diff --git a/server/images.go b/server/images.go
index 9d2e1959..584b7b13 100644
--- a/server/images.go
+++ b/server/images.go
@@ -690,7 +690,8 @@ func CopyModel(src, dst model.Name) error {
 }
 
 func deleteUnusedLayers(deleteMap map[string]struct{}) error {
-	manifests, err := Manifests()
+	// Ignore corrupt manifests to avoid blocking deletion of layers that are freshly orphaned
+	manifests, err := Manifests(true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -853,8 +854,8 @@ func PullModel(ctx context.Context, name string, regOpts *registryOptions, fn fu
 	manifest, _, err := GetManifest(mp)
 	if errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
 		// noop
-	} else if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
-		return err
+	} else if err != nil {
+		slog.Warn("pulling model with bad existing manifest", "name", name, "error", err)
 	} else {
 		for _, l := range manifest.Layers {
 			deleteMap[l.Digest] = struct{}{}
diff --git a/server/layer.go b/server/layer.go
index 0bdee72b..f1fbabea 100644
--- a/server/layer.go
+++ b/server/layer.go
@@ -106,7 +106,8 @@ func (l *Layer) Remove() error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	ms, err := Manifests()
+	// Ignore corrupt manifests to avoid blocking deletion of layers that are freshly orphaned
+	ms, err := Manifests(true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/server/manifest.go b/server/manifest.go
index 6b04753f..0d348dd0 100644
--- a/server/manifest.go
+++ b/server/manifest.go
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func WriteManifest(name model.Name, config Layer, layers []Layer) error {
 	return json.NewEncoder(f).Encode(m)
 }
 
-func Manifests() (map[model.Name]*Manifest, error) {
+func Manifests(continueOnError bool) (map[model.Name]*Manifest, error) {
 	manifests, err := GetManifestPath()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -145,22 +145,29 @@ func Manifests() (map[model.Name]*Manifest, error) {
 		if !fi.IsDir() {
 			rel, err := filepath.Rel(manifests, match)
 			if err != nil {
+				if !continueOnError {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s %w", match, err)
+				}
 				slog.Warn("bad filepath", "path", match, "error", err)
 				continue
 			}
 
 			n := model.ParseNameFromFilepath(rel)
 			if !n.IsValid() {
+				if !continueOnError {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s %w", rel, err)
+				}
 				slog.Warn("bad manifest name", "path", rel)
 				continue
 			}
 
 			m, err := ParseNamedManifest(n)
-			if syntax := &(json.SyntaxError{}); errors.As(err, &syntax) {
+			if err != nil {
+				if !continueOnError {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s %w", n, err)
+				}
 				slog.Warn("bad manifest", "name", n, "error", err)
 				continue
-			} else if err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", n, err)
 			}
 
 			ms[n] = m
diff --git a/server/manifest_test.go b/server/manifest_test.go
index 70ab7fa2..d94deefb 100644
--- a/server/manifest_test.go
+++ b/server/manifest_test.go
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ func TestManifests(t *testing.T) {
 				createManifest(t, d, p)
 			}
 
-			ms, err := Manifests()
+			ms, err := Manifests(true)
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatal(err)
 			}
diff --git a/server/routes.go b/server/routes.go
index 1d7a9559..c5fd3293 100644
--- a/server/routes.go
+++ b/server/routes.go
@@ -622,7 +622,7 @@ func (s *Server) PushHandler(c *gin.Context) {
 }
 
 func checkNameExists(name model.Name) error {
-	names, err := Manifests()
+	names, err := Manifests(true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -894,7 +894,7 @@ func getKVData(digest string, verbose bool) (llm.KV, error) {
 }
 
 func (s *Server) ListHandler(c *gin.Context) {
-	ms, err := Manifests()
+	ms, err := Manifests(true)
 	if err != nil {
 		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
 		return
@@ -1211,18 +1211,22 @@ func Serve(ln net.Listener) error {
 	}
 
 	if !envconfig.NoPrune() {
-		// clean up unused layers and manifests
-		if err := PruneLayers(); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		if _, err := Manifests(false); err != nil {
+			slog.Warn("corrupt manifests detected, skipping prune operation.  Re-pull or delete to clear", "error", err)
+		} else {
+			// clean up unused layers and manifests
+			if err := PruneLayers(); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 
-		manifestsPath, err := GetManifestPath()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+			manifestsPath, err := GetManifestPath()
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 
-		if err := PruneDirectory(manifestsPath); err != nil {
-			return err
+			if err := PruneDirectory(manifestsPath); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
 	}