diff --git a/engine/cli/commands/model_start_cmd.cc b/engine/cli/commands/model_start_cmd.cc
index 5daf02f2a..8f2549dcb 100644
--- a/engine/cli/commands/model_start_cmd.cc
+++ b/engine/cli/commands/model_start_cmd.cc
@@ -1,11 +1,23 @@
 #include "model_start_cmd.h"
+#include "config/yaml_config.h"
+#include "cortex_upd_cmd.h"
+#include "database/models.h"
 #include "httplib.h"
+#include "run_cmd.h"
 #include "server_start_cmd.h"
+#include "utils/cli_selection_utils.h"
 #include "utils/logging_utils.h"
 
 namespace commands {
 bool ModelStartCmd::Exec(const std::string& host, int port,
                          const std::string& model_handle) {
+  std::optional<std::string> model_id =
+      SelectLocalModel(model_service_, model_handle);
+
+  if(!model_id.has_value()) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   // Start server if server is not started yet
   if (!commands::IsServerAlive(host, port)) {
     CLI_LOG("Starting server ...");
@@ -17,14 +29,16 @@ bool ModelStartCmd::Exec(const std::string& host, int port,
   // Call API to start model
   httplib::Client cli(host + ":" + std::to_string(port));
   Json::Value json_data;
-  json_data["model"] = model_handle;
+  json_data["model"] = model_id.value();
   auto data_str = json_data.toStyledString();
   cli.set_read_timeout(std::chrono::seconds(60));
   auto res = cli.Post("/v1/models/start", httplib::Headers(), data_str.data(),
                       data_str.size(), "application/json");
   if (res) {
     if (res->status == httplib::StatusCode::OK_200) {
-      CLI_LOG("Model loaded!");
+      CLI_LOG(model_id.value() << " model started successfully. Use `"
+                               << commands::GetCortexBinary() << " run "
+                               << *model_id << "` for interactive chat shell");
       return true;
     } else {
       CTL_ERR("Model failed to load with status code: " << res->status);
diff --git a/engine/cli/commands/run_cmd.cc b/engine/cli/commands/run_cmd.cc
index 3f501fdbb..73aa5c362 100644
--- a/engine/cli/commands/run_cmd.cc
+++ b/engine/cli/commands/run_cmd.cc
@@ -10,6 +10,59 @@
 
 namespace commands {
 
+std::optional<std::string> SelectLocalModel(ModelService& model_service,
+                                            const std::string& model_handle) {
+  std::optional<std::string> model_id = model_handle;
+  cortex::db::Models modellist_handler;
+
+  if (model_handle.empty()) {
+    auto all_local_models = modellist_handler.LoadModelList();
+    if (all_local_models.has_error() || all_local_models.value().empty()) {
+      CLI_LOG("No local models available!");
+      return std::nullopt;
+    }
+
+    if (all_local_models.value().size() == 1) {
+      model_id = all_local_models.value().front().model;
+    } else {
+      std::vector<std::string> model_id_list{};
+      for (const auto& model : all_local_models.value()) {
+        model_id_list.push_back(model.model);
+      }
+
+      auto selection = cli_selection_utils::PrintSelection(
+          model_id_list, "Please select an option");
+      if (!selection.has_value()) {
+        return std::nullopt;
+      }
+      model_id = selection.value();
+      CLI_LOG("Selected: " << selection.value());
+    }
+  } else {
+    auto related_models_ids = modellist_handler.FindRelatedModel(model_handle);
+    if (related_models_ids.has_error() || related_models_ids.value().empty()) {
+      auto result = model_service.DownloadModel(model_handle);
+      if (result.has_error()) {
+        CLI_LOG("Model " << model_handle << " not found!");
+        return std::nullopt;
+      }
+      model_id = result.value();
+      CTL_INF("model_id: " << model_id.value());
+    } else if (related_models_ids.value().size() == 1) {
+      model_id = related_models_ids.value().front();
+    } else {  // multiple models with nearly same name found
+      auto selection = cli_selection_utils::PrintSelection(
+          related_models_ids.value(), "Local Models: (press enter to select)");
+      if (!selection.has_value()) {
+        return std::nullopt;
+      }
+      model_id = selection.value();
+      CLI_LOG("Selected: " << selection.value());
+    }
+  }
+  return model_id;
+}
+
 namespace {
 std::string Repo2Engine(const std::string& r) {
   if (r == kLlamaRepo) {
@@ -24,63 +77,16 @@ std::string Repo2Engine(const std::string& r) {
 }  // namespace
 
