diff --git a/services/api/.env.example b/services/api/.env.example
index d66f233..3aa0a6a 100644
--- a/services/api/.env.example
+++ b/services/api/.env.example
@@ -20,6 +20,20 @@ ALLOW_MODEL_PARAMETER_CHANGE=true
 # Ollama clients and HuggingFace by using the API default model instead.
 IGNORE_MODEL_REQUEST=false
 
+# Enables proxying of non-RAG Ollama API endpoints directly to the Ollama instance.
+# If API key authentication is enabled, requests must be authenticated accordingly.
+# This includes endpoints such as:
+# - /api/tags
+# - /api/pull
+# - /api/generate
+ENABLE_OLLAMA_PROXY=true
+
+# Enabling Chipper RAG bypass will route chat messages directly to the Ollama instance
+# without applying any RAG embedding steps. This can be useful for debugging but goes
+# against the intended purpose of this project. It can also be used to add an API key
+# to your Ollama instance, though this is not recommended.
+BYPASS_OLLAMA_RAG=false
+
 # Embedding
 EMBEDDING_MODEL_NAME=snowflake-arctic-embed2
 HF_EMBEDDING_MODEL_NAME=sentence-transformers/all-mpnet-base-v2
diff --git a/services/api/src/api/config.py b/services/api/src/api/config.py
index 14cb17f..3e5be49 100644
--- a/services/api/src/api/config.py
+++ b/services/api/src/api/config.py
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@
     os.getenv("ALLOW_MODEL_PARAMETER_CHANGE", "true").lower() == "true"
 )
 IGNORE_MODEL_REQUEST = os.getenv("IGNORE_MODEL_REQUEST", "true").lower() == "true"
+ENABLE_OLLAMA_PROXY = os.getenv("ENABLE_OLLAMA_PROXY", "true").lower() == "true"
+BYPASS_OLLAMA_RAG = os.getenv("BYPASS_OLLAMA_RAG", "false").lower() == "true"
+
 DEBUG = os.getenv("DEBUG", "true").lower() == "true"
 
 # Rate limiting configuration
diff --git a/services/api/src/api/middleware.py b/services/api/src/api/middleware.py
index 6d42d2e..e409757 100644
--- a/services/api/src/api/middleware.py
+++ b/services/api/src/api/middleware.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ def internal_error(error):
 def setup_request_logging_middleware(app):
     @app.before_request
     def log_request_info():
-        if request.path == "/health":
+        if request.path == "/" or request.path == "/health":
             return
 
         log_data = {
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ def log_request_info():
             "request_id": request.headers.get("X-Request-ID"),
         }
 
-        logger.info("Incoming request", extra=log_data)
+        logger.debug("Incoming request", extra=log_data)
 
 
 def init_middleware(app):
diff --git a/services/api/src/api/ollama_proxy.py b/services/api/src/api/ollama_proxy.py
index a5b36c8..29a30e1 100644
--- a/services/api/src/api/ollama_proxy.py
+++ b/services/api/src/api/ollama_proxy.py
@@ -10,12 +10,45 @@
 
 
 class OllamaProxy:
+    """
+    A proxy class for interacting with the Ollama API.
+
+    This class provides methods for all Ollama API endpoints, handling both streaming
+    and non-streaming responses, and managing various model operations.
+    Ref: https://github.com/ollama/ollama/blob/main/docs/api.md
+    """
+
     def __init__(self, base_url: Optional[str] = None):
+        """
+        Initialize the OllamaProxy with a base URL.
+
+        Args:
+            base_url: The base URL for the Ollama API. Defaults to environment variable
+                     OLLAMA_URL or 'http://localhost:11434'
+        """
         self.base_url = base_url or os.getenv("OLLAMA_URL", "http://localhost:11434")
 
-    def _proxy_request(self, path: str, method: str = "GET", stream: bool = False):
+    def _proxy_request(
+        self, path: str, method: str = "GET", stream: bool = False
+    ) -> Response:
+        """
+        Make a proxied request to the Ollama API.
+
+        Args:
+            path: The API endpoint path
+            method: The HTTP method to use
+            stream: Whether to stream the response
+
+        Returns:
+            A Flask Response object
+        """
         url = f"{self.base_url}{path}"
-        headers = {k: v for k, v in request.headers if k != "Host"}
+        headers = {
+            k: v
+            for k, v in request.headers.items()
+            if k.lower() not in ["host", "transfer-encoding"]
+        }
+
         data = request.get_data() if method != "GET" else None
 
         try:
@@ -33,23 +66,30 @@ def _proxy_request(self, path: str, method: str = "GET", stream: bool = False):
                 json.dumps({"error": str(e)}), status=500, mimetype="application/json"
             )
 
