diff --git a/ocr-service/ensure_blla_model.py b/ocr-service/ensure_blla_model.py
index a8aed449..d0fa0305 100644
--- a/ocr-service/ensure_blla_model.py
+++ b/ocr-service/ensure_blla_model.py
@@ -33,9 +33,12 @@ def _model_is_loadable(path: str) -> bool:
 
         vgsl.TorchVGSLModel.load_model(path)
         return True
-    except Exception as e:
+    except (RuntimeError, OSError, ValueError) as e:
         log.warning("Model at %s failed to load: %s", path, e)
         return False
+    except Exception:
+        log.debug("Unexpected error loading model at %s", path, exc_info=True)
+        return False
 
 
 def _download_blla() -> str:
diff --git a/ocr-service/main.py b/ocr-service/main.py
index 63473737..3545f6a4 100644
--- a/ocr-service/main.py
+++ b/ocr-service/main.py
@@ -494,8 +494,8 @@ async def segtrain_model(
                             "will train from scratch at 800px",
                             _m.input[2],
                         )
-                except Exception:
-                    pass
+                except Exception as exc:
+                    log.warning("Could not inspect base model height, training from scratch: %s", exc)
 
             if use_base_model:
                 cmd += ["-i", blla_model_path, "--resize", "union", "-s", seg_spec]
diff --git a/ocr-service/test_ensure_blla_model.py b/ocr-service/test_ensure_blla_model.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cc171e92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ocr-service/test_ensure_blla_model.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+"""Unit tests for ensure_blla_model.main()."""
+
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, call, patch
+
+import ensure_blla_model
+
+
+# ─── Model already loadable ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_main_returns_early_when_model_is_loadable():
+    """When the model exists and loads cleanly, no download or rename occurs."""
+    with (
+        patch("os.path.exists", return_value=True),
+        patch.object(ensure_blla_model, "_model_is_loadable", return_value=True),
+        patch.object(ensure_blla_model, "_download_blla") as mock_download,
+        patch("os.rename") as mock_rename,
+    ):
+        ensure_blla_model.main()
+
+    mock_download.assert_not_called()
+    mock_rename.assert_not_called()
+
+
+# ─── Model exists but is incompatible ─────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_main_replaces_incompatible_model():
+    """An incompatible model is renamed and replaced with a fresh download."""
+    fake_path = "/app/models/blla.mlmodel"
+    downloaded_path = "/tmp/downloaded.mlmodel"
+
+    with (
+        patch.object(ensure_blla_model, "BLLA_MODEL_PATH", fake_path),
+        patch("os.path.exists", return_value=True),
+        patch.object(ensure_blla_model, "_model_is_loadable", return_value=False),
+        patch.object(ensure_blla_model, "_download_blla", return_value=downloaded_path),
+        patch("os.rename") as mock_rename,
+        patch("shutil.copy2") as mock_copy,
+        patch("os.makedirs"),
+    ):
+        ensure_blla_model.main()
+
+    mock_rename.assert_called_once_with(fake_path, fake_path + ".incompatible")
+    mock_copy.assert_called_once_with(downloaded_path, fake_path)
+
+
+# ─── Model missing ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_main_downloads_when_model_missing():
+    """When the model file doesn't exist at all, it is downloaded without rename."""
+    fake_path = "/app/models/blla.mlmodel"
+    downloaded_path = "/tmp/downloaded.mlmodel"
+
+    with (
+        patch.object(ensure_blla_model, "BLLA_MODEL_PATH", fake_path),
+        patch("os.path.exists", return_value=False),
+        patch.object(ensure_blla_model, "_model_is_loadable") as mock_loadable,
+        patch.object(ensure_blla_model, "_download_blla", return_value=downloaded_path),
+        patch("os.rename") as mock_rename,
+        patch("shutil.copy2") as mock_copy,
+        patch("os.makedirs"),
+    ):
+        ensure_blla_model.main()
+
+    mock_loadable.assert_not_called()
+    mock_rename.assert_not_called()
+    mock_copy.assert_called_once_with(downloaded_path, fake_path)