diff --git a/cmd/cmd.go b/cmd/cmd.go
index 79cb85a5..0c3c6f97 100644
--- a/cmd/cmd.go
+++ b/cmd/cmd.go
@@ -275,6 +275,18 @@ func generate(cmd *cobra.Command, model, prompt string) error {
 		}
 
 		if err := client.Generate(context.Background(), &request, fn); err != nil {
+			if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "failed to load model") {
+				// tell the user to check the server log, if it exists locally
+				home, nestedErr := os.UserHomeDir()
+				if nestedErr != nil {
+					// return the original error
+					return err
+				}
+				logPath := filepath.Join(home, ".ollama", "logs", "server.log")
+				if _, nestedErr := os.Stat(logPath); nestedErr == nil {
+					err = fmt.Errorf("%w\nFor more details, check the error logs at %s", err, logPath)
+				}
+			}
 			return err
 		}