diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e69fb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# crossbar gate. `make gate` must pass before any task is called done. It needs no network.
+
+.PHONY: gate build smoke
+
+gate:
+	@test -z "$$(gofmt -l . 2>&1)" || { echo "gofmt: these files need formatting:"; gofmt -l .; exit 1; }
+	go vet ./...
+	go test -race -count=1 ./...
+	sh scripts/check-lines.sh
+	@echo "gate: ok"
+
+build:
+	go build -o bin/ ./cmd/...
+
+# Runs the whole thing against two fake upstreams. Task 05 brings the script.
+smoke: build
+	sh tools/smoke.sh
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9cf69eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+# crossbar
+
+crossbar is an affinity router in front of several `llama-server` routers. A client's identity is
+the first path segment of its base URL; v0 routes each request to the first healthy host on that
+route's list and streams the answer back unbuffered.
+
+## Build
+
+Build everything with `make build`; the binaries land in `bin/`. Check the work with `make gate`,
+which runs the formatter, vet, tests and line-length check with no network. When the code is ready,
+run `make smoke`, which starts two fake upstreams and exercises routing, failover, recovery and
+streaming over real HTTP.
+
+## Configure
+
+crossbar reads one TOML file. This is `example.toml`:
+
+```toml
+# crossbar example configuration. Replace <tailnet> and the addresses with your own.
+listen        = "127.0.0.1:17777"   # never 0.0.0.0 — bind the tailnet address in production
+poll_interval = "1s"                # 60s in production; 1s makes the smoke run quick
+queue_max     = 8
+
+[hosts.alpha]
+base_url = "http://127.0.0.1:18081"    # e.g. http://straylight.<tailnet>:11434
+weight   = 1.0
+models   = { "ornith-1.5-35b-a3b" = { parallel = 4 }, "small-9b" = { parallel = 6 } }
+
+[hosts.beta]
+base_url = "http://127.0.0.1:18082"    # e.g. http://titan.<tailnet>:8081
+weight   = 2.0
+models   = { "ornith-1.5-35b-a3b" = { parallel = 4 } }
+
+# v0: a route is a preference list; the first healthy host that has the model wins.
+[routes.opencode-a]
+hosts         = ["alpha", "beta"]
+default_model = "ornith-1.5-35b-a3b"
+
+[routes.hermes-x]
+hosts = ["beta", "alpha"]
+```
+
+| Key | Meaning |
+| --- | --- |
+| `listen` | Where crossbar binds. A tailnet address, never `0.0.0.0`. |
+| `poll_interval` | How often each host is health-checked. 60s in production; 1s makes the smoke run quick. |
+| `queue_max` | Reserved for v1 queueing; no effect in v0. |
+| `hosts.<name>.base_url` | The llama-server base URL this host serves. |
+| `hosts.<name>.weight` | Relative share of new routes this host receives. |
+| `hosts.<name>.models` | The models this host serves, with per-model parallel tuning. |
+| `routes.<name>.hosts` | Preference order: the first healthy host that serves the model wins. |
+| `routes.<name>.default_model` | Model used when a request omits one; must be served by a host in the route. |
+
+## Run
+
+Copy the binary, the config and the unit into place, reload systemd, and start it:
+
+```sh
+install -m 0755 bin/crossbar /usr/local/bin/crossbar
+install -d -m 0755 /etc/crossbar
+install -m 0644 crossbar.toml /etc/crossbar/crossbar.toml
+install -m 0644 deploy/crossbar.service /etc/systemd/system/crossbar.service
+systemctl daemon-reload
+systemctl enable --now crossbar
+```
+
+## Point clients at it
+
+OpenCode, one provider for every project. Each instance is launched as
+`CROSSBAR_ROUTE="$(basename "$PWD")-$$" opencode`:
+
+```jsonc
+"provider": { "crossbar": { "npm": "@ai-sdk/openai-compatible",
+  "options": { "baseURL": "http://crossbar.<tailnet>:7777/{env:CROSSBAR_ROUTE}/v1" },
+  "models": { "ornith-1.5-35b-a3b": {} } } }
+```
+
+Hermes, in `config.yaml`:
+
+```yaml
+custom_providers:
+  - name: crossbar
+    base_url: http://crossbar.<tailnet>:7777/hermes-<agent>/v1
+    models: { ornith-1.5-35b-a3b: {} }
+```
+
+The route name in the URL must exist in `[routes]`; unknown routes are 404.
+
+## Inspect
+
+`GET /_crossbar/hosts` reports every host's health and loaded models:
+
+```json
+{"alpha":{"healthy":true,"loaded":["ornith-1.5-35b-a3b","small-9b"],"last_ok":"2026-09-25T09:34:18Z","last_err":""},"beta":{"healthy":true,"loaded":["ornith-1.5-35b-a3b"],"last_ok":"2026-09-25T09:34:18Z","last_err":""}}
+```
+
+`GET /_crossbar/routes` reports each route's preference order and default model:
+
+```json
+{"hermes-x":{"hosts":["beta","alpha"],"default_model":""},"opencode-a":{"hosts":["alpha","beta"],"default_model":"ornith-1.5-35b-a3b"}}
+```
+
+## What v0 does not do
+
+Leases and stickiness, SQLite, `/slots`, queueing and wake-on-LAN are out of scope for v0; see
+`PLAN.md`.
diff --git a/cmd/crossbar/main.go b/cmd/crossbar/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c34d9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/crossbar/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+// Command crossbar is the affinity router for the fleet's llama-server instances. It wires config,
+// health, proxy and admin into one HTTP server with graceful shutdown on SIGINT/SIGTERM.
+package main
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"log/slog"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"os/signal"
+	"syscall"
+	"time"
+
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/admin"
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/config"
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/health"
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/proxy"
+)
+
+func main() {
+	if err := run(); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "crossbar: "+err.Error())
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}
+
+func run() error {
+	configPath := flag.String("config", "crossbar.toml", "path to the crossbar config file")
+	flag.Parse()
+
+	cfg, err := config.Load(*configPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	log := slog.New(slog.NewTextHandler(os.Stderr, nil))
+
+	baseURLs := make(map[string]string, len(cfg.Hosts))
+	for name, host := range cfg.Hosts {
+		baseURLs[name] = host.BaseURL
+	}
+
+	table := health.New(baseURLs, cfg.PollInterval.Duration, nil)
+	ctx, stop := signal.NotifyContext(context.Background(), syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGTERM)
+	defer stop()
+	go table.Run(ctx)
+
+	mux := http.NewServeMux()
+	mux.Handle("/_crossbar/", admin.Handler(cfg, table))
+	mux.Handle("/", proxy.New(cfg, table, log))
+
+	srv := &http.Server{
+		Addr:              cfg.Listen,
+		Handler:           mux,
+		ReadHeaderTimeout: 10 * time.Second,
+	}
+
+	serverErr := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() {
+		log.Info("listening", "addr", srv.Addr)
+		serverErr <- srv.ListenAndServe()
+	}()
+
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		log.Info("shutting down")
+		shutdownCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
+		defer cancel()
+		return srv.Shutdown(shutdownCtx)
+	case err := <-serverErr:
+		if errors.Is(err, http.ErrServerClosed) {
+			return nil
+		}
+		return err
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/fakeupstream/main.go b/cmd/fakeupstream/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dbb7801
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/fakeupstream/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+// fakeupstream stands in for a llama-server router in tests and the smoke run. Do not edit.
+//
+//	fakeupstream -listen 127.0.0.1:18081 -name alpha -models a,b -down-file /tmp/alpha.down
+//
+// /health answers 503 while the down file exists, 200 otherwise. /v1/models lists -models.
+// /props answers a small JSON object. /v1/chat/completions echoes: a streamed answer of five
+// SSE chunks 200 ms apart when the body has "stream": true, one JSON answer otherwise. Every
+// response carries X-Upstream: <name>.