-    def _handle_streaming_response(self, response):
+    def _handle_streaming_response(self, response: requests.Response) -> Response:
+        """Handle streaming responses from the Ollama API."""
+
         def generate():
-            for chunk in response.iter_content(chunk_size=None):
-                yield chunk
+            try:
+                for chunk in response.iter_content(chunk_size=None):
+                    if chunk:
+                        yield chunk
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error streaming response: {str(e)}")
+                yield json.dumps({"error": str(e)}).encode()
+
+        response_headers = {
+            "Content-Type": response.headers.get("Content-Type", "application/json")
+        }
 
         return Response(
             stream_with_context(generate()),
             status=response.status_code,
-            headers={
-                "Content-Type": response.headers.get(
-                    "Content-Type", "application/json"
-                ),
-                "Transfer-Encoding": "chunked",
-            },
+            headers=response_headers,
         )
 
-    def _handle_standard_response(self, response):
+    def _handle_standard_response(self, response: requests.Response) -> Response:
+        """Handle non-streaming responses from the Ollama API."""
         return Response(
             response.content,
             status=response.status_code,
@@ -58,11 +98,66 @@ def _handle_standard_response(self, response):
             },
         )
 
-    def generate(self):
+    # Generation endpoints
+    def generate(self) -> Response:
+        """Generate a completion for a given prompt."""
         return self._proxy_request("/api/generate", "POST", stream=True)
 
-    def tags(self):
-        return self._proxy_request("/api/tags", "GET")
+    def chat(self) -> Response:
+        """Generate the next message in a chat conversation."""
+        return self._proxy_request("/api/chat", "POST", stream=True)
+
+    def embeddings(self) -> Response:
+        """Generate embeddings (legacy endpoint)."""
+        return self._proxy_request("/api/embeddings", "POST")
 
-    def pull(self):
+    def embed(self) -> Response:
+        """Generate embeddings from a model."""
+        return self._proxy_request("/api/embed", "POST")
+
+    # Model management endpoints
+    def create(self) -> Response:
+        """Create a model."""
+        return self._proxy_request("/api/create", "POST", stream=True)
+
+    def show(self) -> Response:
+        """Show model information."""
+        return self._proxy_request("/api/show", "POST")
+
+    def copy(self) -> Response:
+        """Copy a model."""
+        return self._proxy_request("/api/copy", "POST")
+
+    def delete(self) -> Response:
+        """Delete a model."""
+        return self._proxy_request("/api/delete", "DELETE")
+
+    def pull(self) -> Response:
+        """Pull a model from the Ollama library."""
         return self._proxy_request("/api/pull", "POST", stream=True)
+
+    def push(self) -> Response:
+        """Push a model to the Ollama library."""
+        return self._proxy_request("/api/push", "POST", stream=True)
+
+    # Blob management endpoints
+    def check_blob(self, digest: str) -> Response:
+        """Check if a blob exists."""
+        return self._proxy_request(f"/api/blobs/{digest}", "HEAD")
+
+    def push_blob(self, digest: str) -> Response:
+        """Push a blob to the server."""
+        return self._proxy_request(f"/api/blobs/{digest}", "POST")
+
+    # Model listing and status endpoints
+    def list_local_models(self) -> Response:
+        """List models available locally."""
+        return self._proxy_request("/api/tags", "GET")
+
+    def list_running_models(self) -> Response:
+        """List models currently loaded in memory."""
+        return self._proxy_request("/api/ps", "GET")
+
+    def version(self) -> Response:
+        """Get the Ollama version."""
+        return self._proxy_request("/api/version", "GET")
diff --git a/services/api/src/api/ollama_routes.py b/services/api/src/api/ollama_routes.py
index 7f570eb..a8a6eb5 100644
--- a/services/api/src/api/ollama_routes.py
+++ b/services/api/src/api/ollama_routes.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import os
 
-from api.config import logger
+from api.config import BYPASS_OLLAMA_RAG, logger
 from api.middleware import require_api_key
 from api.ollama_proxy import OllamaProxy
 
