diff --git a/src/api/transcriptions.py b/src/api/transcriptions.py
index 15ea115..5db8e4b 100644
--- a/src/api/transcriptions.py
+++ b/src/api/transcriptions.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import os
 import hashlib
 
 from src.config import settings
-from src.services.whisper_service import transcribe_audio
+from src.services.whisper_service import transcribe_audio, get_model_status
 from src.services.stats_service import log_usage
 from src.database.db import get_db
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
@@ -18,6 +18,21 @@ from src.services.stats_service import hash_api_key
 from src.database.db import SessionLocal
 from src.database.models import ApiKey
 
+
+def check_model_loaded():
+    """Check if model is loaded, raise exception if not"""
+    status = get_model_status()
+    if status.get("is_downloading") and not status.get("loaded"):
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=503,
+            detail={
+                "error": "Model not ready",
+                "message": f"Whisper model is still downloading: {status.get('download_percentage', 0)}% complete",
+                "status": status
+            }
+        )
+    return status
+
 def verify_api_key(authorization: Optional[str] = Header(None)):
     """Verify API key from Authorization header"""
     if not authorization:
@@ -54,6 +69,9 @@ def verify_api_key(authorization: Optional[str] = Header(None)):
 @router.get("/models")
 async def list_models(api_key: str = Depends(verify_api_key)):
     """List available models (OpenAI compatible)"""
+    # Check model status and include it in response
+    model_status = get_model_status()
+    
     return {
         "data": [
             {
@@ -68,10 +86,17 @@ async def list_models(api_key: str = Depends(verify_api_key)):
                 "created": 1698796800,
                 "owned_by": "openai"
             }
-        ]
+        ],
+        "model_status": model_status
     }
 
 
+@router.get("/model-status")
+async def model_status_endpoint(api_key: str = Depends(verify_api_key)):
+    """Get current model download/load status"""
+    return get_model_status()
+
+
 @router.post("/audio/transcriptions")
 async def create_transcription(
     file: UploadFile = File(...),
@@ -94,6 +119,9 @@ async def create_transcription(
     - **timestamp_granularities**: word, segment (for verbose_json)
     """
     
+    # Check if model is loaded first
+    check_model_loaded()
+    
     start_time = time.time()
     temp_path = None
     
diff --git a/src/services/whisper_service.py b/src/services/whisper_service.py
index c84a8c1..36339d5 100644
--- a/src/services/whisper_service.py
+++ b/src/services/whisper_service.py
@@ -4,38 +4,112 @@ import os
 from typing import Optional, Dict, Any
 import asyncio
 from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
+import threading
+import time
 
 from src.config import settings
 
 # Global model cache
 _model = None
 _executor = ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=1)
+_model_lock = threading.Lock()
+
+# Model download status
+_model_status = {
+    "is_downloading": False,
+    "download_progress": 0,
+    "download_total": 0,
+    "download_percentage": 0,
+    "status_message": "Not started",
+    "model_name": settings.whisper_model,
+    "is_loaded": False
+}
+
+
+def _download_hook(progress_bytes, total_bytes):
+    """Hook to track download progress"""
+    global _model_status
+    _model_status["is_downloading"] = True
+    _model_status["download_progress"] = progress_bytes
+    _model_status["download_total"] = total_bytes
+    if total_bytes > 0:
+        _model_status["download_percentage"] = round((progress_bytes / total_bytes) * 100, 2)
+    _model_status["status_message"] = f"Downloading: {_model_status['download_percentage']}%"
 
 
 def load_model():
     """Load Whisper model"""
-    global _model
-    if _model is None:
-        print(f"Loading Whisper model: {settings.whisper_model}")
-        _model = whisper.load_model(
-            settings.whisper_model,
-            device=settings.whisper_device,
-            download_root=settings.models_path
-        )
-        print(f"Model loaded on {settings.whisper_device}")
+    global _model, _model_status
+    
+    with _model_lock:
+        if _model is None:
+            _model_status["is_downloading"] = True
+            _model_status["status_message"] = "Starting download..."
+            
+            print(f"Loading Whisper model: {settings.whisper_model}")
+            try:
+                # Whisper doesn't have a direct progress callback, but we can monitor the models directory
+                _model = whisper.load_model(
+                    settings.whisper_model,
+                    device=settings.whisper_device,
+                    download_root=settings.models_path
+                )
+                _model_status["is_downloading"] = False
+                _model_status["is_loaded"] = True
+                _model_status["download_percentage"] = 100
+                _model_status["status_message"] = "Model loaded successfully"
+                print(f"Model loaded on {settings.whisper_device}")
+            except Exception as e:
+                _model_status["is_downloading"] = False
+                _model_status["status_message"] = f"Error: {str(e)}"
+                raise
+                
     return _model
 
 
 def get_model_info():
     """Get model information"""
-    model = load_model()
+    global _model_status
+    
+    # Check if model files exist in the models directory
+    model_files = []
+    models_dir = settings.models_path
+    if os.path.exists(models_dir):
+        model_files = [f for f in os.listdir(models_dir) if f.endswith('.pt') or f.endswith('.bin')]
+    
+    # Calculate approximate download progress based on file size if downloading
+    if _model_status["is_downloading"] and not _model_status["is_loaded"]:
+        # Try to estimate progress from existing files
+        total_size = 0
+        for f in model_files:
+            try:
+                total_size += os.path.getsize(os.path.join(models_dir, f))
+            except:
+                pass
+        
+        # large-v3 is approximately 2.9GB
+        expected_size = 2.9 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024  # 2.9 GB in bytes
+        if total_size > 0:
+            estimated_percentage = min(99, round((total_size / expected_size) * 100, 2))
+            _model_status["download_percentage"] = estimated_percentage
+            _model_status["status_message"] = f"Downloading: {estimated_percentage}%"
+    
     return {
         "name": settings.whisper_model,
         "device": settings.whisper_device,
-        "loaded": _model is not None
+        "loaded": _model is not None,
+        "is_downloading": _model_status["is_downloading"],
+        "download_percentage": _model_status["download_percentage"],
+        "status_message": _model_status["status_message"],
+        "model_files": model_files
     }
 
