diff --git a/routes/embedding_routes.py b/routes/embedding_routes.py
index 7ae8005..dbe075a 100644
--- a/routes/embedding_routes.py
+++ b/routes/embedding_routes.py
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ def _load_custom_endpoint() -> dict:
     """Load the saved custom embedding endpoint, if any."""
     try:
         if os.path.exists(_ENDPOINT_FILE):
-            return json.loads(Path(_ENDPOINT_FILE).read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+            data = json.loads(Path(_ENDPOINT_FILE).read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+            return data if isinstance(data, dict) else {}
     except Exception:
         pass
     return {}
diff --git a/tests/test_embedding_endpoint_config.py b/tests/test_embedding_endpoint_config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e800e23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_embedding_endpoint_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import json
+
+import routes.embedding_routes as embedding_routes
+
+
+def test_load_custom_endpoint_ignores_non_object_json(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    endpoint_file = tmp_path / "embedding_endpoint.json"
+    endpoint_file.write_text(json.dumps(["not", "an", "endpoint", "object"]), encoding="utf-8")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(embedding_routes, "_ENDPOINT_FILE", str(endpoint_file))
+
+    assert embedding_routes._load_custom_endpoint() == {}
+
+
+def test_load_custom_endpoint_keeps_object_json(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    endpoint_file = tmp_path / "embedding_endpoint.json"
+    endpoint_file.write_text(
+        json.dumps({"url": "http://127.0.0.1:11434", "model": "nomic-embed-text"}),
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(embedding_routes, "_ENDPOINT_FILE", str(endpoint_file))
+
+    assert embedding_routes._load_custom_endpoint() == {
+        "url": "http://127.0.0.1:11434",
+        "model": "nomic-embed-text",
+    }