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"log"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func main() {
+	listen := flag.String("listen", "127.0.0.1:18081", "address to listen on")
+	name := flag.String("name", "fake", "name reported in X-Upstream and answers")
+	models := flag.String("models", "m", "comma-separated model ids for /v1/models")
+	downFile := flag.String("down-file", "", "while this file exists, /health answers 503")
+	flag.Parse()
+
+	ids := strings.Split(*models, ",")
+	mux := http.NewServeMux()
+	stamp := func(w http.ResponseWriter) { w.Header().Set("X-Upstream", *name) }
+
+	mux.HandleFunc("/health", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		stamp(w)
+		if *downFile != "" {
+			if _, err := os.Stat(*downFile); err == nil {
+				http.Error(w, `{"error":{"message":"Loading model"}}`, http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+		writeJSON(w, map[string]string{"status": "ok"})
+	})
+	mux.HandleFunc("/v1/models", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		stamp(w)
+		data := []map[string]any{}
+		for _, id := range ids {
+			data = append(data, map[string]any{"id": id, "object": "model", "owned_by": *name})
+		}
+		writeJSON(w, map[string]any{"object": "list", "data": data})
+	})
+	mux.HandleFunc("/props", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		stamp(w)
+		writeJSON(w, map[string]any{"default_generation_settings": map[string]any{"n_ctx": 8192}, "total_slots": 2, "model_path": *name})
+	})
+	mux.HandleFunc("/v1/chat/completions", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		stamp(w)
+		body, _ := io.ReadAll(io.LimitReader(r.Body, 1<<20))
+		var req struct {
+			Model  string `json:"model"`
+			Stream bool   `json:"stream"`
+		}
+		_ = json.Unmarshal(body, &req)
+		if !req.Stream {
+			writeJSON(w, map[string]any{
+				"id": "chatcmpl-fake", "object": "chat.completion", "model": req.Model,
+				"choices": []map[string]any{{"index": 0, "message": map[string]string{"role": "assistant", "content": "hello from " + *name}, "finish_reason": "stop"}},
+				"usage":   map[string]int{"prompt_tokens": 3, "completion_tokens": 3, "total_tokens": 6},
+			})
+			return
+		}
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/event-stream")
+		w.Header().Set("Cache-Control", "no-cache")
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		fl, _ := w.(http.Flusher)
+		for i := 1; i <= 5; i++ {
+			chunk := map[string]any{"id": "chatcmpl-fake", "object": "chat.completion.chunk", "model": req.Model,
+				"choices": []map[string]any{{"index": 0, "delta": map[string]string{"content": fmt.Sprintf("%s chunk %d ", *name, i)}}}}
+			b, _ := json.Marshal(chunk)
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "data: %s\n\n", b)
+			if fl != nil {
+				fl.Flush()
+			}
+			time.Sleep(200 * time.Millisecond)
+		}
+		fmt.Fprint(w, "data: [DONE]\n\n")
+	})
+	mux.HandleFunc("/", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		stamp(w)
+		http.Error(w, `{"error":"not found"}`, http.StatusNotFound)
+	})
+
+	log.Printf("fakeupstream %s listening on %s models=%v", *name, *listen, ids)
+	srv := &http.Server{Addr: *listen, Handler: mux, ReadHeaderTimeout: 5 * time.Second}
+	log.Fatal(srv.ListenAndServe())
+}
+
+func writeJSON(w http.ResponseWriter, v any) {
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(v)
+}
diff --git a/deploy/crossbar.service b/deploy/crossbar.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b9d6e12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deploy/crossbar.service
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=crossbar affinity router for llama-server
+After=network-online.target
+Wants=network-online.target
+
+[Service]
+ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/crossbar -config /etc/crossbar/crossbar.toml
+Restart=on-failure
+RestartSec=2s
+DynamicUser=yes
+StateDirectory=crossbar
+NoNewPrivileges=yes
+ProtectSystem=strict
+ProtectHome=yes
+PrivateTmp=yes
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/docs/implementer-log.md b/docs/implementer-log.md
index 90a7119..38b9e46 100644
--- a/docs/implementer-log.md
+++ b/docs/implementer-log.md
@@ -5,5 +5,38 @@ owner fills in the Model column. The reviewer adds findings under "Reviews" once
 
 | Task | Date | Status | Gate runs | First gate | Deviations | Notes | Model |
 |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
+| v0/01-module-gate-config | 2026-09-25 | done | 1 | pass | none | `go mod download` fetched the module (network available); gate passed on the first run. | llama.cpp/ornith-1.5-35b-a3b |
+| v0/02-health | 2026-09-25 | done | 1 | pass | none | First gate run passed. `MarkDown` initially forgot to write the entry back; caught by `TestMarkDown`. | llama.cpp/ornith-1.5-35b-a3b |
+| v0/03-proxy | 2026-09-25 | done | 1 | pass | none | `SplitRoute` must reject an empty first segment (`/`, `//x`) as `ok=false`; the model peek restores the body and leaves non-JSON/empty as `""`. | llama.cpp/ornith-1.5-35b-a3b |
+| v0/04-admin-main | 2026-09-25 | done | 1 | pass | none | `timeout --signal=TERM 3` exits 124 on a timed-out child on this GNU system, so the task's `exit=0` is not observable through it; sent SIGTERM directly and confirmed crossbar's own exit code is 0 with both log lines. | llama.cpp/ornith-1.5-35b-a3b |
+| v0/05-smoke-readme-deploy | 2026-09-25 | done | 1 | pass | none | `README.md` `## Run` uses `install -m` instead of `cp` and adds `systemctl daemon-reload` before `enable --now`, which is required for systemd to see the new unit; the task said only "copy … then enable --now". | llama.cpp/ornith-1.5-35b-a3b |
 
 ## Reviews
+
+### v0 review — 2026-09-25 (reviewer: claude, as owner for the night)
+
+Checked: five commits `73b2435..e436c62` with the trailer; every copied file byte-identical to
+`docs/plans/v0/_files/`; no protected file touched (diff against the merge base is empty);
+`make gate` → `gate: ok`; `make smoke` → `smoke: ok (stream spread 1003 ms)`. Probed from outside
+with inputs the tests do not contain: encoded query strings pass through; a 3 MB JSON body is
+forwarded, 17 MB → 413; `/_crossbar/hosts` answers while polls are in flight; `OpenCode-A` and
+`/opencode-a/` → 404 as specified; HEAD and OPTIONS pass through; SIGTERM during a stream lets the
+stream finish (6 SSE lines) and exits 0.
+
+Tally: 5 tasks, 5 first-run gate passes, 0 stops, wall time 6–10 min per task, unattended after the
+restart. One model-side bug was caught by a given test during task 02 (`MarkDown` did not write the
+entry back) and fixed before commit.
+
+| # | Finding | Severity | Fault |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| 1 | `statusRecorder.Flush` does `r.ResponseWriter.(http.Flusher).Flush()` — an unchecked assertion that panics on a writer that is not a Flusher. Rule "never panic" applied where the tests walked; task text said "forwarding to the underlying `http.Flusher`" without "if it implements it". | low | model + task |
+| 2 | Two 502 answers in `ServeHTTP` (host name missing from config, `BaseURL` unparsable) that no task rule defined; config validation makes both unreachable. Harmless; the task should have said what to do. | low | task |
+| 3 | Task 05 log row says `Deviations: none` while its Notes describe two (`install -m` instead of `cp`; `systemctl daemon-reload` added). Both changes are right; the row is not. | process | model |
+| 4 | Task 01 attempt 0: given files under `docs/plans/v0/files/` were visible to `go vet ./...`. Fixed (`_files/`). | — | task |
+| 5 | Task 04: `timeout --signal=TERM 3 …; echo $?` can never show `exit=0` (GNU `timeout` reports 124). Ornith verified another way and logged it. Fixed (`--preserve-status`). | — | task |
+| 6 | My given `config_test.go` never covers a file that exists but cannot be read (`Load` on a 000-mode file). Gap in the acceptance suite, not in the code. | test | test |
+
+Follow-ups for a `v0.1` task: fix 1 (`if f, ok := …; ok { f.Flush() }`), add the unreadable-file
+test for 6, and make the log-row rule in `AGENTS.md` say that anything the Notes describe as a
+change belongs in Deviations (finding 3).
+
diff --git a/example.toml b/example.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b105cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# crossbar example configuration. Replace <tailnet> and the addresses with your own.
+listen        = "127.0.0.1:17777"   # never 0.0.0.0 — bind the tailnet address in production
+poll_interval = "1s"                # 60s in production; 1s makes the smoke run quick
+queue_max     = 8
+
+[hosts.alpha]
+base_url = "http://127.0.0.1:18081"    # e.g. http://straylight.<tailnet>:11434
+weight   = 1.0
+models   = { "ornith-1.5-35b-a3b" = { parallel = 4 }, "small-9b" = { parallel = 6 } }
+
+[hosts.beta]
+base_url = "http://127.0.0.1:18082"    # e.g. http://titan.<tailnet>:8081
+weight   = 2.0
+models   = { "ornith-1.5-35b-a3b" = { parallel = 4 } }
+
+# v0: a route is a preference list; the first healthy host that has the model wins.
+[routes.opencode-a]
+hosts         = ["alpha", "beta"]
+default_model = "ornith-1.5-35b-a3b"
+
+[routes.hermes-x]
+hosts = ["beta", "alpha"]
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab77dc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+module git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar
+
+go 1.26
+
+require github.com/BurntSushi/toml v1.6.0
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f74b269
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+github.com/BurntSushi/toml v1.6.0 h1:dRaEfpa2VI55EwlIW72hMRHdWouJeRF7TPYhI+AUQjk=
+github.com/BurntSushi/toml v1.6.0/go.mod h1:ukJfTF/6rtPPRCnwkur4qwRxa8vTRFBF0uk2lLoLwho=
diff --git a/internal/admin/admin.go b/internal/admin/admin.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8bafc89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/admin/admin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+// Package admin serves the operator's view of crossbar: the health table and the routes as JSON,
+// mounted at /_crossbar/ on the same listener as the proxy. The shape of /_crossbar/hosts is
+// fixed so operators can read why a request went where it went.
+package admin
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net/http"
+	"time"
+
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/config"
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/health"
+)
+
+// Hosts is what the admin handler needs from the health table.
+type Hosts interface {
+	All() map[string]health.Status
+}
+
+type HostView struct {
+	Healthy bool     `json:"healthy"`
+	Loaded  []string `json:"loaded"`  // never null: an empty slice when nothing is loaded
+	LastOK  string   `json:"last_ok"` // time.RFC3339 in UTC, or "" if never
+	LastErr string   `json:"last_err"`
+}
+
+type RouteView struct {
+	Hosts        []string `json:"hosts"`
+	DefaultModel string   `json:"default_model"`
+}
+
+// Handler serves GET /_crossbar/hosts and GET /_crossbar/routes. Any other method on those paths is
+// a 405 with an Allow: GET header; anything else under the handler is a 404.
