json_on_stdout(monkeypatch):
+    _patch(monkeypatch, {"ok": False, "stage": "model", "error": "missing"})
+    res = CliRunner().invoke(ollama_app, ["ensure", "--json"])
+    assert res.exit_code == 1
+    assert _json.loads(res.output) == {"ok": False, "stage": "model", "error": "missing"}
+
+
+def test_cli_error_human_mode_exit_one(monkeypatch):
+    _patch(monkeypatch, {"ok": False, "stage": "server", "error": "down"})
+    res = CliRunner().invoke(ollama_app, ["ensure"])
+    assert res.exit_code == 1
+
+
+def test_cli_registered_on_root_app():
+    from tht.cli import app  # the root Typer app
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    res = runner.invoke(app, ["ollama", "--help"])
+    assert res.exit_code == 0
+    assert "ensure" in res.output
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Run test to verify it fails**
+
+Run: `cd harness && .venv/bin/pytest tests/test_ollama_ensure.py -k cli -q`
+Expected: FAIL — `No such command 'ensure'` / the root app has no `ollama` command.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Add the CLI command**
+
+In `harness/tht/cli/ollama_cmd.py`, append:
+
+```python
+@ollama_app.command("ensure")
+def ensure_cmd(
+    timeout: int = typer.Option(60, "--timeout", help="Secondi di attesa per l'avvio di Ollama."),
+    no_start: bool = typer.Option(False, "--no-start", help="Non avviare Ollama (solo verifica)."),
+    json_out: bool = typer.Option(False, "--json", help="Emetti JSON puro su stdout."),
+    config: Path = CONFIG_OPT,
+) -> None:
+    """Assicura Ollama attivo + modello di embedding caricato; errore se non possibile."""
+    cfg = _load_config_or_exit(config)
+    result = ensure_ollama(cfg, timeout=timeout, no_start=no_start)
+    if json_out:
+        typer.echo(json.dumps(result, ensure_ascii=False))
+    elif result["ok"]:
+        typer.secho(
+            f"OK: Ollama {result['server']}, modello {result['model_name']} {result['model']}.",
+            fg=typer.colors.GREEN,
+        )
+    else:
+        typer.secho(f"ERRORE [{result['stage']}]: {result['error']}", fg=typer.colors.RED, err=True)
+    if not result["ok"]:
+        raise typer.Exit(code=1)
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Register the sub-app**
+
+In `harness/tht/cli/__init__.py`, add the import alongside the others:
+
+```python
+from tht.cli.ollama_cmd import ollama_app  # noqa: E402
+```
+
+and the registration alongside the other `add_typer` calls:
+
+```python
+app.add_typer(ollama_app, name="ollama")
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Run test to verify it passes**
+
+Run: `cd harness && .venv/bin/pytest tests/test_ollama_ensure.py -q`
+Expected: PASS (all). Then `cd harness && .venv/bin/ruff check tht/cli/ollama_cmd.py tht/cli/__init__.py` → clean.
+
+- [ ] **Step 6: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add harness/tht/cli/ollama_cmd.py harness/tht/cli/__init__.py harness/tests/test_ollama_ensure.py
+git commit -m "feat(harness): tht ollama ensure CLI command (hard-fail preflight)"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Phase B — Backend
+
+### Task 3: `ThtRunner.ollamaEnsure`
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `backend/src/tht/tht-runner.ts`
+- Test: `backend/test/tht-runner.test.ts` (append)
+
+**Interfaces:**
+- Consumes: `ThtRunner.run(args, workspace)`.
