diff --git a/model.py b/model.py
index daa5f65..e39a478 100644
--- a/model.py
+++ b/model.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from exllamav2.generator import(
 
 from gen_logging import log_generation_params, log_prompt, log_response
 from typing import List, Optional, Union
-from templating import PromptTemplate, get_template_from_file
+from templating import PromptTemplate, find_template_from_model, get_template_from_config, get_template_from_file
 from utils import coalesce, unwrap
 
 # Bytes to reserve on first device when loading with auto split
@@ -110,17 +110,18 @@ class ModelContainer:
                 # Read the template
                 self.prompt_template = get_template_from_file(prompt_template_name)
             else:
-                # Try autodetection of the template from the model path name
-                model_name = model_directory.name
-                template_directory = pathlib.Path("templates")
-                for filepath in template_directory.glob("*.jinja"):
-                    template_name = filepath.stem.lower()
-                    # Check if the template name is present in the model name
-                    if template_name in model_name.lower():
-                        self.prompt_template = get_template_from_file(template_name)
-                        break
+                # Try finding the chat template from the model's config.json
+                self.prompt_template = get_template_from_config(
+                    pathlib.Path(self.config.model_config)
+                )
+
+                # If that fails, attempt fetching from model name
+                if self.prompt_template == None:
+                    template_match = find_template_from_model(model_directory)
+                    if template_match:
+                        self.prompt_template = get_template_from_file(template_match)
         except OSError:
-            # The template couldn't be found in the user's filesystem
+            # The template or config.json couldn't be found in the user's filesystem
             print(f"Could not find template file with name {prompt_template_name}.jinja")
             self.prompt_template = None
 
diff --git a/templating.py b/templating.py
index cb19510..b19513c 100644
--- a/templating.py
+++ b/templating.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import json
 import pathlib
 from functools import lru_cache
 from importlib.metadata import version as package_version
@@ -33,9 +34,34 @@ def _compile_template(template: str):
     jinja_template = jinja_env.from_string(template)
     return jinja_template
 
+# Find a matching template name from a model path
+def find_template_from_model(model_path: pathlib.Path):
+    model_name = model_path.name
+    template_directory = pathlib.Path("templates")
+    for filepath in template_directory.glob("*.jinja"):
+        template_name = filepath.stem.lower()
+
+        # Check if the template name is present in the model name
+        if template_name in model_name.lower():
+            return template_name
+
+# Get a template from a jinja file
 def get_template_from_file(prompt_template_name: str):
-    with open(pathlib.Path(f"templates/{prompt_template_name}.jinja"), "r") as raw_template:
+    with open(pathlib.Path(f"templates/{prompt_template_name}.jinja"), "r", encoding = "utf8") as raw_template:
         return PromptTemplate(
             name = prompt_template_name,
             template = raw_template.read()
         )
+
+# Get a template from model config
+def get_template_from_config(model_config_path: pathlib.Path):
+    with open(model_config_path, "r", encoding = "utf8") as model_config_file:
+        model_config = json.load(model_config_file)
+        chat_template = model_config.get("chat_template")
+        if chat_template:
+            return PromptTemplate(
+                name = "from_model_config",
+                template = chat_template
+            )
+        else:
+            return None