@@ -11,7 +11,21 @@ def __init__(self, app, proxy: OllamaProxy):
         self.proxy = proxy
         self.register_routes()
 
+        if BYPASS_OLLAMA_RAG:
+            self.register_bypass_routes()
+
+    def register_bypass_routes(self):
+        @self.app.route("/api/chat", methods=["POST"])
+        @require_api_key
+        def chat():
+            try:
+                return self.proxy.chat()
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error in chat endpoint: {e}")
+                return {"error": str(e)}, 500
+
     def register_routes(self):
+        # Generation endpoints
         @self.app.route("/api/generate", methods=["POST"])
         @require_api_key
         def generate():
@@ -21,13 +35,59 @@ def generate():
                 logger.error(f"Error in generate endpoint: {e}")
                 return {"error": str(e)}, 500
 
-        @self.app.route("/api/tags", methods=["GET"])
+        @self.app.route("/api/embeddings", methods=["POST"])
+        @require_api_key
+        def embeddings():
+            try:
+                return self.proxy.embeddings()
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error in embeddings endpoint: {e}")
+                return {"error": str(e)}, 500
+
+        @self.app.route("/api/embed", methods=["POST"])
+        @require_api_key
+        def embed():
+            try:
+                return self.proxy.embed()
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error in embed endpoint: {e}")
+                return {"error": str(e)}, 500
+
+        # Model management endpoints
+        @self.app.route("/api/create", methods=["POST"])
+        @require_api_key
+        def create():
+            try:
+                return self.proxy.create()
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error in create endpoint: {e}")
+                return {"error": str(e)}, 500
+
+        @self.app.route("/api/show", methods=["POST"])
+        @require_api_key
+        def show():
+            try:
+                return self.proxy.show()
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error in show endpoint: {e}")
+                return {"error": str(e)}, 500
+
+        @self.app.route("/api/copy", methods=["POST"])
+        @require_api_key
+        def copy():
+            try:
+                return self.proxy.copy()
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error in copy endpoint: {e}")
+                return {"error": str(e)}, 500
+
+        @self.app.route("/api/delete", methods=["DELETE"])
         @require_api_key
-        def tags():
+        def delete():
             try:
-                return self.proxy.tags()
+                return self.proxy.delete()
             except Exception as e:
-                logger.error(f"Error in tags endpoint: {e}")
+                logger.error(f"Error in delete endpoint: {e}")
                 return {"error": str(e)}, 500
 
         @self.app.route("/api/pull", methods=["POST"])
@@ -39,10 +99,66 @@ def pull():
                 logger.error(f"Error in pull endpoint: {e}")
                 return {"error": str(e)}, 500
 
+        @self.app.route("/api/push", methods=["POST"])
+        @require_api_key
+        def push():
+            try:
+                return self.proxy.push()
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error in push endpoint: {e}")
+                return {"error": str(e)}, 500
+
+        # Blob management endpoints
+        @self.app.route("/api/blobs/<digest>", methods=["HEAD"])
+        @require_api_key
+        def check_blob(digest):
+            try:
+                return self.proxy.check_blob(digest)
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error in check_blob endpoint: {e}")
+                return {"error": str(e)}, 500
+
+        @self.app.route("/api/blobs/<digest>", methods=["POST"])
+        @require_api_key
+        def push_blob(digest):
+            try:
+                return self.proxy.push_blob(digest)
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error in push_blob endpoint: {e}")
+                return {"error": str(e)}, 500
+
+        # Model listing and status endpoints
+        @self.app.route("/api/tags", methods=["GET"])
+        @require_api_key
+        def list_local_models():
+            try:
+                return self.proxy.list_local_models()
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error in list_local_models endpoint: {e}")
+                return {"error": str(e)}, 500
+
+        @self.app.route("/api/ps", methods=["GET"])
+        @require_api_key
+        def list_running_models():
+            try:
+                return self.proxy.list_running_models()
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error in list_running_models endpoint: {e}")
+                return {"error": str(e)}, 500
+
+        @self.app.route("/api/version", methods=["GET"])
+        @require_api_key
+        def version():
+            try:
+                return self.proxy.version()
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error in version endpoint: {e}")
+                return {"error": str(e)}, 500
+
 