+- Produces: `ollamaEnsure(workspace: string, timeoutSec: number): Promise<{ ok: boolean; stage?: string; error?: string; server?: string; model?: string; model_name?: string }>`
+  — shells `tht ollama ensure --json --timeout <sec>` (workspace via the per-command `-c`); exit 0
+  → `{ ok: true, ...parsedJson }`, non-zero → `{ ok: false, stage, error }`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Write the failing test**
+
+Append to `backend/test/tht-runner.test.ts`:
+
+```typescript
+test("ollamaEnsure builds argv with --json --timeout and the workspace -c", async () => {
+  let calledArgs: string[] = [];
+  let calledWs: string | undefined;
+  const r = new ThtRunner({ thtBin: "tht", harnessDir: "/nope", configPath: "config/tht.yaml" });
+  r.run = async (args, ws) => { calledArgs = args; calledWs = ws; return { code: 0, stdout: '{"ok":true,"server":"up","model":"warmed","model_name":"m"}', stderr: "" }; };
+  const res = await r.ollamaEnsure("psd", 60);
+  expect(calledArgs).toEqual(["ollama", "ensure", "--json", "--timeout", "60"]);
+  expect(calledWs).toBe("psd");
+  expect(res).toEqual({ ok: true, server: "up", model: "warmed", model_name: "m" });
+});
+
+test("ollamaEnsure maps a non-zero exit to ok:false with stage/error from stdout JSON", async () => {
+  const r = new ThtRunner({ thtBin: "tht", harnessDir: "/nope", configPath: "config/tht.yaml" });
+  r.run = async () => ({ code: 1, stdout: '{"ok":false,"stage":"model","error":"missing"}', stderr: "" });
+  expect(await r.ollamaEnsure("psd", 60)).toEqual({ ok: false, stage: "model", error: "missing" });
+});
+
+test("ollamaEnsure falls back to stderr when stdout is not JSON on failure", async () => {
+  const r = new ThtRunner({ thtBin: "tht", harnessDir: "/nope", configPath: "config/tht.yaml" });
+  r.run = async () => ({ code: 1, stdout: "", stderr: "boom" });
+  const res = await r.ollamaEnsure("psd", 60);
+  expect(res.ok).toBe(false);
+  expect(res.error).toContain("boom");
+});
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Run test to verify it fails**
+
+Run: `cd backend && npx vitest run test/tht-runner.test.ts`
+Expected: FAIL — `r.ollamaEnsure is not a function`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Implement the method**
+
+In `backend/src/tht/tht-runner.ts`, add a result interface near `SessionDocument`:
+
+```typescript
+export interface OllamaEnsureResult {
+  ok: boolean;
+  stage?: string;
+  error?: string;
+  server?: string;
+  model?: string;
+  model_name?: string;
+}
+```
+
+and the method (after `documents`):
+
+```typescript
+  async ollamaEnsure(workspace: string, timeoutSec: number): Promise<OllamaEnsureResult> {
+    const { code, stdout, stderr } = await this.run(
+      ["ollama", "ensure", "--json", "--timeout", String(timeoutSec)],
+      workspace,
+    );
+    let parsed: Partial<OllamaEnsureResult> = {};
+    try { parsed = JSON.parse(stdout.trim() || "{}"); } catch { /* leave {} */ }
+    if (code === 0) return { ok: true, ...parsed };
+    return {
+      ok: false,
+      stage: parsed.stage,
+      error: parsed.error ?? (stderr.trim() || `tht ollama ensure exit ${code}`),
+    };
+  }
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Run test to verify it passes**
+
+Run: `cd backend && npx vitest run test/tht-runner.test.ts` then `npx tsc --noEmit -p .`
+Expected: PASS, typecheck clean.
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add backend/src/tht/tht-runner.ts backend/test/tht-runner.test.ts
+git commit -m "feat(backend): ThtRunner.ollamaEnsure (parses tht ollama ensure --json)"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Task 4: Backend preflight in session routes + timeout config
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `backend/src/config.ts` (`ollamaEnsureTimeoutMs`)
+- Modify: `backend/src/app.ts` (pass `ollamaEnsureTimeoutSec` to `sessionRoutes`)
+- Modify: `backend/src/routes/sessions.ts` (preflight in create + resume)
+- Test: `backend/test/routes-sessions.test.ts` (append)
+
+**Interfaces:**
+- Consumes: `ThtRunner.ollamaEnsure` (Task 3), `getSettings().workspace`.