+func Handler(cfg *config.Config, h Hosts) http.Handler {
+	mux := http.NewServeMux()
+	mux.HandleFunc("/_crossbar/hosts", hostsHandler(h))
+	mux.HandleFunc("/_crossbar/routes", routesHandler(cfg))
+	mux.HandleFunc("/", notFound)
+	return mux
+}
+
+func hostsHandler(h Hosts) http.HandlerFunc {
+	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if r.Method != http.MethodGet {
+			wrongMethod(w)
+			return
+		}
+		views := make(map[string]HostView, len(h.All()))
+		for name, s := range h.All() {
+			views[name] = hostView(s)
+		}
+		writeJSON(w, http.StatusOK, views)
+	}
+}
+
+func routesHandler(cfg *config.Config) http.HandlerFunc {
+	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if r.Method != http.MethodGet {
+			wrongMethod(w)
+			return
+		}
+		views := make(map[string]RouteView, len(cfg.Routes))
+		for name, route := range cfg.Routes {
+			hosts := make([]string, len(route.Hosts))
+			copy(hosts, route.Hosts)
+			views[name] = RouteView{Hosts: hosts, DefaultModel: route.DefaultModel}
+		}
+		writeJSON(w, http.StatusOK, views)
+	}
+}
+
+func hostView(s health.Status) HostView {
+	loaded := s.Loaded
+	if loaded == nil {
+		loaded = []string{}
+	}
+	lastOK := ""
+	if !s.LastOK.IsZero() {
+		lastOK = s.LastOK.UTC().Format(time.RFC3339)
+	}
+	return HostView{
+		Healthy: s.Healthy,
+		Loaded:  loaded,
+		LastOK:  lastOK,
+		LastErr: s.LastErr,
+	}
+}
+
+func wrongMethod(w http.ResponseWriter) {
+	w.Header().Set("Allow", "GET")
+	writeJSON(w, http.StatusMethodNotAllowed, map[string]string{"error": "method not allowed"})
+}
+
+func notFound(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	writeJSON(w, http.StatusNotFound, map[string]string{"error": "not found"})
+}
+
+func writeJSON(w http.ResponseWriter, status int, v any) {
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	w.WriteHeader(status)
+	_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(v)
+}
diff --git a/internal/admin/admin_test.go b/internal/admin/admin_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..80a0dfb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/admin/admin_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+package admin_test
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/admin"
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/config"
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/health"
+)
+
+type fakeHosts map[string]health.Status
+
+func (f fakeHosts) All() map[string]health.Status { return f }
+
+func testConfig(t *testing.T) *config.Config {
+	c, err := config.Parse(strings.NewReader(`
+listen = "127.0.0.1:1"
+[hosts.alpha]
+base_url = "http://alpha:1"
+models = { "m" = { } }
+[hosts.beta]
+base_url = "http://beta:1"
+models = { "m" = { } }
+[routes.r]
+hosts = ["alpha", "beta"]
+default_model = "m"
+`))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return c
+}
+
+func TestHosts(t *testing.T) {
+	when := time.Date(2026, 9, 25, 8, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	h := admin.Handler(testConfig(t), fakeHosts{
+		"alpha": {Healthy: true, Loaded: []string{"m"}, LastOK: when},
+		"beta":  {Healthy: false, LastErr: "HTTP 503"},
+	})
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	h.ServeHTTP(rec, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/_crossbar/hosts", nil))
+	if rec.Code != 200 || !strings.HasPrefix(rec.Header().Get("Content-Type"), "application/json") {
+		t.Fatalf("status %d, content-type %q", rec.Code, rec.Header().Get("Content-Type"))
+	}
+	var out map[string]admin.HostView
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(rec.Body.Bytes(), &out); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if a := out["alpha"]; !a.Healthy || len(a.Loaded) != 1 || a.LastOK != "2026-09-25T08:00:00Z" || a.LastErr != "" {
+		t.Errorf("alpha = %+v", a)
+	}
+	if b := out["beta"]; b.Healthy || b.LastOK != "" || b.LastErr != "HTTP 503" || b.Loaded == nil {
+		t.Errorf("beta = %+v (loaded must be [] not null)", b)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(rec.Body.String(), `"loaded":[]`) {
+		t.Errorf("beta.loaded must encode as []: %s", rec.Body.String())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRoutes(t *testing.T) {
+	h := admin.Handler(testConfig(t), fakeHosts{})
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	h.ServeHTTP(rec, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/_crossbar/routes", nil))
+	var out map[string]admin.RouteView
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(rec.Body.Bytes(), &out); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("%v: %s", err, rec.Body.String())
+	}
+	r := out["r"]
+	if len(r.Hosts) != 2 || r.Hosts[0] != "alpha" || r.DefaultModel != "m" {
+		t.Errorf("routes = %+v", out)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMethodsAndUnknown(t *testing.T) {
+	h := admin.Handler(testConfig(t), fakeHosts{})
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		method, path string
+		want         int
+	}{
+		{http.MethodPost, "/_crossbar/hosts", 405},
+		{http.MethodDelete, "/_crossbar/routes", 405},
+		{http.MethodGet, "/_crossbar/nope", 404},
+		{http.MethodGet, "/_crossbar/", 404},
+	} {
+		rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		h.ServeHTTP(rec, httptest.NewRequest(tc.method, tc.path, nil))
+		if rec.Code != tc.want {
+			t.Errorf("%s %s = %d, want %d", tc.method, tc.path, rec.Code, tc.want)
+		}
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(rec.Header().Get("Content-Type"), "application/json") {
+			t.Errorf("%s %s: errors are JSON too", tc.method, tc.path)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1795333
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,300 @@
+// Package config reads crossbar's TOML file: the hosts in front of which it
+// proxies, the model each serves, and the ordered routes that select them.
+//
+// The reader is strict. A misspelt key or a route naming a host that does not
+// exist is an *Error naming the offending field, returned at start-up rather
+// than surfaced later.
+package config
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"net"
+	"net/url"
+	"os"
+	"regexp"
+	"sort"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/BurntSushi/toml"
+)
+
+// Duration is a time.Duration that TOML reads from a string such as "60s" or
+// "30m".
+type Duration struct{ time.Duration }
+
+// UnmarshalText implements encoding.TextUnmarshaler via time.ParseDuration.
+func (d *Duration) UnmarshalText(text []byte) error {
+	dt, err := time.ParseDuration(string(text))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	d.Duration = dt
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Model is the per-model tuning carried by a host entry.
+type Model struct {
+	Parallel int `toml:"parallel"`
+}
+
+// Host names one upstream llama-server, the models it serves, and its weight.
+type Host struct {
+	BaseURL string           `toml:"base_url"`
+	Weight  float64          `toml:"weight"`
+	Models  map[string]Model `toml:"models"`
+}
+
+// Route is an ordered list of hosts to try, with an optional default model.
+type Route struct {
+	Hosts        []string `toml:"hosts"`
+	DefaultModel string   `toml:"default_model"`
+}
+
+// Config is the whole file: what to listen on, tuning, hosts and routes.
+type Config struct {
+	Listen       string           `toml:"listen"`
+	PollInterval Duration         `toml:"poll_interval"`
+	QueueMax     int              `toml:"queue_max"`
+	Hosts        map[string]Host  `toml:"hosts"`
+	Routes       map[string]Route `toml:"routes"`
+}
+
+// Error is a validation error naming the field it is about.
+type Error struct {
+	Field, Msg string
+}
+
+// Error implements the error interface.
+func (e *Error) Error() string {
+	return "config: " + e.Field + ": " + e.Msg
+}
+
+const (
+	DefaultPollInterval = 60 * time.Second
+	DefaultQueueMax     = 8
+	MinPollInterval     = time.Second
+)
+
+var routeName = regexp.MustCompile(`^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9-]*$`)
+
+// Load reads and parses the config file at path. An open failure is wrapped as
+// "config: …", the same shape as a decode failure.
+func Load(path string) (*Config, error) {
+	f, err := os.Open(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("config: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	return Parse(f)
+}
+
+// Parse decodes TOML from r, applies defaults, and validates. A TOML syntax
+// error is returned wrapped as "config: …" and is not an *Error; an unknown
+// key is an *Error naming the first undecoded key in sorted order.
+func Parse(r io.Reader) (*Config, error) {
+	var c Config
+	md, err := toml.NewDecoder(r).Decode(&c)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("config: %w", err)
+	}
+	if undecoded := md.Undecoded(); len(undecoded) > 0 {
+		keys := make([]string, 0, len(undecoded))
+		for _, k := range undecoded {
+			keys = append(keys, strings.Join(k, "."))
+		}
+		sort.Strings(keys)
+		return nil, &Error{Field: keys[0], Msg: "unknown key"}
+	}
+
+	if c.PollInterval.Duration == 0 {
+		c.PollInterval.Duration = DefaultPollInterval
+	}
+	if c.QueueMax == 0 {
+		c.QueueMax = DefaultQueueMax
+	}
+	if e := c.validate(); e != nil {
+		return nil, e
+	}
+	return &c, nil
+}
+
+// Serves reports whether the host exists and lists the model.
+func (c *Config) Serves(host, model string) bool {
+	h, ok := c.Hosts[host]
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	_, ok = h.Models[model]
+	return ok
+}
+
+// IsError extracts an *Error from err, reporting whether one was present.
+func IsError(err error) (*Error, bool) {
+	var e *Error
+	if errors.As(err, &e) {
+		return e, true
+	}
+	return nil, false
+}
+
+// validate checks the config in a fixed order and writes defaults back into c.
+// The first problem wins; every problem is an *Error with a precise field.
