diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
index 356231a..6abb500 100755
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -344,18 +344,18 @@ else
         # Whisper backend is offline-only; no auto-install here.
     fi
 
-    # Seed whisper.cpp model from bundled offline assets (base model)
-    whisper_model_src="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)/vendor/whisper/ggml-base.bin"
+    # Seed whisper.cpp model from bundled offline assets (small model)
+    whisper_model_src="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)/vendor/whisper/ggml-small.bin"
     whisper_model_dir="$HOME/.local/share/whisper.cpp/models"
     if [ -f "$whisper_model_src" ]; then
         mkdir -p "$whisper_model_dir"
-        if [ ! -f "$whisper_model_dir/ggml-base.bin" ]; then
-            cp "$whisper_model_src" "$whisper_model_dir/ggml-base.bin"
-            echo -e "${GREEN}[OK]${NC} Whisper base model installed to $whisper_model_dir"
+        if [ ! -f "$whisper_model_dir/ggml-small.bin" ]; then
+            cp "$whisper_model_src" "$whisper_model_dir/ggml-small.bin"
+            echo -e "${GREEN}[OK]${NC} Whisper small model installed to $whisper_model_dir"
         fi
     else
-        echo -e "${RED}[ERROR]${NC} Offline Whisper model not found at vendor/whisper/ggml-base.bin"
-        echo "Place ggml-base.bin there to keep installs fully offline."
+        echo -e "${RED}[ERROR]${NC} Offline Whisper model not found at vendor/whisper/ggml-small.bin"
+        echo "Place ggml-small.bin there to keep installs fully offline."
         exit 1
     fi
 
diff --git a/subtitles_module.go b/subtitles_module.go
index 18dc933..4ea05b1 100644
--- a/subtitles_module.go
+++ b/subtitles_module.go
@@ -1021,15 +1021,18 @@ func detectWhisperBackend() string {
 
 func detectWhisperModel() string {
 	preferred := []string{
-		filepath.Join("models", "ggml-base.bin"),
 		filepath.Join("models", "ggml-small.bin"),
+		filepath.Join("models", "ggml-base.bin"),
 		filepath.Join("models", "ggml-medium.bin"),
 		filepath.Join("models", "ggml-large.bin"),
+		filepath.Join("vendor", "whisper", "ggml-small.bin"),
 		filepath.Join("vendor", "whisper", "ggml-base.bin"),
 	}
 	if exe, err := os.Executable(); err == nil {
 		dir := filepath.Dir(exe)
+		preferred = append(preferred, filepath.Join(dir, "vendor", "whisper", "ggml-small.bin"))
 		preferred = append(preferred, filepath.Join(dir, "vendor", "whisper", "ggml-base.bin"))
+		preferred = append(preferred, filepath.Join(dir, "models", "ggml-small.bin"))
 		preferred = append(preferred, filepath.Join(dir, "models", "ggml-base.bin"))
 	}
 	for _, candidate := range preferred {
@@ -1058,6 +1061,12 @@ func detectWhisperModel() string {
 		if len(matches) == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
+		for _, match := range matches {
+			base := filepath.Base(match)
+			if base == "ggml-small.bin" {
+				return match
+			}
+		}
 		for _, match := range matches {
 			base := filepath.Base(match)
 			if base == "ggml-base.bin" {