diff --git a/src/local_coding_slm/ollama_client.py b/src/local_coding_slm/ollama_client.py
index 58b3a54..2a448ed 100644
--- a/src/local_coding_slm/ollama_client.py
+++ b/src/local_coding_slm/ollama_client.py
@@ -159,6 +159,11 @@ def list_model_names(settings: OllamaSettings | None = None) -> list[str]:
     return names
 
 
+def _model_present(tag: str, names: list[str]) -> bool:
+    """Exact tag, or the same tag with an Ollama suffix such as :latest."""
+    return any(name == tag or name.startswith(f"{tag}:") for name in names)
+
+
 def status_report(settings: OllamaSettings | None = None) -> str:
     settings = settings or OllamaSettings.from_env()
     try:
@@ -168,8 +173,8 @@ def status_report(settings: OllamaSettings | None = None) -> str:
             f"host={settings.host_label()} ok=false error={exc} "
             f"fast={settings.fast_model} strong={settings.strong_model}"
         )
-    have_fast = any(settings.fast_model in n for n in names)
-    have_strong = any(settings.strong_model in n for n in names)
+    have_fast = _model_present(settings.fast_model, names)
+    have_strong = _model_present(settings.strong_model, names)
     return (
         f"host={settings.host_label()} ok=true "
         f"fast={settings.fast_model} present={have_fast} "
diff --git a/tests/test_ollama_client.py b/tests/test_ollama_client.py
index 23e058e..2f6de50 100644
--- a/tests/test_ollama_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_ollama_client.py
@@ -164,6 +164,22 @@ def test_status_report_marks_present_models(self) -> None:
         self.assertIn("fast=qwen3.5:9b present=True", report)
         self.assertIn("strong=devstral-small-2 present=False", report)
 
+    def test_status_report_ignores_substring_model_names(self) -> None:
+        """A name that merely contains the tag is not that model. A :latest suffix is."""
+        payload = {
+            "models": [
+                {"name": "not-qwen3.5:9b-extra"},
+                {"name": "devstral-small-2:latest"},
+            ]
+        }
+        with patch(
+            "local_coding_slm.ollama_client._open",
+            return_value=_FakeResp(payload),
+        ):
+            report = status_report(self.settings)
+        self.assertIn("fast=qwen3.5:9b present=False", report)
+        self.assertIn("strong=devstral-small-2 present=True", report)
+
     def test_chat_returns_message_content(self) -> None:
         payload = {"message": {"content": "def ping(): return True"}}
         with patch(