+func (c *Config) validate() *Error {
+	if e := c.checkListen(); e != nil {
+		return e
+	}
+	if e := c.checkPoll(); e != nil {
+		return e
+	}
+	if e := c.checkQueue(); e != nil {
+		return e
+	}
+	if e := c.checkHosts(); e != nil {
+		return e
+	}
+	return c.checkRoutes()
+}
+
+func (c *Config) checkListen() *Error {
+	if c.Listen == "" {
+		return &Error{Field: "listen", Msg: "required, host:port"}
+	}
+	host, _, err := net.SplitHostPort(c.Listen)
+	if err != nil {
+		return &Error{Field: "listen", Msg: "must be host:port"}
+	}
+	if host == "" {
+		return &Error{Field: "listen", Msg: "host part required"}
+	}
+	if host == "0.0.0.0" || host == "::" {
+		return &Error{Field: "listen", Msg: "not an unspecified address"}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *Config) checkPoll() *Error {
+	if c.PollInterval.Duration == 0 {
+		c.PollInterval.Duration = DefaultPollInterval
+	} else if c.PollInterval.Duration < MinPollInterval {
+		return &Error{Field: "poll_interval", Msg: "must be at least 1s"}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *Config) checkQueue() *Error {
+	if c.QueueMax == 0 {
+		c.QueueMax = DefaultQueueMax
+	} else if c.QueueMax < 0 {
+		return &Error{Field: "queue_max", Msg: "must not be negative"}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *Config) checkHosts() *Error {
+	if len(c.Hosts) == 0 {
+		return &Error{Field: "hosts", Msg: "at least one required"}
+	}
+	names := make([]string, 0, len(c.Hosts))
+	for name := range c.Hosts {
+		names = append(names, name)
+	}
+	sort.Strings(names)
+	for _, name := range names {
+		h := c.Hosts[name]
+
+		baseField := fmt.Sprintf("hosts.%s.base_url", name)
+		u, err := url.Parse(h.BaseURL)
+		if err != nil {
+			return &Error{Field: baseField, Msg: err.Error()}
+		}
+		if u.Scheme != "http" && u.Scheme != "https" {
+			return &Error{Field: baseField, Msg: "scheme must be http or https"}
+		}
+		if u.Host == "" {
+			return &Error{Field: baseField, Msg: "host required"}
+		}
+		if u.RawQuery != "" {
+			return &Error{Field: baseField, Msg: "query not allowed"}
+		}
+		if u.Fragment != "" {
+			return &Error{Field: baseField, Msg: "fragment not allowed"}
+		}
+		h.BaseURL = strings.TrimRight(h.BaseURL, "/")
+
+		if h.Weight == 0 {
+			h.Weight = 1
+		} else if h.Weight < 0 {
+			return &Error{Field: fmt.Sprintf("hosts.%s.weight", name), Msg: "must not be negative"}
+		}
+
+		if len(h.Models) == 0 {
+			return &Error{Field: fmt.Sprintf("hosts.%s.models", name), Msg: "at least one required"}
+		}
+		models := make([]string, 0, len(h.Models))
+		for m := range h.Models {
+			models = append(models, m)
+		}
+		sort.Strings(models)
+		for _, m := range models {
+			pm := h.Models[m]
+			if pm.Parallel == 0 {
+				pm.Parallel = 1
+			} else if pm.Parallel < 0 {
+				return &Error{Field: fmt.Sprintf("hosts.%s.models.%s.parallel", name, m), Msg: "must not be negative"}
+			}
+			h.Models[m] = pm
+		}
+		c.Hosts[name] = h
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *Config) checkRoutes() *Error {
+	if len(c.Routes) == 0 {
+		return &Error{Field: "routes", Msg: "at least one required"}
+	}
+	names := make([]string, 0, len(c.Routes))
+	for name := range c.Routes {
+		names = append(names, name)
+	}
+	sort.Strings(names)
+	for _, name := range names {
+		r := c.Routes[name]
+
+		if !routeName.MatchString(name) {
+			return &Error{Field: fmt.Sprintf("routes.%s", name), Msg: "must match [a-z0-9][a-z0-9-]*"}
+		}
+
+		hostsField := fmt.Sprintf("routes.%s.hosts", name)
+		if len(r.Hosts) == 0 {
+			return &Error{Field: hostsField, Msg: "at least one required"}
+		}
+		seen := make(map[string]bool, len(r.Hosts))
+		for _, h := range r.Hosts {
+			if seen[h] {
+				return &Error{Field: hostsField, Msg: "host listed twice"}
+			}
+			seen[h] = true
+			if _, ok := c.Hosts[h]; !ok {
+				return &Error{Field: hostsField, Msg: "unknown host"}
+			}
+		}
+
+		if r.DefaultModel != "" {
+			served := false
+			for _, h := range r.Hosts {
+				if _, ok := c.Hosts[h].Models[r.DefaultModel]; ok {
+					served = true
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			if !served {
+				return &Error{Field: fmt.Sprintf("routes.%s.default_model", name), Msg: "not served by any host in route"}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/config/config_test.go b/internal/config/config_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9069c36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/config/config_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,191 @@
+package config_test
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/config"
+)
+
+func TestGoodFile(t *testing.T) {
+	c, err := config.Load(filepath.Join("testdata", "good.toml"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Load: %v", err)
+	}
+	if c.Listen != "100.64.0.9:7777" {
+		t.Errorf("Listen = %q", c.Listen)
+	}
+	if c.PollInterval.Duration != 5*time.Second {
+		t.Errorf("PollInterval = %v", c.PollInterval.Duration)
+	}
+	if c.QueueMax != 4 {
+		t.Errorf("QueueMax = %d", c.QueueMax)
+	}
+	alpha := c.Hosts["alpha"]
+	if alpha.BaseURL != "http://alpha.example:11434" {
+		t.Errorf("trailing slash not stripped: %q", alpha.BaseURL)
+	}
+	if alpha.Weight != 2 {
+		t.Errorf("alpha.Weight = %v", alpha.Weight)
+	}
+	if alpha.Models["ornith-1.5-35b-a3b"].Parallel != 4 || alpha.Models["small-9b"].Parallel != 6 {
+		t.Errorf("alpha.Models = %+v", alpha.Models)
+	}
+	beta := c.Hosts["beta"]
+	if beta.Weight != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("beta.Weight default = %v, want 1", beta.Weight)
+	}
+	if beta.Models["ornith-1.5-35b-a3b"].Parallel != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("beta parallel default = %d, want 1", beta.Models["ornith-1.5-35b-a3b"].Parallel)
+	}
+	r := c.Routes["opencode-a"]
+	if len(r.Hosts) != 2 || r.Hosts[0] != "alpha" || r.Hosts[1] != "beta" {
+		t.Errorf("route hosts = %v", r.Hosts)
+	}
+	if r.DefaultModel != "ornith-1.5-35b-a3b" {
+		t.Errorf("DefaultModel = %q", r.DefaultModel)
+	}
+	if c.Routes["hermes-x"].DefaultModel != "" {
+		t.Errorf("hermes-x DefaultModel should be empty")
+	}
+	if !c.Serves("alpha", "small-9b") || c.Serves("beta", "small-9b") || c.Serves("nope", "m") {
+		t.Errorf("Serves is wrong")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDefaults(t *testing.T) {
+	c, err := config.Parse(strings.NewReader(`
+listen = "127.0.0.1:1"
+[hosts.a]
+base_url = "http://a:1"
+models = { "m" = { } }
+[routes.r]
+hosts = ["a"]
+`))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Parse: %v", err)
+	}
+	if c.PollInterval.Duration != config.DefaultPollInterval {
+		t.Errorf("PollInterval default = %v", c.PollInterval.Duration)
+	}
+	if c.QueueMax != config.DefaultQueueMax {
+		t.Errorf("QueueMax default = %d", c.QueueMax)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestBadFiles(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct{ file, field string }{
+		{"bad-listen.toml", "listen"},
+		{"bad-unknown-host.toml", "routes.r.hosts"},
+		{"bad-default-model.toml", "routes.r.default_model"},
+		{"bad-unknown-key.toml", "lease_idle"},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.file, func(t *testing.T) {
+			_, err := config.Load(filepath.Join("testdata", tc.file))
+			if err == nil {
+				t.Fatalf("want error")
+			}
+			e, ok := config.IsError(err)
+			if !ok {
+				t.Fatalf("want *config.Error, got %T: %v", err, err)
+			}
+			if e.Field != tc.field {
+				t.Errorf("Field = %q, want %q (%v)", e.Field, tc.field, err)
+			}
+			if !strings.HasPrefix(err.Error(), "config: "+tc.field+": ") {
+				t.Errorf("Error() = %q", err.Error())
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestBadValues(t *testing.T) {
+	base := `
+listen = %q
+poll_interval = %q
+[hosts.a]
+base_url = %q
+weight = %v
+models = { "m" = { parallel = %d } }
+[routes.%s]
+hosts = ["a"]
+`
+	cases := []struct {
+		name                     string
+		listen, poll, url, route string
+		weight                   float64
+		parallel                 int
+		field                    string
+	}{
+		{"empty listen", "", "5s", "http://a:1", "r", 1, 1, "listen"},
+		{"no port", "127.0.0.1", "5s", "http://a:1", "r", 1, 1, "listen"},
+		{"v6 any", "[::]:7", "5s", "http://a:1", "r", 1, 1, "listen"},
+		{"poll too short", "127.0.0.1:7", "500ms", "http://a:1", "r", 1, 1, "poll_interval"},
+		{"ftp url", "127.0.0.1:7", "5s", "ftp://a:1", "r", 1, 1, "hosts.a.base_url"},
+		{"no host", "127.0.0.1:7", "5s", "http://", "r", 1, 1, "hosts.a.base_url"},
+		{"query", "127.0.0.1:7", "5s", "http://a:1/v1?x=1", "r", 1, 1, "hosts.a.base_url"},
+		{"negative weight", "127.0.0.1:7", "5s", "http://a:1", "r", -1, 1, "hosts.a.weight"},
+		{"negative parallel", "127.0.0.1:7", "5s", "http://a:1", "r", 1, -2, "hosts.a.models.m.parallel"},
+		{"route name", "127.0.0.1:7", "5s", "http://a:1", "Bad_Name", 1, 1, "routes.Bad_Name"},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			text := fmt.Sprintf(base, tc.listen, tc.poll, tc.url, tc.weight, tc.parallel, tc.route)
+			_, err := config.Parse(strings.NewReader(text))
+			if err == nil {
+				t.Fatalf("want error for %s", tc.name)
+			}
+			e, ok := config.IsError(err)
+			if !ok {
+				t.Fatalf("want *config.Error, got %T: %v", err, err)
+			}
+			if e.Field != tc.field {
+				t.Errorf("Field = %q, want %q (%v)", e.Field, tc.field, err)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMissingSections(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range []struct{ name, text, field string }{
+		{"no hosts", "listen = \"127.0.0.1:7\"\n[routes.r]\nhosts = [\"a\"]\n", "hosts"},
+		{"no routes", "listen = \"127.0.0.1:7\"\n[hosts.a]\nbase_url = \"http://a:1\"\nmodels = { \"m\" = { } }\n", "routes"},
+		{"host without models", "listen = \"127.0.0.1:7\"\n[hosts.a]\nbase_url = \"http://a:1\"\n[routes.r]\nhosts = [\"a\"]\n", "hosts.a.models"},
