diff --git a/core/gallery/gallery.go b/core/gallery/gallery.go
index d79b3e569973..607ad37d1923 100644
--- a/core/gallery/gallery.go
+++ b/core/gallery/gallery.go
@@ -92,6 +92,19 @@ func (gm GalleryElements[T]) Search(term string) GalleryElements[T] {
 	return filteredModels
 }
 
+func (gm GalleryElements[T]) FilterByTag(tag string) GalleryElements[T] {
+	var filtered GalleryElements[T]
+	for _, m := range gm {
+		for _, t := range m.GetTags() {
+			if strings.EqualFold(t, tag) {
+				filtered = append(filtered, m)
+				break
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return filtered
+}
+
 func (gm GalleryElements[T]) SortByName(sortOrder string) GalleryElements[T] {
 	sort.Slice(gm, func(i, j int) bool {
 		if sortOrder == "asc" {
diff --git a/core/gallery/gallery_test.go b/core/gallery/gallery_test.go
index e2be9b19ba40..ef09c076ddde 100644
--- a/core/gallery/gallery_test.go
+++ b/core/gallery/gallery_test.go
@@ -159,6 +159,68 @@ var _ = Describe("Gallery", func() {
 		})
 	})
 
+	Describe("GalleryElements FilterByTag", func() {
+		var elements GalleryElements[*GalleryModel]
+
+		BeforeEach(func() {
+			elements = GalleryElements[*GalleryModel]{
+				{
+					Metadata: Metadata{
+						Name: "whisper-asr",
+						Tags: []string{"asr", "stt"},
+					},
+				},
+				{
+					Metadata: Metadata{
+						Name: "image-diffusers",
+						Tags: []string{"sd", "image"},
+					},
+				},
+				{
+					Metadata: Metadata{
+						Name: "another-stt-model",
+						Tags: []string{"stt", "audio"},
+					},
+				},
+				{
+					Metadata: Metadata{
+						Name: "no-tags-model",
+						Tags: []string{},
+					},
+				},
+			}
+		})
+
+		It("should return exact tag matches only", func() {
+			results := elements.FilterByTag("asr")
+			Expect(results).To(HaveLen(1))
+			Expect(results[0].GetName()).To(Equal("whisper-asr"))
+		})
+
+		It("should not match substrings (image-diffusers must NOT match 'asr')", func() {
+			results := elements.FilterByTag("asr")
+			for _, r := range results {
+				Expect(r.GetName()).NotTo(Equal("image-diffusers"))
+			}
+		})
+
+		It("should be case insensitive", func() {
+			results := elements.FilterByTag("ASR")
+			Expect(results).To(HaveLen(1))
+			Expect(results[0].GetName()).To(Equal("whisper-asr"))
+		})
+
+		It("should return multiple models with the same tag", func() {
+			results := elements.FilterByTag("stt")
+			Expect(results).To(HaveLen(2))
+		})
+
+		It("should return empty when no models have the tag", func() {
+			results := elements.FilterByTag("nonexistent")
+			Expect(results).To(HaveLen(0))
+		})
+	})
+
 	Describe("GalleryElements SortByName", func() {
 		var elements GalleryElements[*GalleryModel]
 
diff --git a/core/http/react-ui/src/pages/Models.jsx b/core/http/react-ui/src/pages/Models.jsx
index 029cd71ff124..8797c800971c 100644
--- a/core/http/react-ui/src/pages/Models.jsx
+++ b/core/http/react-ui/src/pages/Models.jsx
@@ -130,13 +130,12 @@ export default function Models() {
       const filterVal = params.filter !== undefined ? params.filter : filter
       const sortVal = params.sort !== undefined ? params.sort : sort
       const backendVal = params.backendFilter !== undefined ? params.backendFilter : backendFilter
-      // Combine search text and filter into 'term' param
-      const term = searchVal || filterVal || ''
       const queryParams = {
         page: params.page || page,
         items: 9,
       }
-      if (term) queryParams.term = term
+      if (filterVal) queryParams.tag = filterVal
+      if (searchVal) queryParams.term = searchVal
       if (backendVal) queryParams.backend = backendVal
       if (sortVal) {
         queryParams.sort = sortVal
diff --git a/core/http/routes/ui_api.go b/core/http/routes/ui_api.go
index 16cc104995e5..81d9b4275ef0 100644
--- a/core/http/routes/ui_api.go
+++ b/core/http/routes/ui_api.go
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ func RegisterUIAPIRoutes(app *echo.Echo, cl *config.ModelConfigLoader, ml *model
 	// Model Gallery APIs (admin only)
 	app.GET("/api/models", func(c echo.Context) error {
 		term := c.QueryParam("term")
+		tag := c.QueryParam("tag")
 		page := c.QueryParam("page")
 		if page == "" {
 			page = "1"
@@ -253,6 +254,9 @@ func RegisterUIAPIRoutes(app *echo.Echo, cl *config.ModelConfigLoader, ml *model
 		}
 		sort.Strings(backendNames)
 
+		if tag != "" {
+			models = gallery.GalleryElements[*gallery.GalleryModel](models).FilterByTag(tag)
+		}
 		if term != "" {
 			models = gallery.GalleryElements[*gallery.GalleryModel](models).Search(term)
 		}
@@ -776,6 +780,7 @@ func RegisterUIAPIRoutes(app *echo.Echo, cl *config.ModelConfigLoader, ml *model
 	// Backend Gallery APIs
 	app.GET("/api/backends", func(c echo.Context) error {
 		term := c.QueryParam("term")
+		tag := c.QueryParam("tag")
 		page := c.QueryParam("page")
 		if page == "" {
 			page = "1"
@@ -806,6 +811,9 @@ func RegisterUIAPIRoutes(app *echo.Echo, cl *config.ModelConfigLoader, ml *model
 		}
 		sort.Strings(tags)
 
+		if tag != "" {
+			backends = gallery.GalleryElements[*gallery.GalleryBackend](backends).FilterByTag(tag)
+		}
 		if term != "" {
 			backends = gallery.GalleryElements[*gallery.GalleryBackend](backends).Search(term)
 		}