+- Produces: `POST /sessions` and `POST /sessions/:id/resume` run `ollamaEnsure` first; on `!ok`
+  reply **503** `{ error }` and do NOT create/resume; the `sessionRoutes` deps object gains
+  `ollamaEnsureTimeoutSec: number`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Write the failing test**
+
+Append to `backend/test/routes-sessions.test.ts`:
+
+```typescript
+test("POST /sessions refuses with 503 when ollamaEnsure fails (no session created)", async () => {
+  let createdCalled = false;
+  const app = buildApp(loadConfig({ THT_HARNESS_DIR: "../harness" }), {
+    thtRunner: {
+      ollamaEnsure: async () => ({ ok: false, stage: "model", error: "modello non installato" }),
+      sessionNew: async () => { createdCalled = true; return { id: "s1" }; },
+    } as any,
+    getSettings: () => ({ workspace: "psd" }) as any,
+    spawnFn: () => nodeSpawn("node", [FAKE, SCRIPT]) as any,
+  });
+  const res = await app.inject({ method: "POST", url: "/sessions", payload: { question: "q" } });
+  expect(res.statusCode).toBe(503);
+  expect(res.json().error).toContain("non installato");
+  expect(createdCalled).toBe(false);
+});
+
+test("POST /sessions proceeds when ollamaEnsure succeeds", async () => {
+  let ensureWs: string | undefined;
+  const app = buildApp(loadConfig({ THT_HARNESS_DIR: "../harness" }), {
+    thtRunner: {
+      ollamaEnsure: async (ws: string) => { ensureWs = ws; return { ok: true }; },
+      sessionNew: async () => ({ id: "s1" }),
+    } as any,
+    getSettings: () => ({ workspace: "psd" }) as any,
+    spawnFn: () => nodeSpawn("node", [FAKE, SCRIPT]) as any,
+  });
+  const res = await app.inject({ method: "POST", url: "/sessions", payload: { question: "q" } });
+  expect(res.json()).toEqual({ id: "s1" });
+  expect(ensureWs).toBe("psd");
+});
+
+test("POST /sessions/:id/resume refuses with 503 when ollamaEnsure fails", async () => {
+  const app = buildApp(loadConfig({ THT_HARNESS_DIR: "../harness" }), {
+    thtRunner: {
+      ollamaEnsure: async () => ({ ok: false, error: "Ollama down" }),
+      sessionShow: async () => ({ status: "open", archived: false }),
+    } as any,
+    getSettings: () => ({ workspace: "psd" }) as any,
+    spawnFn: () => nodeSpawn("node", [FAKE, SCRIPT]) as any,
+  });
+  const res = await app.inject({ method: "POST", url: "/sessions/s1/resume" });
+  expect(res.statusCode).toBe(503);
+});
+```
+
+(Note: the existing `mutApp` tests in this file do not pass `ollamaEnsure`; keep those tests
+unaffected — the routes that call `ollamaEnsure` are only create and resume, and `mutApp` is used
+for rename/group/archive/delete/documents. The two pre-existing create/resume tests at the top of
+the file DO call create/resume, so update them per Step 4's note.)
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Run test to verify it fails**
+
+Run: `cd backend && npx vitest run test/routes-sessions.test.ts`
+Expected: FAIL — create/resume don't call `ollamaEnsure` (503 tests fail; and the new success test fails because `ollamaEnsure` isn't invoked).
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Add the timeout config**
+
+In `backend/src/config.ts`, add to the `AppConfig` interface:
+
+```typescript
+  ollamaEnsureTimeoutMs: number;
+```
+
+and in `loadConfig`'s returned object:
+
+```typescript
+    ollamaEnsureTimeoutMs: Number(env.OLLAMA_ENSURE_TIMEOUT_MS ?? 60000),
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Wire the preflight into the routes**
+
+In `backend/src/app.ts`, pass the timeout (seconds) into `sessionRoutes`. Change the call:
+
+```typescript
+  sessionRoutes(app, { mgr, tht: tht as ThtRunner, hub, getSettings });
+```
+
+to:
+
+```typescript
+  sessionRoutes(app, {
+    mgr, tht: tht as ThtRunner, hub, getSettings,
+    ollamaEnsureTimeoutSec: Math.round(config.ollamaEnsureTimeoutMs / 1000),
+  });
+```
+
+In `backend/src/routes/sessions.ts`, extend the deps type and add the preflight. Change the
+function signature's deps to include the timeout:
+
+```typescript
+export function sessionRoutes(
+  app: FastifyInstance,
+  d: { mgr: PiProcessManager; tht: ThtRunner; hub: SseHub; getSettings: () => Settings; ollamaEnsureTimeoutSec: number },
+) {
+```
+
+At the **start** of the `POST /sessions` handler (before `d.tht.sessionNew`):
+
+```typescript
+  app.post("/sessions", async (req, reply) => {
+    const b = req.body as { question: string; name?: string };
+    const s = d.getSettings();
+    const ensure = await d.tht.ollamaEnsure(s.workspace, d.ollamaEnsureTimeoutSec);
+    if (!ensure.ok) return reply.code(503).send({ error: ensure.error ?? "Ollama/embeddings non disponibili" });
+    // ... existing sessionNew + spawnFor unchanged ...