+		{"route without hosts", "listen = \"127.0.0.1:7\"\n[hosts.a]\nbase_url = \"http://a:1\"\nmodels = { \"m\" = { } }\n[routes.r]\n", "routes.r.hosts"},
+		{"host twice", "listen = \"127.0.0.1:7\"\n[hosts.a]\nbase_url = \"http://a:1\"\nmodels = { \"m\" = { } }\n[routes.r]\nhosts = [\"a\", \"a\"]\n", "routes.r.hosts"},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			_, err := config.Parse(strings.NewReader(tc.text))
+			e, ok := config.IsError(err)
+			if !ok {
+				t.Fatalf("want *config.Error, got %v", err)
+			}
+			if e.Field != tc.field {
+				t.Errorf("Field = %q, want %q", e.Field, tc.field)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNotTOML(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := config.Parse(strings.NewReader("listen = [unterminated"))
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("want error")
+	}
+	if _, ok := config.IsError(err); ok {
+		t.Errorf("a syntax error is not a validation Error")
+	}
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(err.Error(), "config: ") {
+		t.Errorf("Error() = %q", err.Error())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMissingFile(t *testing.T) {
+	if _, err := config.Load(filepath.Join("testdata", "does-not-exist.toml")); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("want error")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/config/testdata/bad-default-model.toml b/internal/config/testdata/bad-default-model.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e1cc32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/config/testdata/bad-default-model.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+listen = "127.0.0.1:7777"
+
+[hosts.alpha]
+base_url = "http://alpha.example:11434"
+models   = { "m" = { } }
+
+[routes.r]
+hosts         = ["alpha"]
+default_model = "not-served"
diff --git a/internal/config/testdata/bad-listen.toml b/internal/config/testdata/bad-listen.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..15e0e6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/config/testdata/bad-listen.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+listen = "0.0.0.0:7777"
+
+[hosts.alpha]
+base_url = "http://alpha.example:11434"
+models   = { "m" = { } }
+
+[routes.r]
+hosts = ["alpha"]
diff --git a/internal/config/testdata/bad-unknown-host.toml b/internal/config/testdata/bad-unknown-host.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd5aa92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/config/testdata/bad-unknown-host.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+listen = "127.0.0.1:7777"
+
+[hosts.alpha]
+base_url = "http://alpha.example:11434"
+models   = { "m" = { } }
+
+[routes.r]
+hosts = ["alpha", "gamma"]
diff --git a/internal/config/testdata/bad-unknown-key.toml b/internal/config/testdata/bad-unknown-key.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e3e94ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/config/testdata/bad-unknown-key.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+listen = "127.0.0.1:7777"
+lease_idle = "30m"
+
+[hosts.alpha]
+base_url = "http://alpha.example:11434"
+models   = { "m" = { } }
+
+[routes.r]
+hosts = ["alpha"]
diff --git a/internal/config/testdata/good.toml b/internal/config/testdata/good.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92ad98e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/config/testdata/good.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+listen        = "100.64.0.9:7777"
+poll_interval = "5s"
+queue_max     = 4
+
+[hosts.alpha]
+base_url = "http://alpha.example:11434/"
+weight   = 2.0
+models   = { "ornith-1.5-35b-a3b" = { parallel = 4 }, "small-9b" = { parallel = 6 } }
+
+[hosts.beta]
+base_url = "https://beta.example:8081"
+models   = { "ornith-1.5-35b-a3b" = { } }
+
+[routes.opencode-a]
+hosts         = ["alpha", "beta"]
+default_model = "ornith-1.5-35b-a3b"
+
+[routes.hermes-x]
+hosts = ["beta"]
diff --git a/internal/health/health.go b/internal/health/health.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d483353
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/health/health.go
@@ -0,0 +1,258 @@
+// Package health tracks, for every host, whether it answered its last poll, which models it has
+// loaded, and when it last answered. The proxy reads the table to choose a host and to record a
+// request failure against a host.
+package health
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"net/http"
+	"sort"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// RecoveryPolls is the number of good polls in a row a host needs after a failure before it is
+// trusted again; a router loading a model flaps, so one good poll is not enough.
+const RecoveryPolls = 2
+
+// MaxModelsBody bounds how many bytes we read from either /health or /v1/models.
+const MaxModelsBody = 1 << 20
+
+// Status is a snapshot of one host's health, safe to copy.
+type Status struct {
+	Healthy     bool      `json:"healthy"`
+	Loaded      []string  `json:"loaded"`      // sorted, unique model ids from the last good poll
+	LastOK      time.Time `json:"last_ok"`     // zero if never
+	LastErr     string    `json:"last_err"`    // "" after a good poll
+	Consecutive int       `json:"consecutive"` // good polls in a row
+}
+
+type entry struct {
+	status     Status
+	everFailed bool
+}
+
+type pollResult struct {
+	ok        bool
+	cancelled bool
+	reason    string
+	loaded    []string
+}
+
+// Table maps a host name to its health status. All methods are safe for concurrent use.
+type Table struct {
+	mu       sync.Mutex
+	baseURL  map[string]string
+	entries  map[string]entry
+	client   *http.Client
+	interval time.Duration
+}
+
+// New builds a table from hosts (name -> base URL, no trailing slash). A nil client becomes a
+// five-second-timeout client. Every host starts untrusted with an empty Loaded slice.
+func New(hosts map[string]string, interval time.Duration, client *http.Client) *Table {
+	if client == nil {
+		client = &http.Client{Timeout: 5 * time.Second}
+	}
+	t := &Table{
+		baseURL:  hosts,
+		entries:  make(map[string]entry, len(hosts)),
+		client:   client,
+		interval: interval,
+	}
+	for name := range hosts {
+		t.entries[name] = entry{status: Status{Loaded: []string{}}}
+	}
+	return t
+}
+
+// Run polls once immediately, then every interval, and returns when ctx is done.
+func (t *Table) Run(ctx context.Context) {
+	t.PollOnce(ctx)
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(t.interval)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			t.PollOnce(ctx)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// PollOnce polls every host concurrently and returns when all have finished.
+func (t *Table) PollOnce(ctx context.Context) {
+	t.mu.Lock()
+	names := make([]string, 0, len(t.baseURL))
+	for name := range t.baseURL {
+		names = append(names, name)
+	}
+	t.mu.Unlock()
+
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	for _, name := range names {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func(name string) {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			t.pollHost(ctx, name)
+		}(name)
+	}
+	wg.Wait()
+}
+
+// Get returns a copy of one host's status; ok is false for an unknown name.
+func (t *Table) Get(name string) (Status, bool) {
+	t.mu.Lock()
+	defer t.mu.Unlock()
+	e, ok := t.entries[name]
+	if !ok {
+		return Status{}, false
+	}
+	return copyStatus(e.status), true
+}
+
+// All returns copies of every host's status.
+func (t *Table) All() map[string]Status {
+	t.mu.Lock()
+	defer t.mu.Unlock()
+	out := make(map[string]Status, len(t.entries))
+	for name, e := range t.entries {
+		out[name] = copyStatus(e.status)
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+// MarkDown records a failure seen by the proxy. Loaded is left as last seen.
+func (t *Table) MarkDown(name, reason string) {
+	t.mu.Lock()
+	defer t.mu.Unlock()
+	e, ok := t.entries[name]
+	if !ok {
+		return
+	}
+	e.everFailed = true
+	e.status.Healthy = false
+	e.status.Consecutive = 0
+	e.status.LastErr = "marked down: " + reason
+	t.entries[name] = e
+}
+
+func (t *Table) pollHost(ctx context.Context, name string) {
+	base := t.baseURL[name]
+	r := t.poll(ctx, base)
+
+	t.mu.Lock()
+	defer t.mu.Unlock()
+	e := t.entries[name]
+	if r.cancelled {
+		return
+	}
+	if r.ok {
+		e.status.Consecutive++
+		e.status.LastOK = time.Now()
+		e.status.LastErr = ""
+		e.status.Loaded = r.loaded
+		e.status.Healthy = !e.everFailed || e.status.Consecutive >= RecoveryPolls
+	} else {
+		e.everFailed = true
+		e.status.Healthy = false
+		e.status.Consecutive = 0
+		e.status.LastErr = r.reason
+	}
+	t.entries[name] = e
+}
+
+// poll runs the two requests for one host. A request that fails because ctx is done yields a
+// cancelled result so the caller records nothing; any other failure yields a reason.
+func (t *Table) poll(ctx context.Context, base string) pollResult {
+	loaded, r := t.check(ctx, base+"/health", "health")
+	if r.cancelled || r.reason != "" {
+		return r
+	}
+	loaded, r = t.check(ctx, base+"/v1/models", "models")
+	if r.cancelled {
+		return r
+	}
+	if r.reason != "" {
+		return r
+	}
+	return pollResult{ok: true, loaded: loaded}
+}
+
+// check performs one GET and, on success, returns the decoded model ids. Health checks use the
+// status code only; the models check also decodes the resident model ids.
+func (t *Table) check(ctx context.Context, url, prefix string) ([]string, pollResult) {
+	req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodGet, url, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, t.fail(ctx, prefix, err)
+	}
+	resp, err := t.client.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, t.fail(ctx, prefix, err)
+	}
+
+	if prefix == "health" {
+		// We only need the status code; bound and drain the body.
