diff --git a/examples/server/api.md b/examples/server/api.md
index 02c83b5cc4..97cbd66cdf 100644
--- a/examples/server/api.md
+++ b/examples/server/api.md
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ available during loading. Model lists are empty when no model is loaded;
 | GET | `/sdcpp/v1/model-files` | `{files: [{id, name, category, root, relative_path}], errors: [...]}` |
 | POST | `/sdcpp/v1/models/refresh` | Rescan recipes and files; return `{errors: [...]}` |
 | GET | `/sdcpp/v1/models/status` | Current state, recipe, selection, error, loading time and optional revision |
-| POST | `/sdcpp/v1/models/load` | Load the submitted recipe and selection; return status after completion |
+| POST | `/sdcpp/v1/models/load` | Load the submitted recipe and selection; return status after completion. A load is a no-op returning the current status with `already_loaded: true` only when the state is ready and the fully resolved selection, the complete recipe object, and the resolved component paths all match the active model; a catalog refresh with modified recipe metadata or a retargeted model path therefore reloads even with an unchanged recipe ID and selection |
 | POST | `/sdcpp/v1/models/unload` | Release the active context; return empty status |
 
 Load request:
@@ -269,6 +269,14 @@ Legacy `category` fields remain accepted, but must match one of the slot's
 supported directories; they cannot redefine or restrict its search directories.
 At least one required `model` or `diffusion_model` slot is necessary.
 
+An optional top-level `models` object maps slot IDs to file IDs, providing
+recipe-local defaults for component selection. A load request may omit
+`models` entirely and load with the recipe's defaults. Selections sent in the
+request always override recipe defaults, slot by slot. An empty string
+disables a slot's recipe default (omitting the slot selects it); the empty
+key is then normalized out of the reported selection, so for slots without a
+recipe default an empty selection loads identically to an omitted one.
+
 `size_multiple` is a positive integer from 1 to 4096 that declares the width and
 height increment used by the web UI. It defaults to `8` when omitted; the UI also
 uses `8` before a recipe is selected. For example, `"size_multiple": 16` makes
diff --git a/examples/server/model_catalog.cpp b/examples/server/model_catalog.cpp
index 2617d60074..7daed533fe 100644
--- a/examples/server/model_catalog.cpp
+++ b/examples/server/model_catalog.cpp
@@ -66,6 +66,14 @@ static void clear_model_paths(SDContextParams& params) {
     }
 }
 
+bool component_paths_match(const SDContextParams& a, const SDContextParams& b) {
+    for (const auto& slot : k_model_slots) {
+        if ((a.*slot.field) != (b.*slot.field))
+            return false;
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
 std::string model_path_key(const fs::path& path) {
 #ifdef _WIN32
     const auto value = path.generic_wstring();
@@ -406,7 +414,7 @@ static void validate_video_constraints(const json& constraints) {
 }
 
 static void validate_recipe(const json& recipe) {
-    check_keys(recipe, {"schema_version", "id", "name", "description", "model_url", "slots", "required_any", "defaults", "context", "features", "disabled_features", "size_multiple", "video_constraints"});
+    check_keys(recipe, {"schema_version", "id", "name", "description", "model_url", "slots", "required_any", "models", "defaults", "context", "features", "disabled_features", "size_multiple", "video_constraints"});
     if (!recipe.at("schema_version").is_number_integer() || recipe.at("schema_version") != 1 ||
         !valid_identifier(recipe.at("id").get<std::string>()) || recipe.at("name").get<std::string>().empty()) {
         throw std::runtime_error("invalid schema_version, id or name");
@@ -449,6 +457,19 @@ static void validate_recipe(const json& recipe) {
     if (!has_required_model) {
         throw std::runtime_error("a required model or diffusion_model slot is needed");
     }
+    // Optional recipe-local model defaults: slot ID to file ID mappings that
+    // prefill slots a load request does not select itself.
+    if (recipe.contains("models")) {
+        const auto& recipe_models = recipe.at("models");
+        if (!recipe_models.is_object() || recipe_models.size() > 32)
+            throw std::runtime_error("models must be an object of at most 32 slot entries");
+        std::set<std::string> default_ids;
+        for (auto it = recipe_models.begin(); it != recipe_models.end(); ++it) {
+            if (!ids.count(it.key() == "taesd" ? "tae" : it.key()) || !it.value().is_string() || it.value().get<std::string>().empty() ||
+                !default_ids.insert(it.key() == "taesd" ? "tae" : it.key()).second)
+                throw std::runtime_error("unknown or invalid default model: " + it.key());
+        }
+    }
     if (recipe.contains("required_any")) {
         const auto& groups = recipe.at("required_any");
         if (!groups.is_array() || groups.size() > 32)
@@ -646,10 +667,11 @@ void initialize_server_models(ServerRuntime& runtime) {
     refresh_model_catalog(runtime);
 }
 
