diff --git a/src/inputs/plugins/vlm_coco_local.py b/src/inputs/plugins/vlm_coco_local.py
index ee52fc800..22a615ebe 100644
--- a/src/inputs/plugins/vlm_coco_local.py
+++ b/src/inputs/plugins/vlm_coco_local.py
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ def __init__(self, config: VLM_COCO_LocalConfig):
         """
         super().__init__(config)
 
-        self.device = "cpu"
+        self.device = "cuda" if torch.cuda.is_available() else "cpu"
+        logging.info(f"COCO Object Detector using device: {self.device}")
         self.detection_threshold = 0.2
 
         self.camera_index = self.config.camera_index
diff --git a/tests/inputs/plugins/test_vlm_coco_local.py b/tests/inputs/plugins/test_vlm_coco_local.py
index 9542f1ca7..40cd21f34 100644
--- a/tests/inputs/plugins/test_vlm_coco_local.py
+++ b/tests/inputs/plugins/test_vlm_coco_local.py
@@ -38,8 +38,11 @@ def mock_cv2_video_capture():
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def vlm_coco_local(mock_model, mock_check_webcam, mock_cv2_video_capture):
-    config = VLM_COCO_LocalConfig(camera_index=0)
-    return VLM_COCO_Local(config=config)
+    with patch(
+        "inputs.plugins.vlm_coco_local.torch.cuda.is_available", return_value=False
+    ):
+        config = VLM_COCO_LocalConfig(camera_index=0)
+        return VLM_COCO_Local(config=config)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -67,6 +70,7 @@ async def test_raw_to_text_with_detection(vlm_coco_local, mock_model):
     vlm_coco_local.class_labels = ["__background__", "cat", "dog"]
     vlm_coco_local.cam_third = 213  # 640/3
 
+    vlm_coco_local.device = "cpu"
     dummy_frame = np.zeros((480, 640, 3), dtype=np.uint8)
     result = await vlm_coco_local._raw_to_text(dummy_frame)
     assert isinstance(result, Message)
@@ -99,8 +103,10 @@ async def test_poll_returns_none_on_failed_frame_read(
 ):
     """Test that _poll returns None when cap.read() fails."""
     mock_cv2_video_capture.read.return_value = (False, None)
-    config = VLM_COCO_LocalConfig(camera_index=0)
-    sensor = VLM_COCO_Local(config=config)
-
+    with patch(
+        "inputs.plugins.vlm_coco_local.torch.cuda.is_available", return_value=False
+    ):
+        config = VLM_COCO_LocalConfig(camera_index=0)
+        sensor = VLM_COCO_Local(config=config)
     result = await sensor._poll()
     assert result is None