diff --git a/crates/inference-server/src/compat.rs b/crates/inference-server/src/compat.rs
index 09896f6..fa90fb3 100644
--- a/crates/inference-server/src/compat.rs
+++ b/crates/inference-server/src/compat.rs
@@ -418,23 +418,36 @@ pub fn tool_calls_to_delta(tool_calls: &[ToolCall]) -> Vec<DeltaToolCall> {
 }
 
 fn select_chat_template(req: &ChatCompletionRequest, config: &ServerConfig) -> ChatTemplate {
-    let model_id = config
-        .resolve_model(&req.model)
-        .map(|model| model.root.as_str())
-        .unwrap_or(req.model.as_str());
-    let normalized = model_id.to_ascii_lowercase();
-
-    if normalized.contains("qwen") {
-        ChatTemplate::Qwen
-    } else if normalized.contains("gemma") {
-        ChatTemplate::Gemma
-    } else if normalized.contains("llama") {
-        ChatTemplate::Llama
-    } else if normalized.contains("kimi") {
-        ChatTemplate::Kimi
-    } else {
-        ChatTemplate::Generic
+    let mut candidates = vec![req.model.as_str()];
+    if let Some(model) = config.resolve_model(&req.model) {
+        if !model.id.eq_ignore_ascii_case(req.model.as_str()) {
+            candidates.push(model.id.as_str());
+        }
+        if !model.root.eq_ignore_ascii_case(req.model.as_str())
+            && !model.root.eq_ignore_ascii_case(model.id.as_str())
+        {
+            candidates.push(model.root.as_str());
+        }
     }
+
+    for candidate in candidates {
+        let normalized = candidate.to_ascii_lowercase();
+
+        if normalized.contains("qwen") {
+            return ChatTemplate::Qwen;
+        }
+        if normalized.contains("gemma") {
+            return ChatTemplate::Gemma;
+        }
+        if normalized.contains("llama") {
+            return ChatTemplate::Llama;
+        }
+        if normalized.contains("kimi") {
+            return ChatTemplate::Kimi;
+        }
+    }
+
+    ChatTemplate::Generic
 }
 
 fn append_response_format_instruction(messages: &mut Vec<PromptMessage>, format: &ResponseFormat) {