diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/services/vision_autocomplete_service.py b/surfsense_backend/app/services/vision_autocomplete_service.py
index 0804df7fb..e172c6522 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/services/vision_autocomplete_service.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/services/vision_autocomplete_service.py
@@ -186,6 +186,14 @@ async def stream_vision_autocomplete(
         yield streaming.format_done()
 
     except Exception as e:
-        logger.error(f"Vision autocomplete streaming error: {e}")
-        yield streaming.format_error(str(e))
+        error_str = str(e).lower()
+        if "content must be a string" in error_str or "does not support image" in error_str:
+            logger.warning(f"Vision autocomplete: selected model does not support vision: {e}")
+            yield streaming.format_error(
+                "The selected model does not support vision. "
+                "Please set a vision-capable model (e.g. GPT-4o, Gemini) in your search space settings."
+            )
+        else:
+            logger.error(f"Vision autocomplete streaming error: {e}")
+            yield streaming.format_error(str(e))
         yield streaming.format_done()
diff --git a/surfsense_web/app/desktop/suggestion/page.tsx b/surfsense_web/app/desktop/suggestion/page.tsx
index b7d9b97bd..7188b73c6 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/app/desktop/suggestion/page.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/app/desktop/suggestion/page.tsx
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ function friendlyError(raw: string | number): string {
 		return "Please sign in to use suggestions.";
 	if (lower.includes("no vision llm configured") || lower.includes("no llm configured"))
 		return "No Vision LLM configured. Set one in search space settings.";
+	if (lower.includes("does not support vision"))
+		return "Selected model doesn\u2019t support vision. Set a vision-capable model in settings.";
 	if (lower.includes("fetch") || lower.includes("network") || lower.includes("econnrefused"))
 		return "Can\u2019t reach the server. Check your connection.";
 	return "Something went wrong. Try again.";