diff --git a/engine/utils/cli_selection_utils.h b/engine/utils/cli_selection_utils.h
index a923565f1..20450ef7f 100644
--- a/engine/utils/cli_selection_utils.h
+++ b/engine/utils/cli_selection_utils.h
@@ -25,12 +25,24 @@ inline void PrintMenu(
   std::endl(std::cout);
 }
 
+inline std::optional<int> GetNumericValue(const std::string& sval) {
+  try {
+      return std::stoi(sval);
+  } catch (const std::invalid_argument&) {
+      // Not a valid number
+      return std::nullopt; 
+  } catch (const std::out_of_range&) {
+      // Number out of range
+      return std::nullopt;
+  }
+}
+
 inline std::optional<std::string> PrintModelSelection(
     const std::vector<std::string>& downloaded,
     const std::vector<std::string>& availables,
     const std::optional<std::string> default_selection = std::nullopt) {
 
-  std::string selection{""};
+  std::string selection;
   if (!downloaded.empty()) {
     std::cout << "Downloaded models:\n";
     for (const auto& option : downloaded) {
@@ -60,7 +72,15 @@ inline std::optional<std::string> PrintModelSelection(
     return std::nullopt;
   }
 
-  if (std::stoi(selection) > availables.size() || std::stoi(selection) < 1) {
+  // Validate if the selection consists solely of numeric characters
+  if(!std::all_of(selection.begin(), selection.end(), ::isdigit)){
+    return std::nullopt;
+  }
+
+  // deal with out of range numeric values
+  std::optional<int> numeric_value = GetNumericValue(selection);
+  
+  if (!numeric_value.has_value() || numeric_value.value() > availables.size() || numeric_value.value() < 1) {
     return std::nullopt;
   }
 
@@ -71,7 +91,7 @@ inline std::optional<std::string> PrintSelection(
     const std::vector<std::string>& options,
     const std::string& title = "Select an option") {
   std::cout << title << "\n";
-  std::string selection{""};
+  std::string selection;
   PrintMenu(options);
   std::cout << "Select an option (" << 1 << "-" << options.size() << "): ";
   std::getline(std::cin, selection);
@@ -80,7 +100,14 @@ inline std::optional<std::string> PrintSelection(
     return std::nullopt;
   }
 
-  if (std::stoi(selection) > options.size() || std::stoi(selection) < 1) {
+  // Validate if the selection consists solely of numeric characters
+  if(!std::all_of(selection.begin(), selection.end(), ::isdigit)){
+    return std::nullopt;
+  }
+  
+  // deal with out of range numeric values
+  std::optional<int> numeric_value = GetNumericValue(selection);
+  if (!numeric_value.has_value() || numeric_value.value() > options.size() || numeric_value.value() < 1) {
     return std::nullopt;
   }