+		func() {
+			defer resp.Body.Close()
+			_, _ = io.Copy(io.Discard, io.LimitReader(resp.Body, MaxModelsBody))
+		}()
+		if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+			return nil, pollResult{reason: fmt.Sprintf("health: HTTP %d", resp.StatusCode)}
+		}
+		return nil, pollResult{}
+	}
+
+	// models: bound and decode the body.
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		defer resp.Body.Close()
+		return nil, pollResult{reason: fmt.Sprintf("models: HTTP %d", resp.StatusCode)}
+	}
+	var m struct {
+		Data []struct {
+			ID string `json:"id"`
+		} `json:"data"`
+	}
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(io.LimitReader(resp.Body, MaxModelsBody)).Decode(&m); err != nil {
+		defer resp.Body.Close()
+		return nil, t.fail(ctx, "models", err)
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	loaded := make([]string, 0, len(m.Data))
+	seen := make(map[string]struct{}, len(m.Data))
+	for _, d := range m.Data {
+		if d.ID == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		if _, ok := seen[d.ID]; ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		seen[d.ID] = struct{}{}
+		loaded = append(loaded, d.ID)
+	}
+	sort.Strings(loaded)
+	return loaded, pollResult{}
+}
+
+// fail builds a failure result, treating a done ctx as a cancellation rather than a failure.
+func (t *Table) fail(ctx context.Context, prefix string, err error) pollResult {
+	if ctx.Err() != nil {
+		return pollResult{cancelled: true}
+	}
+	return pollResult{reason: prefix + ": " + err.Error()}
+}
+
+func copyStatus(s Status) Status {
+	if s.Loaded == nil {
+		return s
+	}
+	out := s
+	out.Loaded = make([]string, len(s.Loaded))
+	copy(out.Loaded, s.Loaded)
+	return out
+}
diff --git a/internal/health/health_test.go b/internal/health/health_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f3d53f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/health/health_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+package health_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/health"
+)
+
+// fake is a llama-server stand-in whose /health can be flipped and whose model list is fixed.
+type fake struct {
+	srv    *httptest.Server
+	down   atomic.Bool
+	models []string
+	hits   atomic.Int32
+}
+
+func newFake(t *testing.T, models ...string) *fake {
+	f := &fake{models: models}
+	mux := http.NewServeMux()
+	mux.HandleFunc("/health", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		f.hits.Add(1)
+		if f.down.Load() {
+			http.Error(w, "loading", http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
+			return
+		}
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"status":"ok"}`))
+	})
+	mux.HandleFunc("/v1/models", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		type m struct {
+			ID string `json:"id"`
+		}
+		var data []m
+		for _, id := range f.models {
+			data = append(data, m{ID: id})
+		}
+		_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]any{"object": "list", "data": data})
+	})
+	f.srv = httptest.NewServer(mux)
+	t.Cleanup(f.srv.Close)
+	return f
+}
+
+func TestFirstPollMakesHealthy(t *testing.T) {
+	a := newFake(t, "zeta", "alpha", "alpha")
+	tbl := health.New(map[string]string{"a": a.srv.URL}, time.Hour, nil)
+	if s, ok := tbl.Get("a"); !ok || s.Healthy || len(s.Loaded) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("before any poll: %+v %v", s, ok)
+	}
+	tbl.PollOnce(context.Background())
+	s, _ := tbl.Get("a")
+	if !s.Healthy || s.Consecutive != 1 || s.LastErr != "" || s.LastOK.IsZero() {
+		t.Errorf("after one good poll: %+v", s)
+	}
+	if len(s.Loaded) != 2 || s.Loaded[0] != "alpha" || s.Loaded[1] != "zeta" {
+		t.Errorf("Loaded = %v, want sorted, unique [alpha zeta]", s.Loaded)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFailureThenRecoveryNeedsTwoPolls(t *testing.T) {
+	a := newFake(t, "m")
+	tbl := health.New(map[string]string{"a": a.srv.URL}, time.Hour, nil)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	tbl.PollOnce(ctx)
+	a.down.Store(true)
+	tbl.PollOnce(ctx)
+	s, _ := tbl.Get("a")
+	if s.Healthy || s.Consecutive != 0 || s.LastErr == "" {
+		t.Fatalf("after failure: %+v", s)
+	}
+	if len(s.Loaded) != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("Loaded is left as last seen; got %v", s.Loaded)
+	}
+	a.down.Store(false)
+	tbl.PollOnce(ctx)
+	if s, _ := tbl.Get("a"); s.Healthy || s.Consecutive != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("one good poll after a failure must not be healthy yet: %+v", s)
+	}
+	tbl.PollOnce(ctx)
+	if s, _ := tbl.Get("a"); !s.Healthy || s.Consecutive != 2 || s.LastErr != "" {
+		t.Errorf("two good polls: %+v", s)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMarkDown(t *testing.T) {
+	a := newFake(t, "m")
+	tbl := health.New(map[string]string{"a": a.srv.URL}, time.Hour, nil)
+	tbl.PollOnce(context.Background())
+	tbl.MarkDown("a", "connection refused")
+	s, _ := tbl.Get("a")
+	if s.Healthy || s.Consecutive != 0 || s.LastErr != "marked down: connection refused" {
+		t.Errorf("after MarkDown: %+v", s)
+	}
+	tbl.MarkDown("nobody", "x") // unknown hosts are ignored, not a panic
+	tbl.PollOnce(context.Background())
+	if s, _ := tbl.Get("a"); s.Healthy {
+		t.Errorf("one poll after MarkDown must not be healthy: %+v", s)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestUnreachableAndUnknown(t *testing.T) {
+	tbl := health.New(map[string]string{"a": "http://127.0.0.1:1"}, time.Hour, &http.Client{Timeout: time.Second})
+	tbl.PollOnce(context.Background())
+	s, ok := tbl.Get("a")
+	if !ok || s.Healthy || s.LastErr == "" {
+		t.Errorf("unreachable host: %+v %v", s, ok)
+	}
+	if _, ok := tbl.Get("zzz"); ok {
+		t.Errorf("unknown host must report ok=false")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAllIsACopy(t *testing.T) {
+	a := newFake(t, "m")
+	tbl := health.New(map[string]string{"a": a.srv.URL}, time.Hour, nil)
+	tbl.PollOnce(context.Background())
+	all := tbl.All()
+	all["a"].Loaded[0] = "changed"
+	if s, _ := tbl.Get("a"); s.Loaded[0] != "m" {
+		t.Errorf("All must return copies")
+	}
+	if len(all) != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("All = %v", all)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRunPollsOnStart(t *testing.T) {
+	a := newFake(t, "m")
+	tbl := health.New(map[string]string{"a": a.srv.URL}, 20*time.Millisecond, nil)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() { tbl.Run(ctx); close(done) }()
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second)
+	for a.hits.Load() < 3 && time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		time.Sleep(5 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+	cancel()
+	select {
+	case <-done:
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("Run did not return after cancel")
+	}
+	if a.hits.Load() < 3 {
+		t.Errorf("Run polled %d times in 2s at 20ms interval", a.hits.Load())
+	}
+	if s, _ := tbl.Get("a"); !s.Healthy {
+		t.Errorf("not healthy after Run: %+v", s)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/proxy/proxy.go b/internal/proxy/proxy.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bb59b26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/proxy/proxy.go
@@ -0,0 +1,240 @@
+// Package proxy is the routing reverse proxy. It takes /{route}/v1/…, picks a host from the
+// route's ordered list using the health table, forwards the request, streams the answer back as it
+// arrives, and tells the health table when a host fails.
+package proxy
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"io"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httputil"
+	"net/url"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"log/slog"
+
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/config"
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/health"
+)
+
+// MaxBody is the largest request body we look at for a top-level "model" field.
+const MaxBody = 16 << 20
+
+// HostHeader is set on every proxied response: the name of the host that answered.
+const HostHeader = "X-Crossbar-Host"
+
+// errBodyTooLarge is returned when a request body exceeds MaxBody during the model peek.
+var errBodyTooLarge = errors.New("body too large")
+
+// Health is what the proxy needs from the health table.
+type Health interface {
+	Get(name string) (health.Status, bool)
+	MarkDown(name, reason string)
+}
+
+// Handler forwards requests for a route to one of the route's healthy hosts.
+type Handler struct {
+	cfg    *config.Config
+	health Health
+	log    *slog.Logger
+}
+
+// New builds a Handler. A nil logger becomes slog.Default().
+func New(cfg *config.Config, h Health, log *slog.Logger) *Handler {
+	if log == nil {
+		log = slog.Default()
+	}
+	return &Handler{cfg: cfg, health: h, log: log}
+}
+
+// SplitRoute takes the first path segment as the route. "/a/v1/x" -> ("a", "/v1/x", true); "/a" and
+// "/a/" -> ("a", "/", true); "/", "//x", "", "noslash/v1" -> ("", "", false). The query string, if
+// present, is kept in rest.
+func SplitRoute(path string) (route, rest string, ok bool) {
+	if path == "" || path[0] != '/' {
+		return "", "", false
+	}
+	after := path[1:]
+	slash := strings.IndexByte(after, '/')
+	if slash == -1 {
+		if after == "" {
+			return "", "", false
+		}
+		return after, "/", true
+	}
+	if after[:slash] == "" {
+		return "", "", false
+	}
+	return after[:slash], after[slash:], true
+}
+
+// Choose returns the first host in order that is healthy and lists model in Loaded; failing that,
+// the first healthy host. ok is false if none. model may be "".
+func Choose(hosts []string, model string, h Health) (string, bool) {
+	for _, name := range hosts {
+		s, ok := h.Get(name)
+		if !ok || !s.Healthy || !hasModel(s.Loaded, model) {
+			continue
+		}
+		return name, true
+	}
+	for _, name := range hosts {
+		s, ok := h.Get(name)
+		if ok && s.Healthy {
+			return name, true
+		}
+	}
+	return "", false
+}
+
+func hasModel(loaded []string, model string) bool {
+	if model == "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	for _, m := range loaded {
+		if m == model {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// allowedPath reports whether rest may be proxied: under /v1/, or the two admin paths.