 
+def get_model_status():
+    """Get current model download/load status"""
+    return get_model_info()
+
+
 def _transcribe_sync(
     audio_path: str,
     language: Optional[str] = None,
diff --git a/src/templates/dashboard.html b/src/templates/dashboard.html
index e32f320..9ce8e05 100644
--- a/src/templates/dashboard.html
+++ b/src/templates/dashboard.html
@@ -32,6 +32,39 @@
         </div>
     </div>
     
+    <!-- Model Download Status -->
+    <div class="card" id="model-status-card">
+        <h2>🤖 Model Status</h2>
+        <div id="model-status-content">
+            {% if model_status.loaded %}
+                <p><strong>Status:</strong> <span style="color: #48bb78;">✅ Loaded & Ready</span></p>
+                <p><strong>Model:</strong> {{ model_status.name }}</p>
+                <p><strong>Device:</strong> {{ model_status.device }}</p>
+            {% elif model_status.is_downloading %}
+                <p><strong>Status:</strong> <span style="color: #ed8936;">⏳ Downloading...</span></p>
+                <p>{{ model_status.status_message }}</p>
+                <div style="background: #e2e8f0; border-radius: 10px; height: 20px; overflow: hidden; margin-top: 10px;">
+                    <div style="background: linear-gradient(90deg, #667eea, #764ba2); height: 100%; width: {{ model_status.download_percentage }}%; transition: width 0.5s ease;"></div>
+                </div>
+                <p style="text-align: center; margin-top: 5px; font-weight: bold; color: #667aea;">
+                    {{ model_status.download_percentage }}%
+                </p>
+            {% else %}
+                <p><strong>Status:</strong> <span style="color: #718096;">⏸️ Not Started</span></p>
+                <p>The model will be loaded on first transcription request.</p>
+            {% endif %}
+            
+            {% if model_status.model_files %}
+                <p style="margin-top: 10px;"><strong>Model Files:</strong></p>
+                <ul style="margin-left: 20px;">
+                    {% for file in model_status.model_files %}
+                        <li>{{ file }}</li>
+                    {% endfor %}
+                </ul>
+            {% endif %}
+        </div>
+    </div>
+    
     <div class="card">
         <h2>📊 Usage Chart (Last 30 Days)</h2>
         <canvas id="usageChart" height="100"></canvas>
@@ -84,6 +117,7 @@
 
 {% block extra_js %}
 <script>
+    // Usage Chart
     const ctx = document.getElementById('usageChart').getContext('2d');
     const dailyStats = {{ stats.daily_stats | tojson }};
     
@@ -112,5 +146,43 @@
             }
         }
     });
+    
+    // Model Status Updates
+    async function updateModelStatus() {
+        try {
+            // We need to use an API key for the model-status endpoint
+            // For admin panel, we'll use a simple endpoint that doesn't require auth
+            // or we'll skip this and use the health endpoint instead
+            const response = await fetch('/health');
+            const data = await response.json();
+            
+            const statusCard = document.getElementById('model-status-content');
+            const progressContainer = document.getElementById('model-progress-container');
+            const progressBar = document.getElementById('model-progress-bar');
+            const progressText = document.getElementById('model-progress-text');
+            
+            if (data.gpu && data.gpu.available) {
+                statusCard.innerHTML = `
+                    <p><strong>Status:</strong> <span style="color: #48bb78;">✅ GPU Ready</span></p>
+                    <p><strong>GPU:</strong> ${data.gpu.name}</p>
+                    <p><strong>VRAM:</strong> ${data.gpu.vram_used_gb} GB / ${data.gpu.vram_total_gb} GB</p>
+                    <p><strong>Model:</strong> ${data.model}</p>
+                `;
+                progressContainer.style.display = 'none';
+            } else {
+                statusCard.innerHTML = `
+                    <p><strong>Status:</strong> <span style="color: #ed8936;">⏳ Loading...</span></p>
+                    <p>Model is being downloaded. Please wait...</p>
+                `;
+                progressContainer.style.display = 'block';
+            }
+        } catch (error) {
+            console.error('Error fetching model status:', error);
+        }
+    }
+    
+    // Update status every 5 seconds
+    updateModelStatus();
+    setInterval(updateModelStatus, 5000);
 </script>
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/src/web/routes.py b/src/web/routes.py
index 3b621e0..8244297 100644
--- a/src/web/routes.py
+++ b/src/web/routes.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from src.config import settings
 from src.database.db import get_db
 from src.database.models import ApiKey, UsageLog
 from src.services.stats_service import get_usage_stats, hash_api_key
+from src.services.whisper_service import get_model_status
 
 router = APIRouter()
 templates = Jinja2Templates(directory="src/templates")
@@ -91,12 +92,14 @@ async def dashboard(request: Request, db: Session = Depends(get_db)):
         return RedirectResponse(url="/admin/login", status_code=302)
     
     stats = await get_usage_stats(db, days=30)
+    model_status = get_model_status()
     
     return templates.TemplateResponse("dashboard.html", {
         "request": request,
         "stats": stats,
         "model": settings.whisper_model,
-        "retention_days": settings.log_retention_days
+        "retention_days": settings.log_retention_days,
+        "model_status": model_status
     })