+```
+
+At the **start** of the `POST /sessions/:id/resume` handler (before the manifest read / guard):
+
+```typescript
+  app.post("/sessions/:id/resume", async (req, reply) => {
+    const id = (req.params as any).id;
+    const ensure = await d.tht.ollamaEnsure(d.getSettings().workspace, d.ollamaEnsureTimeoutSec);
+    if (!ensure.ok) return reply.code(503).send({ error: ensure.error ?? "Ollama/embeddings non disponibili" });
+    // ... existing manifest read + finalized/archived guard + mgr.resume unchanged ...
+```
+
+**Note — keep the pre-existing tests green.** The preflight now runs before any create/resume
+logic, so every injected `thtRunner` double that hits `POST /sessions` or `/resume` needs an
+`ollamaEnsure`, else it throws `d.tht.ollamaEnsure is not a function`. Two edits cover all cases:
+
+1. **Give `mutApp` a default `ollamaEnsure`** so its tests (including the resume-guard 409 tests
+   from the session-management feature) pass the preflight and still reach their logic. Change the
+   helper so the injected runner is `{ ollamaEnsure: async () => ({ ok: true }), ...thtRunner }`:
+   ```typescript
+   function mutApp(thtRunner: any) {
+     return buildApp(loadConfig({ THT_HARNESS_DIR: "../harness" }), {
+       thtRunner: { ollamaEnsure: async () => ({ ok: true }), ...thtRunner },
+       getSettings: () => ({ workspace: "w" }) as any,
+       spawnFn: () => nodeSpawn("node", [FAKE, SCRIPT]) as any,
+     });
+   }
+   ```
+2. **Add `ollamaEnsure: async () => ({ ok: true })`** to the two top-of-file inline doubles that
+   POST `/sessions`: the "POST /sessions usa i settings…" test and the
+   "POST /sessions/:id/response inoltra al bridge…" test.
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Run test to verify it passes**
+
+Run: `cd backend && npx vitest run test/routes-sessions.test.ts` then `npx tsc --noEmit -p .`
+Expected: PASS (new 503/success tests + the updated pre-existing tests), typecheck clean.
+
+- [ ] **Step 6: Run the full backend suite (catch regressions)**
+
+Run: `cd backend && npx vitest run`
+Expected: PASS. The resume-guard 409 tests from the session-management feature use `mutApp`, so the
+default `ollamaEnsure` added in Step 4 lets the preflight pass and the 409 guard is still reached.
+If any other test that POSTs create/resume was missed, give its `thtRunner` double an
+`ollamaEnsure: async () => ({ ok: true })`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 7: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add backend/src/config.ts backend/src/app.ts backend/src/routes/sessions.ts backend/test/routes-sessions.test.ts
+git commit -m "feat(backend): Ollama embeddings preflight on session create/resume (503 hard-fail)"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Final verification
+
+- [ ] **Harness:** `cd harness && .venv/bin/pytest tests/test_ollama_ensure.py -q` → all pass; `.venv/bin/ruff check tht/cli/ollama_cmd.py` → clean.
+- [ ] **Backend:** `cd backend && npx vitest run` → all pass; `npx tsc --noEmit -p .` → clean.
+- [ ] **Manual smoke (optional, needs the stack):** with Ollama stopped, `tht ollama ensure --json -c workspaces/psd.yaml` starts it and warms the model (exit 0); with the model uninstalled it exits 1 with `ollama pull` guidance; creating a session via the UI while Ollama is down returns a 503 with the diagnostic.
+
+## Spec coverage check
+- `bin`/`start_cmd` parameterization → Task 1.
+- Hard-fail matrix (config/server/model/warm) → Task 1 (`ensure_ollama`) + Task 2 (exit codes).
+- `tht ollama ensure` command, pristine `--json`, `--no-start` → Task 2.
+- `ThtRunner.ollamaEnsure` parsing + non-zero mapping → Task 3.
+- Preflight-before-spawn, 503, no degraded session, timeout env → Task 4.
+- Warm-only / no auto-pull → enforced by `ensure_ollama` (model-absent = error) — Task 1.
+- Frontend: none (the 503 reaches the existing error path) — no task, by design.