diff --git a/server/routes.go b/server/routes.go
index 16df3f4fc..e5e6dd5af 100644
--- a/server/routes.go
+++ b/server/routes.go
@@ -262,6 +262,12 @@ func (s *Server) GenerateHandler(c *gin.Context) {
 			slog.Warn("embedded messages in the model not supported with '/api/generate'; try '/api/chat' instead")
 		}
 
+		contentType := "application/x-ndjson"
+		if req.Stream != nil && !*req.Stream {
+			contentType = "application/json; charset=utf-8"
+		}
+		c.Header("Content-Type", contentType)
+
 		fn := func(resp api.GenerateResponse) error {
 			resp.Model = origModel
 			resp.RemoteModel = m.Config.RemoteModel
@@ -303,12 +309,6 @@ func (s *Server) GenerateHandler(c *gin.Context) {
 			return
 		}
 
-		contentType := "application/json; charset=utf-8"
-		if req.Stream != nil && *req.Stream {
-			contentType = "application/x-ndjson"
-		}
-		c.Header("Content-Type", contentType)
-
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -1939,6 +1939,12 @@ func (s *Server) ChatHandler(c *gin.Context) {
 			}
 		}
 
+		contentType := "application/x-ndjson"
+		if req.Stream != nil && !*req.Stream {
+			contentType = "application/json; charset=utf-8"
+		}
+		c.Header("Content-Type", contentType)
+
 		fn := func(resp api.ChatResponse) error {
 			resp.Model = origModel
 			resp.RemoteModel = m.Config.RemoteModel
@@ -1980,12 +1986,6 @@ func (s *Server) ChatHandler(c *gin.Context) {
 			return
 		}
 
-		contentType := "application/json; charset=utf-8"
-		if req.Stream != nil && *req.Stream {
-			contentType = "application/x-ndjson"
-		}
-		c.Header("Content-Type", contentType)
-
 		return
 	}