diff --git a/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/onboard/page.tsx b/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/onboard/page.tsx
index 7382429d2..b81310e09 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/onboard/page.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/onboard/page.tsx
@@ -198,18 +198,18 @@ const OnboardPage = () => {
 						className="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-3 gap-6 mb-10"
 					>
 						<OnboardActionCard
-							title="Manage Team"
-							description="Invite team members and collaborate on your search space"
-							icon={Users}
+							title="Start Chatting"
+							description="Jump right into the AI researcher and start asking questions"
+							icon={MessageSquare}
 							features={[
-								"Invite team members",
-								"Assign roles & permissions",
-								"Collaborate together",
+								"AI-powered conversations",
+								"Research and explore topics",
+								"Get instant insights",
 							]}
-							buttonText="Manage Team"
-							onClick={() => router.push(`/dashboard/${searchSpaceId}/team`)}
-							colorScheme="emerald"
-							delay={0.7}
+							buttonText="Start Chatting"
+							onClick={() => router.push(`/dashboard/${searchSpaceId}/researcher`)}
+							colorScheme="violet"
+							delay={0.9}
 						/>
 
 						<OnboardActionCard
@@ -228,19 +228,20 @@ const OnboardPage = () => {
 						/>
 
 						<OnboardActionCard
-							title="Start Chatting"
-							description="Jump right into the AI researcher and start asking questions"
-							icon={MessageSquare}
+							title="Manage Team"
+							description="Invite team members and collaborate on your search space"
+							icon={Users}
 							features={[
-								"AI-powered conversations",
-								"Research and explore topics",
-								"Get instant insights",
+								"Invite team members",
+								"Assign roles & permissions",
+								"Collaborate together",
 							]}
-							buttonText="Start Chatting"
-							onClick={() => router.push(`/dashboard/${searchSpaceId}/researcher`)}
-							colorScheme="violet"
-							delay={0.9}
+							buttonText="Manage Team"
+							onClick={() => router.push(`/dashboard/${searchSpaceId}/team`)}
+							colorScheme="emerald"
+							delay={0.7}
 						/>
+
 					</motion.div>
 
 					{/* Advanced Settings */}
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/onboard/setup-llm-step.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/onboard/setup-llm-step.tsx
index 9735061ee..825b8a030 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/onboard/setup-llm-step.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/onboard/setup-llm-step.tsx
@@ -521,21 +521,50 @@ export function SetupLLMStep({
 											<Input
 												id="api_key"
 												type="password"
-												placeholder={t("api_key_placeholder")}
+												placeholder={formData.provider === "OLLAMA" ? "Any value (e.g., ollama)" : t("api_key_placeholder")}
 												value={formData.api_key}
 												onChange={(e) => handleInputChange("api_key", e.target.value)}
 												required
 											/>
+											{formData.provider === "OLLAMA" && (
+												<p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+													💡 Ollama doesn't require authentication — enter any value (e.g., "ollama")
+												</p>
+											)}
 										</div>
 
 										<div className="space-y-2">
 											<Label htmlFor="api_base">{t("api_base_optional")}</Label>
 											<Input
 												id="api_base"
-												placeholder={t("api_base_placeholder")}
+												placeholder={selectedProvider?.apiBase || t("api_base_placeholder")}
 												value={formData.api_base}
 												onChange={(e) => handleInputChange("api_base", e.target.value)}
 											/>
+											{/* Ollama-specific help */}
+											{formData.provider === "OLLAMA" && (
+												<div className="mt-2 p-3 bg-muted/50 rounded-lg border border-muted">
+													<p className="text-xs font-medium mb-2">💡 Ollama API Base URL Examples:</p>
+													<div className="space-y-1.5">
+														<button
+															type="button"
+															className="flex items-center gap-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground transition-colors"
+															onClick={() => handleInputChange("api_base", "http://localhost:11434")}
+														>
+															<code className="px-1.5 py-0.5 bg-background rounded border">http://localhost:11434</code>
+															<span>— Standard local installation</span>
+														</button>
+														<button
+															type="button"
+															className="flex items-center gap-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground transition-colors"
+															onClick={() => handleInputChange("api_base", "http://host.docker.internal:11434")}
+														>
+															<code className="px-1.5 py-0.5 bg-background rounded border">http://host.docker.internal:11434</code>
+															<span>— If using SurfSense Docker image</span>
+														</button>
+													</div>
+												</div>
+											)}
 										</div>
 
 										<div className="pt-2">
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/search-space-form.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/search-space-form.tsx
index ccb290dc8..d683772ef 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/search-space-form.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/search-space-form.tsx
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
 // Define the form schema with Zod
 const searchSpaceFormSchema = z.object({
-	name: z.string().min(3, "Name must be at least 3 characters"),
+	name: z.string().min(1, "Name is required"),
 	description: z.string().optional(),
 });
 
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/settings/model-config-manager.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/settings/model-config-manager.tsx
index 16bd57e71..234301b7c 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/settings/model-config-manager.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/settings/model-config-manager.tsx
@@ -677,11 +677,16 @@ export function ModelConfigManager({ searchSpaceId }: ModelConfigManagerProps) {
 							<Input
 								id="api_key"
 								type="password"
-								placeholder="Your API key"
+								placeholder={formData.provider === "OLLAMA" ? "Any value (e.g., ollama)" : "Your API key"}
 								value={formData.api_key}
 								onChange={(e) => handleInputChange("api_key", e.target.value)}
 								required
 							/>
+							{formData.provider === "OLLAMA" && (
+								<p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+									💡 Ollama doesn't require authentication — enter any value (e.g., "ollama")
+								</p>
+							)}
 						</div>
 
 						<div className="space-y-2">
@@ -718,6 +723,30 @@ export function ModelConfigManager({ searchSpaceId }: ModelConfigManagerProps) {
 									</button>
 								</p>
 							)}
+							{/* Ollama-specific help */}
+							{formData.provider === "OLLAMA" && (
+								<div className="mt-2 p-3 bg-muted/50 rounded-lg border border-muted">
+									<p className="text-xs font-medium mb-2">💡 Ollama API Base URL Examples:</p>
+									<div className="space-y-1.5">
+										<button
+											type="button"
+											className="flex items-center gap-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground transition-colors"
+											onClick={() => handleInputChange("api_base", "http://localhost:11434")}
+										>
+											<code className="px-1.5 py-0.5 bg-background rounded border">http://localhost:11434</code>
+											<span>— Standard local installation</span>
+										</button>
+										<button
+											type="button"
+											className="flex items-center gap-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground transition-colors"
+											onClick={() => handleInputChange("api_base", "http://host.docker.internal:11434")}
+										>
+											<code className="px-1.5 py-0.5 bg-background rounded border">http://host.docker.internal:11434</code>
+											<span>— If using SurfSense Docker image</span>
+										</button>
+									</div>
+								</div>
+							)}
 						</div>
 
 						{/* Optional Inference Parameters */}
diff --git a/surfsense_web/contracts/enums/llm-providers.ts b/surfsense_web/contracts/enums/llm-providers.ts
index cbe33d840..40b7ee2df 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/contracts/enums/llm-providers.ts
+++ b/surfsense_web/contracts/enums/llm-providers.ts
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ export const LLM_PROVIDERS: LLMProvider[] = [
 		label: "Ollama",
 		example: "ollama/llama3.1, ollama/mistral",
 		description: "Run models locally",
+		apiBase: "http://localhost:11434",
 	},
 	{
 		value: "ALIBABA_QWEN",