diff --git a/server/images.go b/server/images.go
index 81357f3c..7ed35995 100644
--- a/server/images.go
+++ b/server/images.go
@@ -250,19 +250,21 @@ func GetModel(name string) (*Model, error) {
 		Template:  template.DefaultTemplate,
 	}
 
-	filename, err := GetBlobsPath(manifest.Config.Digest)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+	if manifest.Config.Digest != "" {
+		filename, err := GetBlobsPath(manifest.Config.Digest)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 
-	configFile, err := os.Open(filename)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	defer configFile.Close()
+		configFile, err := os.Open(filename)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		defer configFile.Close()
 
-	if err := json.NewDecoder(configFile).Decode(&model.Config); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		if err := json.NewDecoder(configFile).Decode(&model.Config); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
 
 	for _, layer := range manifest.Layers {
@@ -714,8 +716,7 @@ func deleteUnusedLayers(skipModelPath *ModelPath, deleteMap map[string]struct{})
 		// save (i.e. delete from the deleteMap) any files used in other manifests
 		manifest, _, err := GetManifest(fmp)
 		if err != nil {
-			//nolint:nilerr
-			return nil
+			return err
 		}
 
 		for _, layer := range manifest.Layers {
@@ -782,7 +783,8 @@ func PruneLayers() error {
 
 	err = deleteUnusedLayers(nil, deleteMap)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		slog.Error(fmt.Sprintf("couldn't remove unused layers: %v", err))
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	slog.Info(fmt.Sprintf("total unused blobs removed: %d", len(deleteMap)))
@@ -839,7 +841,9 @@ func PushModel(ctx context.Context, name string, regOpts *registryOptions, fn fu
 
 	var layers []*Layer
 	layers = append(layers, manifest.Layers...)
-	layers = append(layers, manifest.Config)
+	if manifest.Config.Digest != "" {
+		layers = append(layers, &manifest.Config)
+	}
 
 	for _, layer := range layers {
 		if err := uploadBlob(ctx, mp, layer, regOpts, fn); err != nil {
@@ -890,7 +894,9 @@ func PullModel(ctx context.Context, name string, regOpts *registryOptions, fn fu
 			for _, l := range manifest.Layers {
 				deleteMap[l.Digest] = struct{}{}
 			}
-			deleteMap[manifest.Config.Digest] = struct{}{}
+			if manifest.Config.Digest != "" {
+				deleteMap[manifest.Config.Digest] = struct{}{}
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -907,7 +913,9 @@ func PullModel(ctx context.Context, name string, regOpts *registryOptions, fn fu
 
 	var layers []*Layer
 	layers = append(layers, manifest.Layers...)
-	layers = append(layers, manifest.Config)
+	if manifest.Config.Digest != "" {
+		layers = append(layers, &manifest.Config)
+	}
 
 	skipVerify := make(map[string]bool)
 	for _, layer := range layers {
@@ -971,7 +979,8 @@ func PullModel(ctx context.Context, name string, regOpts *registryOptions, fn fu
 		fn(api.ProgressResponse{Status: "removing any unused layers"})
 		err = deleteUnusedLayers(nil, deleteMap)
 		if err != nil {
-			return err
+			slog.Error(fmt.Sprintf("couldn't remove unused layers: %v", err))
+			fn(api.ProgressResponse{Status: fmt.Sprintf("couldn't remove unused layers: %v", err)})
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/server/layer.go b/server/layer.go
index cc6709d2..a2b66782 100644
--- a/server/layer.go
+++ b/server/layer.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package server
 
 import (
 	"crypto/sha256"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
@@ -61,6 +62,10 @@ func NewLayer(r io.Reader, mediatype string) (*Layer, error) {
 }
 
 func NewLayerFromLayer(digest, mediatype, from string) (*Layer, error) {
+	if digest == "" {
+		return nil, errors.New("creating new layer from layer with empty digest")
+	}
+
 	blob, err := GetBlobsPath(digest)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -81,6 +86,10 @@ func NewLayerFromLayer(digest, mediatype, from string) (*Layer, error) {
 }
 
 func (l *Layer) Open() (io.ReadSeekCloser, error) {
+	if l.Digest == "" {
+		return nil, errors.New("opening layer with empty digest")
+	}
+
 	blob, err := GetBlobsPath(l.Digest)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -90,13 +99,17 @@ func (l *Layer) Open() (io.ReadSeekCloser, error) {
 }
 
 func (l *Layer) Remove() error {
+	if l.Digest == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	ms, err := Manifests()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	for _, m := range ms {
-		for _, layer := range append(m.Layers, m.Config) {
+		for _, layer := range append(m.Layers, &m.Config) {
 			if layer.Digest == l.Digest {
 				// something is using this layer
 				return nil
diff --git a/server/manifest.go b/server/manifest.go
index b8df11ef..b966ddbe 100644
--- a/server/manifest.go
+++ b/server/manifest.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 type Manifest struct {
 	SchemaVersion int      `json:"schemaVersion"`
 	MediaType     string   `json:"mediaType"`
-	Config        *Layer   `json:"config"`
+	Config        Layer    `json:"config"`
 	Layers        []*Layer `json:"layers"`
 
 	filepath string
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ type Manifest struct {
 }
 
 func (m *Manifest) Size() (size int64) {
-	for _, layer := range append(m.Layers, m.Config) {
+	for _, layer := range append(m.Layers, &m.Config) {
 		size += layer.Size
 	}
 
@@ -46,11 +46,13 @@ func (m *Manifest) Remove() error {
 }
 
 func (m *Manifest) RemoveLayers() error {
-	for _, layer := range append(m.Layers, m.Config) {
-		if err := layer.Remove(); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
-			slog.Debug("layer does not exist", "digest", layer.Digest)
-		} else if err != nil {
-			return err
+	for _, layer := range append(m.Layers, &m.Config) {
+		if layer.Digest != "" {
+			if err := layer.Remove(); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+				slog.Debug("layer does not exist", "digest", layer.Digest)
+			} else if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -113,7 +115,7 @@ func WriteManifest(name model.Name, config *Layer, layers []*Layer) error {
 	m := Manifest{
 		SchemaVersion: 2,
 		MediaType:     "application/vnd.docker.distribution.manifest.v2+json",
-		Config:        config,
+		Config:        *config,
 		Layers:        layers,
 	}
 
diff --git a/server/routes.go b/server/routes.go
index b9c66b65..e55eaa9d 100644
--- a/server/routes.go
+++ b/server/routes.go
@@ -824,17 +824,20 @@ func (s *Server) ListModelsHandler(c *gin.Context) {
 
 	models := []api.ListModelResponse{}
 	for n, m := range ms {
-		f, err := m.Config.Open()
-		if err != nil {
-			slog.Warn("bad manifest filepath", "name", n, "error", err)
-			continue
-		}
-		defer f.Close()
-
 		var cf ConfigV2
-		if err := json.NewDecoder(f).Decode(&cf); err != nil {
-			slog.Warn("bad manifest config", "name", n, "error", err)
-			continue
+
+		if m.Config.Digest != "" {
+			f, err := m.Config.Open()
+			if err != nil {
+				slog.Warn("bad manifest filepath", "name", n, "error", err)
+				continue
+			}
+			defer f.Close()
+
+			if err := json.NewDecoder(f).Decode(&cf); err != nil {
+				slog.Warn("bad manifest config", "name", n, "error", err)
+				continue
+			}
 		}
 
 		// tag should never be masked