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[GH-ISSUE #17984] issue: Embedding and Reranker models do not work after reinstalling OpenWebUI and importing a JSON file #33986
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Originally created by @Cyp9715 on GitHub (Oct 2, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/17984
Check Existing Issues
Installation Method
Docker
Open WebUI Version
v0.6.32
Ollama Version (if applicable)
No response
Operating System
Ubuntu 24.04
Browser (if applicable)
Firefix 143.0.1
Confirmation
README.md.This bug can be reproduced by completely removing both OpenWebUI's volumes and images, performing a fresh installation, and then importing the configuration.
Expected Behavior
After importing a configuration JSON file through
Admin Panel → Settings → Database → Import Config from JSON File, the Embedding and Re-ranker models should be automatically applied and functional without requiring additional manual intervention.Actual Behavior
The Embedding and Re-ranker models remain non-functional after importing the JSON configuration file. They only become operational after manually navigating to
Admin Panel → Documentsand clicking the Save button.Steps to Reproduce
Export Config to JSON File).Admin Panel → Settings → DatabaseImport Config from JSON FileAdmin Panel → DocumentsLogs & Screenshots
This log was captured after importing the JSON configuration, attaching a document in the chat, and submitting a question.
Additional Information
The following error message is notable in the logs:
b'{"status":{"error":"Wrong input: Vector dimension error: expected dim: 1024, got 384"},"time":0.000194736}'This is not an issue with the actual vector DB itself, but rather a bug caused by OpenWebUI loading the default embedding model because the Save button was not clicked despite importing the configuration.(resulting in mismatched vector dimensions, as the existing vector DB contains 1024-dimensional vectors)
Clicking the Save button applies the correctly imported vector model, which resolves the error and restores normal functionality.
At first glance, this may not seem like a bug, but when importing saved configuration each time OpenWebUI is installed, users would reasonably expect all functionality to work normally. In fact, visiting the Documents page confirms that the configuration values are properly registered.
However, since these settings are not actually applied unless the Save button is clicked on the Documents page, this creates a confusing user experience and represents a clear bug, which is why I am raising this issue.
@fishfree commented on GitHub (Oct 28, 2025):
@Cyp9715 Would you pls share your configiruations screenshot? Mine is below:
But it doesn't work, always "no sources found".
@Cyp9715 commented on GitHub (Oct 28, 2025):
@fishfree
First, I cannot attach screenshots due to current environmental issues.
Also, while there doesn't seem to be a major problem with the settings, please try disabling the hybrid engine first and then run it again.
As far as I know, the addresses for the hybrid engine and Reranking Engine should not be /v1.
your question unrelated to that issue.
@Zenopheus commented on GitHub (Nov 19, 2025):
I'm trying to do the exact same thing with the same models. All I get (after waiting) is "no sources found".
There is NO feedback about what is happening! I have to test it every time and wait for "No sources found" and guess that the reranker is the problem. Why can you check the URL via the admin panel? Why does it take so long to give me a result?! It sits there grinding on the CPU way before it sends (no results) to the LLM. Did it retrieve anything is it trying to rerank on the CPU? No feedback.
I keep reading "disable hybrid engine." First off, if that's an issue, can we address that? Second, why would I want to do that if it disabled reranking?
Sorry for being so direct, but I had to stop using Open WebUI months ago because I was getting so frustrated with RAG and the lack of feedback. It's so much easier to load a model with large context model and use llama-server UI, but I want to use Open-WebUI instead.
@Zenopheus commented on GitHub (Nov 19, 2025):
Update
How to use llama-server as a reranker
To use llama-server with reranking:
In Open-WebUI unders Admin setttings:
Bugs: