diff --git a/core/application/startup.go b/core/application/startup.go
index 25d965834..cf341dfa6 100644
--- a/core/application/startup.go
+++ b/core/application/startup.go
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ func New(opts ...config.AppOption) (*Application, error) {
 	}
 
 	for _, backend := range options.ExternalBackends {
-		if err := galleryop.InstallExternalBackend(options.Context, options.BackendGalleries, options.SystemState, application.ModelLoader(), nil, backend, "", "", options.RequireBackendIntegrity); err != nil {
+		if err := galleryop.InstallExternalBackend(options.Context, options.BackendGalleries, options.SystemState, application.ModelLoader(), nil, backend, "", "", false, options.RequireBackendIntegrity); err != nil {
 			xlog.Error("error installing external backend", "error", err)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/core/cli/backends.go b/core/cli/backends.go
index 88ecc2321..91449032d 100644
--- a/core/cli/backends.go
+++ b/core/cli/backends.go
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ func (bi *BackendsInstall) Run(ctx *cliContext.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	modelLoader := model.NewModelLoader(systemState)
-	err = galleryop.InstallExternalBackend(context.Background(), galleries, systemState, modelLoader, progressCallback, bi.BackendArgs, bi.Name, bi.Alias, bi.RequireBackendIntegrity)
+	err = galleryop.InstallExternalBackend(context.Background(), galleries, systemState, modelLoader, progressCallback, bi.BackendArgs, bi.Name, bi.Alias, false, bi.RequireBackendIntegrity)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/core/services/galleryop/backend_force_test.go b/core/services/galleryop/backend_force_test.go
index 35ee24b4b..d53999f3f 100644
--- a/core/services/galleryop/backend_force_test.go
+++ b/core/services/galleryop/backend_force_test.go
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ var _ = Describe("LocalBackendManager force semantics", func() {
 		backendsDir string
 		srcDir      string
 		mgr         *galleryop.LocalBackendManager
+		systemState *system.SystemState
+		ml          *model.ModelLoader
 	)
 
 	const installedRunSh = "#!/bin/sh\necho installed\n"
@@ -56,13 +58,14 @@ var _ = Describe("LocalBackendManager force semantics", func() {
 		Expect(os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(backendsDir, "test-backend"), 0o755)).To(Succeed())
 		Expect(os.WriteFile(installedRunShPath(), []byte(installedRunSh), 0o755)).To(Succeed())
 
-		systemState, err := system.GetSystemState(system.WithBackendPath(backendsDir))
+		systemState, err = system.GetSystemState(system.WithBackendPath(backendsDir))
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 		appConfig := &config.ApplicationConfig{
 			SystemState:      systemState,
 			BackendGalleries: []config.Gallery{{Name: "test", URL: "file://" + galleryYAML}},
 		}
-		mgr = galleryop.NewLocalBackendManager(appConfig, model.NewModelLoader(systemState))
+		ml = model.NewModelLoader(systemState)
+		mgr = galleryop.NewLocalBackendManager(appConfig, ml)
 	})
 
 	AfterEach(func() {
@@ -94,4 +97,18 @@ var _ = Describe("LocalBackendManager force semantics", func() {
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 		Expect(string(content)).To(Equal(galleryRunSh), "install with Force must overwrite the installed backend")
 	})
+
+	// The LOCALAI_EXTERNAL_BACKENDS boot loop goes through
+	// InstallExternalBackend's gallery-name path on EVERY startup; it must not
+	// force, or each boot re-downloads every listed backend.
+	It("skips an already-installed backend on the non-forced external gallery-name path", func() {
+		err := galleryop.InstallExternalBackend(context.Background(),
+			[]config.Gallery{{Name: "test", URL: "file://" + filepath.Join(backendsDir, "gallery.yaml")}},
+			systemState, ml, nil, "test-backend", "", "", false, false)
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
+		content, err := os.ReadFile(installedRunShPath())
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+		Expect(string(content)).To(Equal(installedRunSh), "non-forced external install must not overwrite an installed backend")
+	})
 })
diff --git a/core/services/galleryop/backends.go b/core/services/galleryop/backends.go
index 4576cf9cb..0ad1e64c9 100644
--- a/core/services/galleryop/backends.go
+++ b/core/services/galleryop/backends.go
@@ -144,7 +144,12 @@ func (g *GalleryService) backendHandler(op *ManagementOp[gallery.GalleryBackend,
 // InstallExternalBackend installs a backend from an external source (OCI image, URL, or path).
 // This method contains the logic to detect the input type and call the appropriate installation function.
 // It can be used by both CLI and Web UI for installing backends from external sources.
-func InstallExternalBackend(ctx context.Context, galleries []config.Gallery, systemState *system.SystemState, modelLoader *model.ModelLoader, downloadStatus func(string, string, string, float64), backend, name, alias string, requireIntegrity bool) error {
+//
+// force applies only to the gallery-name fallback: a URI install (dir/OCI/file)
+// always writes, but a bare gallery name is an "ensure installed" — the
+// LOCALAI_EXTERNAL_BACKENDS boot loop runs it on every start and must not
+// re-download an installed, runnable backend.
+func InstallExternalBackend(ctx context.Context, galleries []config.Gallery, systemState *system.SystemState, modelLoader *model.ModelLoader, downloadStatus func(string, string, string, float64), backend, name, alias string, force, requireIntegrity bool) error {
 	uri := downloader.URI(backend)
 	switch {
 	case uri.LooksLikeDir():
@@ -202,7 +207,7 @@ func InstallExternalBackend(ctx context.Context, galleries []config.Gallery, sys
 		if name != "" || alias != "" {
 			return fmt.Errorf("specifying a name or alias is not supported for gallery backends")
 		}
-		err := gallery.InstallBackendFromGallery(ctx, galleries, systemState, modelLoader, backend, downloadStatus, true, requireIntegrity)
+		err := gallery.InstallBackendFromGallery(ctx, galleries, systemState, modelLoader, backend, downloadStatus, force, requireIntegrity)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error installing backend %s: %w", backend, err)
 		}
diff --git a/core/services/galleryop/backends_test.go b/core/services/galleryop/backends_test.go
index c9e0fbc1c..a7a7b70a3 100644
--- a/core/services/galleryop/backends_test.go
+++ b/core/services/galleryop/backends_test.go
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ var _ = Describe("InstallExternalBackend", func() {
 				"test-backend", // gallery name
 				"custom-name",  // name should not be allowed
 				"",
+				false, // force
 				false,
 			)
 			Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ var _ = Describe("InstallExternalBackend", func() {
 				"non-existent-backend",
 				"",
 				"",
+				false, // force
 				false,
 			)
 			Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
@@ -103,6 +105,7 @@ var _ = Describe("InstallExternalBackend", func() {
 				"oci://quay.io/mudler/tests:localai-backend-test",
 				"", // name is required for OCI images
 				"",
+				false, // force
 				false,
 			)
 			Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
@@ -136,6 +139,7 @@ var _ = Describe("InstallExternalBackend", func() {
 				testBackendPath,
 				"", // name should be inferred as "source-backend"
 				"",
+				false, // force
 				false,
 			)
 			// The function should at least attempt to install with the inferred name
@@ -155,6 +159,7 @@ var _ = Describe("InstallExternalBackend", func() {
 				testBackendPath,
 				"custom-backend-name",
 				"",
+				false, // force
 				false,
 			)
 			// The function should use the provided name
@@ -173,6 +178,7 @@ var _ = Describe("InstallExternalBackend", func() {
 				testBackendPath,
 				"custom-backend-name",
 				"custom-alias",
+				false, // force
 				false,
 			)
 			// The function should accept alias for directory paths
diff --git a/core/services/galleryop/managers_local.go b/core/services/galleryop/managers_local.go
index f95d2c482..338a097b4 100644
--- a/core/services/galleryop/managers_local.go
+++ b/core/services/galleryop/managers_local.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func (b *LocalBackendManager) CheckUpgrades(ctx context.Context) (map[string]gal
 func (b *LocalBackendManager) InstallBackend(ctx context.Context, op *ManagementOp[gallery.GalleryBackend, any], progressCb ProgressCallback) error {
 	if op.ExternalURI != "" {
 		return InstallExternalBackend(ctx, b.backendGalleries, b.systemState, b.modelLoader,
-			progressCb, op.ExternalURI, op.ExternalName, op.ExternalAlias, b.requireBackendIntegrity)
+			progressCb, op.ExternalURI, op.ExternalName, op.ExternalAlias, op.Force, b.requireBackendIntegrity)
 	}
 	// op.Force distinguishes an explicit reinstall from an idempotent
 	// "make sure it's installed" op; the latter must not re-download an
diff --git a/core/services/worker/install.go b/core/services/worker/install.go
index f7b65acf8..bcc7cc9b0 100644
--- a/core/services/worker/install.go
+++ b/core/services/worker/install.go
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ func (s *backendSupervisor) installBackend(req messaging.BackendInstallRequest,
 		if req.URI != "" {
 			xlog.Info("Installing backend from external URI", "backend", req.Backend, "uri", req.URI, "force", force)
 			if err := galleryop.InstallExternalBackend(
-				context.Background(), galleries, s.systemState, s.ml, downloadCb, req.URI, req.Name, req.Alias, s.cfg.RequireBackendIntegrity,
+				context.Background(), galleries, s.systemState, s.ml, downloadCb, req.URI, req.Name, req.Alias, force, s.cfg.RequireBackendIntegrity,
 			); err != nil {
 				return "", fmt.Errorf("installing backend from gallery: %w", err)
 			}
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ func (s *backendSupervisor) upgradeBackend(req messaging.BackendUpgradeRequest)
 	if req.URI != "" {
 		xlog.Info("Upgrading backend from external URI", "backend", req.Backend, "uri", req.URI)
 		if err := galleryop.InstallExternalBackend(
-			context.Background(), galleries, s.systemState, s.ml, downloadCb, req.URI, req.Name, req.Alias, s.cfg.RequireBackendIntegrity,
+			context.Background(), galleries, s.systemState, s.ml, downloadCb, req.URI, req.Name, req.Alias, true, s.cfg.RequireBackendIntegrity,
 		); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("upgrading backend from external URI: %w", err)
 		}