+func allowedPath(rest string) bool {
+	return strings.HasPrefix(rest, "/v1/") || rest == "/health" || rest == "/props"
+}
+
+// peekModel reads a non-GET/HEAD body up to MaxBody+1 bytes, restores it on the request, and
+// returns the top-level "model". A non-JSON body or one without a model gives "". A body larger
+// than MaxBody returns errBodyTooLarge.
+func peekModel(r *http.Request) (string, error) {
+	if r.Method == http.MethodGet || r.Method == http.MethodHead {
+		return "", nil
+	}
+	if r.Body == nil || r.Body == http.NoBody {
+		return "", nil
+	}
+	body, err := io.ReadAll(io.LimitReader(r.Body, MaxBody+1))
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if len(body) > MaxBody {
+		return "", errBodyTooLarge
+	}
+	r.Body = io.NopCloser(bytes.NewReader(body))
+	r.ContentLength = int64(len(body))
+
+	var req struct {
+		Model string `json:"model"`
+	}
+	_ = json.Unmarshal(body, &req)
+	return req.Model, nil
+}
+
+// statusRecorder records the status written and forwards Flush so the reverse proxy can stream.
+type statusRecorder struct {
+	http.ResponseWriter
+	status int
+}
+
+func (r *statusRecorder) WriteHeader(code int) {
+	r.status = code
+	r.ResponseWriter.WriteHeader(code)
+}
+
+func (r *statusRecorder) Flush() {
+	r.ResponseWriter.(http.Flusher).Flush()
+}
+
+func (p *Handler) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	route, rest, ok := SplitRoute(r.URL.Path)
+	if !ok {
+		p.writeError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, "missing route")
+		return
+	}
+	routeCfg, ok := p.cfg.Routes[route]
+	if !ok {
+		p.writeError(w, http.StatusNotFound, "unknown route")
+		return
+	}
+	if !allowedPath(rest) {
+		p.writeError(w, http.StatusNotFound, "not found")
+		return
+	}
+	model, err := peekModel(r)
+	if err != nil {
+		p.writeError(w, http.StatusRequestEntityTooLarge, "body too large")
+		return
+	}
+	if model == "" {
+		model = routeCfg.DefaultModel
+	}
+	name, ok := Choose(routeCfg.Hosts, model, p.health)
+	if !ok {
+		p.writeError(w, http.StatusServiceUnavailable, "no healthy host")
+		return
+	}
+
+	host, ok := p.cfg.Hosts[name]
+	if !ok {
+		p.writeError(w, http.StatusBadGateway, "upstream failed")
+		return
+	}
+	target, err := url.Parse(host.BaseURL)
+	if err != nil {
+		p.writeError(w, http.StatusBadGateway, "upstream failed")
+		return
+	}
+
+	pr := newReverseProxy(p.health, name, target, rest)
+	rec := &statusRecorder{ResponseWriter: w, status: http.StatusOK}
+	start := time.Now()
+	pr.ServeHTTP(rec, r)
+	p.log.Info("request",
+		"route", route,
+		"host", name,
+		"method", r.Method,
+		"path", rest,
+		"status", rec.status,
+		"ms", time.Since(start).Milliseconds(),
+	)
+}
+
+func (p *Handler) writeError(w http.ResponseWriter, status int, msg string) {
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	w.WriteHeader(status)
+	_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]string{"error": msg})
+}
+
+// newReverseProxy forwards to a single host, rewriting the path to target.Path+rest and keeping the
+// original query string. It flushes after every write so long server-sent-event streams are not
+// buffered, and marks the host down on any transport error other than a client disconnect.
+func newReverseProxy(h Health, name string, target *url.URL, rest string) *httputil.ReverseProxy {
+	return &httputil.ReverseProxy{
+		Rewrite: func(pr *httputil.ProxyRequest) {
+			pr.SetURL(target)
+			pr.Out.URL.Path = target.Path + rest
+			pr.Out.URL.RawPath = ""
+			pr.Out.Host = target.Host
+			pr.SetXForwarded()
+		},
+		FlushInterval: -1,
+		ModifyResponse: func(resp *http.Response) error {
+			resp.Header.Set(HostHeader, name)
+			return nil
+		},
+		ErrorHandler: func(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, err error) {
+			if errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
+				return
+			}
+			h.MarkDown(name, err.Error())
+			w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadGateway)
+			_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]string{"error": "upstream failed", "host": name})
+		},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/proxy/proxy_test.go b/internal/proxy/proxy_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d15174
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/proxy/proxy_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,318 @@
+package proxy_test
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/config"
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/health"
+	"git.wntrmute.dev/kyle/crossbar/internal/proxy"
+)
+
+// fakeHealth is a hand-set health table that also records MarkDown calls.
+type fakeHealth struct {
+	mu     sync.Mutex
+	st     map[string]health.Status
+	marked []string
+}
+
+func (f *fakeHealth) Get(name string) (health.Status, bool) {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	s, ok := f.st[name]
+	return s, ok
+}
+
+func (f *fakeHealth) MarkDown(name, reason string) {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	f.marked = append(f.marked, name)
+	s := f.st[name]
+	s.Healthy = false
+	s.LastErr = reason
+	f.st[name] = s
+}
+
+func (f *fakeHealth) markedHosts() []string {
+	f.mu.Lock()
+	defer f.mu.Unlock()
+	return append([]string{}, f.marked...)
+}
+
+// upstream records what it received and answers with its name.
+type upstream struct {
+	name string
+	srv  *httptest.Server
+	mu   sync.Mutex
+	reqs []recorded
+}
+
+type recorded struct {
+	method, path, host, xff string
+	body                    string
+}
+
+func newUpstream(t *testing.T, name string) *upstream {
+	u := &upstream{name: name}
+	u.srv = httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		b, _ := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
+		u.mu.Lock()
+		u.reqs = append(u.reqs, recorded{r.Method, r.URL.RequestURI(), r.Host, r.Header.Get("X-Forwarded-For"), string(b)})
+		u.mu.Unlock()
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, `{"from":%q}`, name)
+	}))
+	t.Cleanup(u.srv.Close)
+	return u
+}
+
+func (u *upstream) last(t *testing.T) recorded {
+	u.mu.Lock()
+	defer u.mu.Unlock()
+	if len(u.reqs) == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("%s: no request received", u.name)
+	}
+	return u.reqs[len(u.reqs)-1]
+}
+
+func cfgFor(t *testing.T, alpha, beta string) *config.Config {
+	c, err := config.Parse(strings.NewReader(fmt.Sprintf(`
+listen = "127.0.0.1:1"
+[hosts.alpha]
+base_url = %q
+models = { "shared" = { }, "alpha-only" = { } }
+[hosts.beta]
+base_url = %q
+models = { "shared" = { }, "beta-only" = { } }
+[routes.r]
+hosts = ["alpha", "beta"]
+default_model = "shared"
+[routes.beta-first]
+hosts = ["beta", "alpha"]
+`, alpha, beta)))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return c
+}
+
+func healthy(loaded ...string) health.Status {
+	return health.Status{Healthy: true, Loaded: loaded, Consecutive: 1}
+}
+
+func TestSplitRoute(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		path, route, rest string
+		ok                bool
+	}{
+		{"/a/v1/x", "a", "/v1/x", true},
+		{"/a/v1/x?q=1", "a", "/v1/x?q=1", true},
+		{"/a", "a", "/", true},
+		{"/a/", "a", "/", true},
+		{"/opencode-a/v1/chat/completions", "opencode-a", "/v1/chat/completions", true},
+		{"/", "", "", false},
+		{"//x", "", "", false},
+		{"", "", "", false},
+		{"noslash/v1", "", "", false},
+	} {
+		route, rest, ok := proxy.SplitRoute(tc.path)
+		if route != tc.route || rest != tc.rest || ok != tc.ok {
+			t.Errorf("SplitRoute(%q) = %q %q %v, want %q %q %v", tc.path, route, rest, ok, tc.route, tc.rest, tc.ok)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestChoose(t *testing.T) {
+	h := &fakeHealth{st: map[string]health.Status{
+		"down":  {Healthy: false, Loaded: []string{"m"}},
+		"alpha": healthy("shared", "alpha-only"),
+		"beta":  healthy("shared", "beta-only"),
+	}}
+	hosts := []string{"down", "alpha", "beta"}
+	if got, ok := proxy.Choose(hosts, "", h); !ok || got != "alpha" {
+		t.Errorf("no model: %q %v, want alpha (first healthy)", got, ok)
+	}
+	if got, ok := proxy.Choose(hosts, "beta-only", h); !ok || got != "beta" {
+		t.Errorf("beta-only: %q %v, want beta (has the model loaded)", got, ok)
+	}
+	if got, ok := proxy.Choose(hosts, "nobody-has-it", h); !ok || got != "alpha" {
+		t.Errorf("unknown model falls back to the first healthy host: %q %v", got, ok)
+	}
+	if got, ok := proxy.Choose([]string{"down", "missing"}, "m", h); ok {
+		t.Errorf("no healthy host must give ok=false, got %q", got)
+	}
+	if got, ok := proxy.Choose(nil, "m", h); ok {
+		t.Errorf("empty hosts: %q %v", got, ok)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRoutesToFirstHealthyAndRewrites(t *testing.T) {
+	alpha, beta := newUpstream(t, "alpha"), newUpstream(t, "beta")
+	h := &fakeHealth{st: map[string]health.Status{"alpha": healthy("shared"), "beta": healthy("shared")}}
+	p := proxy.New(cfgFor(t, alpha.srv.URL, beta.srv.URL), h, nil)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "http://crossbar.local:7777/r/v1/models?x=1", nil)
+	req.RemoteAddr = "10.9.8.7:5555"
+	p.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	if rec.Code != 200 || rec.Header().Get(proxy.HostHeader) != "alpha" {
+		t.Fatalf("status %d host %q body %s", rec.Code, rec.Header().Get(proxy.HostHeader), rec.Body.String())
+	}
+	got := alpha.last(t)
+	if got.path != "/v1/models?x=1" {
+		t.Errorf("upstream path = %q, want route stripped and query kept", got.path)
+	}
+	if got.host != strings.TrimPrefix(alpha.srv.URL, "http://") {
+		t.Errorf("Host header = %q, want the upstream's %q", got.host, strings.TrimPrefix(alpha.srv.URL, "http://"))
+	}
+	if got.xff != "10.9.8.7" {
+		t.Errorf("X-Forwarded-For = %q, want the client address", got.xff)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(rec.Body.String(), `"from":"alpha"`) {
+		t.Errorf("body = %s", rec.Body.String())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestModelPreferenceAndBodyPassThrough(t *testing.T) {
+	alpha, beta := newUpstream(t, "alpha"), newUpstream(t, "beta")
+	h := &fakeHealth{st: map[string]health.Status{"alpha": healthy("shared", "alpha-only"), "beta": healthy("shared", "beta-only")}}
+	p := proxy.New(cfgFor(t, alpha.srv.URL, beta.srv.URL), h, nil)
+	body := `{"model":"beta-only","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"hi"}],"stream":false}`
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	p.ServeHTTP(rec, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/r/v1/chat/completions", strings.NewReader(body)))
+	if rec.Code != 200 || rec.Header().Get(proxy.HostHeader) != "beta" {
+		t.Fatalf("status %d host %q", rec.Code, rec.Header().Get(proxy.HostHeader))
+	}
+	if got := beta.last(t); got.body != body || got.method != http.MethodPost {
+		t.Errorf("upstream got %+v; the body must arrive unchanged after the model peek", got)
+	}
+	// Not JSON: no model, the route default ("shared") applies, first healthy wins.