 void RunCmd::Exec(bool run_detach) {
-  std::optional<std::string> model_id = model_handle_;
-
+  std::optional<std::string> model_id =
+      SelectLocalModel(model_service_, model_handle_);
+  if (!model_id.has_value()) {
+    return;
+  }
+  
   cortex::db::Models modellist_handler;
   config::YamlHandler yaml_handler;
   auto address = host_ + ":" + std::to_string(port_);
 
-  {
-    if (model_handle_.empty()) {
-      auto all_local_models = modellist_handler.LoadModelList();
-      if (all_local_models.has_error() || all_local_models.value().empty()) {
-        CLI_LOG("No local models available!");
-        return;
-      }
-
-      if (all_local_models.value().size() == 1) {
-        model_id = all_local_models.value().front().model;
-      } else {
-        std::vector<std::string> model_id_list{};
-        for (const auto& model : all_local_models.value()) {
-          model_id_list.push_back(model.model);
-        }
-
-        auto selection = cli_selection_utils::PrintSelection(
-            model_id_list, "Please select an option");
-        if (!selection.has_value()) {
-          return;
-        }
-        model_id = selection.value();
-        CLI_LOG("Selected: " << selection.value());
-      }
-    } else {
-      auto related_models_ids =
-          modellist_handler.FindRelatedModel(model_handle_);
-      if (related_models_ids.has_error() ||
-          related_models_ids.value().empty()) {
-        auto result = model_service_.DownloadModel(model_handle_);
-        if (result.has_error()) {
-          CLI_LOG("Model " << model_handle_ << " not found!");
-          return;
-        }
-        model_id = result.value();
-        CTL_INF("model_id: " << model_id.value());
-      } else if (related_models_ids.value().size() == 1) {
-        model_id = related_models_ids.value().front();
-      } else {  // multiple models with nearly same name found
-        auto selection = cli_selection_utils::PrintSelection(
-            related_models_ids.value(),
-            "Local Models: (press enter to select)");
-        if (!selection.has_value()) {
-          return;
-        }
-        model_id = selection.value();
-        CLI_LOG("Selected: " << selection.value());
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
   try {
     namespace fs = std::filesystem;
     namespace fmu = file_manager_utils;
@@ -148,7 +154,7 @@ void RunCmd::Exec(bool run_detach) {
     // Chat
     if (run_detach) {
       CLI_LOG(*model_id << " model started successfully. Use `"
-                        << commands::GetCortexBinary() << " chat " << *model_id
+                        << commands::GetCortexBinary() << " run " << *model_id
                         << "` for interactive chat shell");
     } else {
       ChatCompletionCmd(model_service_).Exec(host_, port_, *model_id, mc, "");
diff --git a/engine/cli/commands/run_cmd.h b/engine/cli/commands/run_cmd.h
index b035a54d9..4a0d68078 100644
--- a/engine/cli/commands/run_cmd.h
+++ b/engine/cli/commands/run_cmd.h
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
 #include "services/model_service.h"
 
 namespace commands {
+
+std::optional<std::string> SelectLocalModel(ModelService& model_service,
+                                            const std::string& model_handle);
+
 class RunCmd {
  public:
   explicit RunCmd(std::string host, int port, std::string model_handle,