diff --git a/router/router.py b/router/router.py
index ffdceb8..fba7836 100644
--- a/router/router.py
+++ b/router/router.py
@@ -59,7 +59,10 @@ def gpu_incr(model):
     if r: r.incr("active:" + model)
 
 def gpu_decr(model):
-    if r: r.decr("active:" + model)
+    if r:
+        v = r.decr("active:" + model)
+        if v and int(v) < 0:
+            r.set("active:" + model, 0)  # never go negative
 
 def check_gpu_health(model):
     url = GPU_SIDECARS.get(model)
@@ -69,7 +72,16 @@ def check_gpu_health(model):
         if resp.status_code == 200:
             d = resp.json()
             pct = (d.get("vram_used_mb",0) / max(d.get("vram_total_mb",1), 1)) * 100
-            return {"status": "healthy" if pct < 90 else "saturated", "vram_used_mb": d.get("vram_used_mb"), "vram_total_mb": d.get("vram_total_mb"), "vram_pct": round(pct,1), "temp_c": d.get("temp_c"), "gpu_util_pct": d.get("gpu_util_pct"), "gpu_name": d.get("gpu_name"), "power_w": d.get("power_w"), "power_limit_w": d.get("power_limit_w")}
+            status = "healthy" if pct < 90 else "saturated"
+            # Also check if llama.cpp endpoint is actually responding
+            gpu_url = GPU_URLS.get(model, "")
+            try:
+                hr = requests.get(gpu_url.replace("/v1","") + "/health", headers={"Authorization": "Bearer not-needed"}, timeout=3)
+                if hr.status_code != 200:
+                    status = "down"
+            except Exception:
+                status = "down"
+            return {"status": status, "vram_used_mb": d.get("vram_used_mb"), "vram_total_mb": d.get("vram_total_mb"), "vram_pct": round(pct,1), "temp_c": d.get("temp_c"), "gpu_util_pct": d.get("gpu_util_pct"), "gpu_name": d.get("gpu_name"), "power_w": d.get("power_w"), "power_limit_w": d.get("power_limit_w")}
     except Exception: pass
     return {"status": "down"}
 
@@ -230,10 +242,7 @@ def chat():
         bcast()
         return jsonify(data)
     except requests.Timeout:
-        try: gpu_decr(model)
-        except: pass
         return jsonify({"error":"timeout"}), 504
-    except Exception as e:
         log.error("Error: %s\n%s", e, traceback.format_exc())
         return jsonify({"error":str(e)}), 500