-def setup_ollama_routes(app):
+def setup_ollama_proxy_routes(app):
     ollama_url = os.getenv("OLLAMA_URL", "http://localhost:11434")
     proxy = OllamaProxy(ollama_url)
     OllamaRoutes(app, proxy)
-    logger.info(f"Initialized Ollama routes with URL: {ollama_url}")
+    logger.info(f"Initialized Ollama proxy routes with Ollama URL: {ollama_url}")
     return proxy
diff --git a/services/api/src/api/routes.py b/services/api/src/api/routes.py
index 6ede8b5..717684f 100644
--- a/services/api/src/api/routes.py
+++ b/services/api/src/api/routes.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def log_request_info(request):
     logger.info("Request: %s", json.dumps(request_info, indent=None, sort_keys=True))
 
 
-def register_chat_routes(app: Flask):
+def register_rag_chat_route(app: Flask):
     @app.route("/api/chat", methods=["POST"])
     @require_api_key
     def chat():
@@ -82,7 +82,12 @@ def chat():
                     or "content" not in message
                 ):
                     abort(400, description="Invalid message format")
-                if message["role"] not in ["system", "user", "assistant", "tool"]:
+                if message["role"] != "" and message["role"] not in [
+                    "system",
+                    "user",
+                    "assistant",
+                    "tool",
+                ]:
                     abort(400, description="Invalid message role")
 
             # Optional parameters
diff --git a/services/api/src/api/routes_setup.py b/services/api/src/api/routes_setup.py
index af03842..dce1674 100644
--- a/services/api/src/api/routes_setup.py
+++ b/services/api/src/api/routes_setup.py
@@ -1,21 +1,33 @@
-from api.config import PROVIDER_IS_OLLAMA, logger
-from api.ollama_routes import setup_ollama_routes
-from api.routes import register_chat_routes, register_health_routes
+from api.config import (
+    BYPASS_OLLAMA_RAG,
+    ENABLE_OLLAMA_PROXY,
+    PROVIDER_IS_OLLAMA,
+    logger,
+)
+from api.ollama_routes import setup_ollama_proxy_routes
+from api.routes import register_health_routes, register_rag_chat_route
 from flask import Flask
 
 
 def setup_all_routes(app: Flask):
     try:
-        if PROVIDER_IS_OLLAMA:
-            # Setup Ollama-specific routes
-            setup_ollama_routes(app)
-            logger.info("Ollama routes registered successfully")
+        if PROVIDER_IS_OLLAMA and ENABLE_OLLAMA_PROXY:
+            # Setup Ollama proxy routes
+            setup_ollama_proxy_routes(app)
+            logger.info("Ollama proxy routes registered successfully")
 
-        # Setup chat routes (chat, streaming, etc)
-        register_chat_routes(app)
-        logger.info("Chat routes registered successfully")
+        # Setup internal RAG pipeline routes
+        if not BYPASS_OLLAMA_RAG or not PROVIDER_IS_OLLAMA:
+            register_rag_chat_route(app)
+            logger.info(
+                "Chat routes registered successfully: RAG and embedding enabled."
+            )
+        else:
+            logger.warning(
+                "Chat routes bypassed! RAG is disabled, and embeddings will not be used."
+            )
 
-        # Setup health check and basic routes
+        # Setup health check routes
         register_health_routes(app)
         logger.info("Health check routes registered successfully")
 
diff --git a/services/api/src/core/rag_pipeline.py b/services/api/src/core/rag_pipeline.py
index 8e20384..c6a58f7 100644
--- a/services/api/src/core/rag_pipeline.py
+++ b/services/api/src/core/rag_pipeline.py
@@ -180,8 +180,10 @@ def run_query(
         print_response: bool = False,
         use_embeddings: bool = True,
     ) -> Optional[dict]:
-        self.logger.info(f"\nProcessing Query: {query}")
-        self.logger.info(f"Conversation history present: {bool(conversation)}")
+        self.logger.info("Processing Query...")
+        self.logger.info(
+            f"Conversation history present: {bool(conversation)}; history length: {len(conversation)}"
+        )
 
         if not self.query_pipeline:
             self.logger.info("Query pipeline not initialized. Creating new pipeline...")
@@ -208,7 +210,8 @@ def run_query(
                 self.conversation_logger.log_conversation(query, response, conversation)
 
             if print_response and response["llm"]["replies"]:
-                logging.info("Response: " + response["llm"]["replies"][0])
+                self.logger.info("Query: " + query)
+                self.logger.info("Response: " + response["llm"]["replies"][0])
 
             return response