-void prepare_model_load(ServerRuntime& runtime, const json& body, SDContextParams& context, SDGenerationParams& defaults, json* loaded_recipe) {
+void prepare_model_load(ServerRuntime& runtime, json& body, SDContextParams& context, SDGenerationParams& defaults, json* loaded_recipe) {
     check_keys(body, {"recipe", "models"});
     const auto recipe_id = body.at("recipe").get<std::string>();
-    auto selection       = body.at("models");
+    // `models` is optional; unselected slots may fall back to recipe defaults below.
+    auto selection       = body.value("models", json::object());
     if (!selection.is_object())
         throw std::runtime_error("models must be an object");
     auto& models = *runtime.models;
@@ -664,6 +686,20 @@ void prepare_model_load(ServerRuntime& runtime, const json& body, SDContextParam
     defaults = models.base_defaults;
     apply_recipe_context(recipe.value("context", json::object()), context);
     apply_recipe_defaults(recipe.value("defaults", json::object()), defaults);
+    // Recipe-provided default models fill any slot the request did not select.
+    // An explicit selection blocks the default for that slot, including an
+    // empty string (a deliberate opt-out of the default). The tae/taesd pair
+    // is one slot: an explicit request selection of either spelling overrides
+    // the recipe default for that slot.
+    if (recipe.contains("models")) {
+        for (auto it = recipe.at("models").begin(); it != recipe.at("models").end(); ++it) {
+            if (selection.contains(it.key()))
+                continue;
+            if ((it.key() == "tae" || it.key() == "taesd") && (selection.contains("tae") || selection.contains("taesd")))
+                continue;
+            selection[it.key()] = it.value();
+        }
+    }
     std::set<std::string> allowed;
     for (const auto& slot : recipe.at("slots")) {
         const auto id = slot.at("id").get<std::string>();
@@ -675,6 +711,9 @@ void prepare_model_load(ServerRuntime& runtime, const json& body, SDContextParam
                 if (selection.contains(id))
                     throw std::runtime_error("specify only one of tae and taesd");
                 selection[id] = selection.at(alias);
+                // Keep only the declared spelling: equivalent loads must resolve
+                // to an identical selection for the idempotent-load comparison.
+                selection.erase(alias);
             }
         }
         const std::string file_id = selection.value(id, std::string());
@@ -698,6 +737,20 @@ void prepare_model_load(ServerRuntime& runtime, const json& body, SDContextParam
         if (!allowed.count(it.key()))
             throw std::runtime_error("unknown model slot: " + it.key());
     }
+    // Omitting an optional slot and sending it as an empty string resolve to
+    // the same context; drop the empty key so equivalent loads compare
+    // identically instead of rebuilding the context. The explicit empty
+    // string already overrode any recipe default during the merge, so its
+    // intent is preserved.
+    for (auto it = selection.begin(); it != selection.end();) {
+        if (!it->is_string() || !it->get<std::string>().empty()) {
+            ++it;
+            continue;
+        }
+        it = selection.erase(it);
+    }
+    // Echo the fully resolved selection (recipe defaults merged in) for status reporting.
+    body["models"] = selection;
     for (const auto& group : recipe.value("required_any", json::array())) {
         if (std::none_of(group.begin(), group.end(), [&](const json& value) {
                 return !selection.value(value.get<std::string>(), std::string()).empty();
diff --git a/examples/server/model_catalog.h b/examples/server/model_catalog.h
index 7d49a19241..2e45fd183f 100644
--- a/examples/server/model_catalog.h
+++ b/examples/server/model_catalog.h
@@ -51,6 +51,14 @@ void initialize_server_models(ServerRuntime& runtime);
 json resolve_recipe_features(const json& recipe);
 json model_generation_features(const ServerRuntime& runtime);
 
-void prepare_model_load(ServerRuntime& runtime, const json& body, SDContextParams& context, SDGenerationParams& defaults, json* loaded_recipe = nullptr);
+// Resolves the load request into context/generation params. `body` is updated
+// so `models` reflects the fully resolved selection (recipe defaults merged in),
+// letting the caller report exactly which components got loaded.
+void prepare_model_load(ServerRuntime& runtime, json& body, SDContextParams& context, SDGenerationParams& defaults, json* loaded_recipe = nullptr);
+
+// True when both parameter sets resolve to the same component files. File IDs
+// stay stable if a model directory symlink is retargeted inside the configured
+// root, so the idempotent-load check compares the resolved paths too.
+bool component_paths_match(const SDContextParams& a, const SDContextParams& b);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/examples/server/routes_models.cpp b/examples/server/routes_models.cpp
index 9e4e3963c1..f33057758c 100644
--- a/examples/server/routes_models.cpp
+++ b/examples/server/routes_models.cpp
@@ -84,8 +84,26 @@ static void change_model(ServerRuntime& runtime, const httplib::Request& req, ht
         }
     }
 
+    // Idempotent load: if this exact recipe and resolved selection are already
+    // active, report the current status instead of tearing down the context.
+    // Comparing full recipe objects (not just the id) also reloads when the
+    // catalog was refreshed with modified recipe metadata for the same id.
+    // Comparing resolved component paths catches the same file IDs resolving
+    // to different files (e.g. a model directory symlink retargeted inside
+    // the configured root since the catalog was last scanned).
+    if (!unload) {
+        json current = model_status(runtime);
+        if (current.value("state", "") == "ready" && current.value("recipe", json(nullptr)) == body.at("recipe") &&
+            current.value("models", json::object()) == body.at("models") && models.active_recipe == loaded_recipe &&
+            component_paths_match(*runtime.ctx_params, context)) {
+            current["already_loaded"] = true;
+            res.set_content(current.dump(), "application/json");
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
     const json recipe    = unload ? json(nullptr) : body.at("recipe");
-    const json selection = unload ? json::object() : body.at("models");
+    const json selection = unload ? json::object() : body.value("models", json::object());
     set_model_status(runtime, "loading", recipe, selection);
     try {
         runtime.sd_ctx = nullptr;