+	rec = httptest.NewRecorder()
+	p.ServeHTTP(rec, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/r/v1/embeddings", strings.NewReader("plain text")))
+	if rec.Header().Get(proxy.HostHeader) != "alpha" {
+		t.Errorf("non-JSON body: host %q, want alpha", rec.Header().Get(proxy.HostHeader))
+	}
+	if got := alpha.last(t); got.body != "plain text" {
+		t.Errorf("non-JSON body must pass through unchanged, got %q", got.body)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFailoverOnUpstreamError(t *testing.T) {
+	alpha, beta := newUpstream(t, "alpha"), newUpstream(t, "beta")
+	h := &fakeHealth{st: map[string]health.Status{"alpha": healthy("shared"), "beta": healthy("shared")}}
+	p := proxy.New(cfgFor(t, alpha.srv.URL, beta.srv.URL), h, nil)
+	alpha.srv.Close() // health still believes alpha is up
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	p.ServeHTTP(rec, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/r/v1/models", nil))
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusBadGateway {
+		t.Fatalf("first request after alpha died: %d, want 502", rec.Code)
+	}
+	var e map[string]string
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(rec.Body.Bytes(), &e); err != nil || e["error"] != "upstream failed" || e["host"] != "alpha" {
+		t.Errorf("502 body = %s", rec.Body.String())
+	}
+	if m := h.markedHosts(); len(m) != 1 || m[0] != "alpha" {
+		t.Errorf("MarkDown calls = %v, want [alpha]", m)
+	}
+	rec = httptest.NewRecorder()
+	p.ServeHTTP(rec, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/r/v1/models", nil))
+	if rec.Code != 200 || rec.Header().Get(proxy.HostHeader) != "beta" {
+		t.Errorf("second request: %d %q, want 200 from beta", rec.Code, rec.Header().Get(proxy.HostHeader))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestErrors(t *testing.T) {
+	alpha, beta := newUpstream(t, "alpha"), newUpstream(t, "beta")
+	h := &fakeHealth{st: map[string]health.Status{"alpha": {Healthy: false}, "beta": {Healthy: false}}}
+	p := proxy.New(cfgFor(t, alpha.srv.URL, beta.srv.URL), h, nil)
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name, method, path string
+		body               io.Reader
+		want               int
+		msg                string
+	}{
+		{"bare slash", http.MethodGet, "/", nil, 400, "missing route"},
+		{"double slash", http.MethodGet, "//v1/models", nil, 400, "missing route"},
+		{"unknown route", http.MethodGet, "/nope/v1/models", nil, 404, "unknown route"},
+		{"disallowed path", http.MethodGet, "/r/slots", nil, 404, "not found"},
+		{"admin through proxy", http.MethodGet, "/r/_crossbar/hosts", nil, 404, "not found"},
+		{"no healthy host", http.MethodGet, "/r/v1/models", nil, 503, "no healthy host"},
+		{"body too large", http.MethodPost, "/r/v1/chat/completions", strings.NewReader(strings.Repeat("x", proxy.MaxBody+1)), 413, "body too large"},
+	} {
+		rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		p.ServeHTTP(rec, httptest.NewRequest(tc.method, tc.path, tc.body))
+		if rec.Code != tc.want {
+			t.Errorf("%s: status %d, want %d", tc.name, rec.Code, tc.want)
+		}
+		var e map[string]string
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(rec.Body.Bytes(), &e); err != nil || e["error"] != tc.msg {
+			t.Errorf("%s: body %s, want error %q", tc.name, rec.Body.String(), tc.msg)
+		}
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(rec.Header().Get("Content-Type"), "application/json") {
+			t.Errorf("%s: errors are JSON", tc.name)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(h.markedHosts()) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("errors before choosing a host must not mark anything down: %v", h.markedHosts())
+	}
+}
+
+// TestStreamingIsNotBuffered: the upstream writes one chunk, flushes, and then waits until the
+// test has *read* that chunk. If the proxy buffered, the read would never complete.
+func TestStreamingIsNotBuffered(t *testing.T) {
+	release := make(chan struct{})
+	up := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/event-stream")
+		w.WriteHeader(200)
+		fmt.Fprint(w, "data: first\n\n")
+		w.(http.Flusher).Flush()
+		select {
+		case <-release:
+		case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+		}
+		fmt.Fprint(w, "data: second\n\n")
+	}))
+	t.Cleanup(up.Close)
+	beta := newUpstream(t, "beta")
+	h := &fakeHealth{st: map[string]health.Status{"alpha": healthy("shared"), "beta": healthy("shared")}}
+	front := httptest.NewServer(proxy.New(cfgFor(t, up.URL, beta.srv.URL), h, nil))
+	t.Cleanup(front.Close)
+
+	resp, err := http.Post(front.URL+"/r/v1/chat/completions", "application/json", strings.NewReader(`{"model":"shared","stream":true}`))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	buf := make([]byte, 64)
+	done := make(chan string, 1)
+	go func() {
+		n, err := resp.Body.Read(buf)
+		if err != nil {
+			done <- "read error: " + err.Error()
+			return
+		}
+		done <- string(buf[:n])
+	}()
+	select {
+	case got := <-done:
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(got, "data: first") {
+			t.Fatalf("first read = %q", got)
+		}
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("the first chunk did not arrive before the upstream finished: the proxy buffers")
+	}
+	close(release)
+	rest, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+	if !strings.Contains(string(rest), "data: second") {
+		t.Errorf("rest = %q", rest)
+	}
+	if resp.Header.Get(proxy.HostHeader) != "alpha" {
+		t.Errorf("host header %q", resp.Header.Get(proxy.HostHeader))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/scripts/check-lines.sh b/scripts/check-lines.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c8e113e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check-lines.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# No Go source file over 400 lines. Reports every offender, then fails.
+set -u
+limit=400
+bad=0
+for f in $(find . -name '*.go' -not -path './.git/*' -not -path './vendor/*'); do
+    n=$(wc -l < "$f") || { echo "check-lines: cannot read $f" >&2; exit 2; }
+    if [ "$n" -gt "$limit" ]; then
+        echo "check-lines: $f has $n lines (limit $limit)"
+        bad=1
+    fi
+done
+[ "$bad" -eq 0 ] || exit 1
+echo "check-lines: ok"
diff --git a/tools/smoke.sh b/tools/smoke.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..4b21792
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/smoke.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# Smoke run: two fake upstreams, one crossbar, real HTTP. Prints "smoke: ok" or fails.
+# Needs: bin/crossbar and bin/fakeupstream (make build), curl.
+set -eu
+cd "$(dirname "$0")/.."
+tmp=$(mktemp -d); trap 'kill $pids 2>/dev/null; rm -rf "$tmp"' EXIT INT TERM
+pids=""
+bin/fakeupstream -listen 127.0.0.1:18081 -name alpha -models ornith-1.5-35b-a3b,small-9b -down-file "$tmp/alpha.down" >"$tmp/alpha.log" 2>&1 & pids="$pids $!"
+bin/fakeupstream -listen 127.0.0.1:18082 -name beta  -models ornith-1.5-35b-a3b -down-file "$tmp/beta.down" >"$tmp/beta.log" 2>&1 & pids="$pids $!"
+bin/crossbar -config example.toml >"$tmp/crossbar.log" 2>&1 & pids="$pids $!"
+sleep 1.5
+fail() { echo "smoke: FAIL: $*" >&2; echo "--- crossbar.log"; cat "$tmp/crossbar.log"; exit 1; }
+base=http://127.0.0.1:17777
+
+h=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code} %header{X-Crossbar-Host}' "$base/opencode-a/v1/models")
+[ "$h" = "200 alpha" ] || fail "opencode-a should go to alpha, got '$h'"
+h=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code} %header{X-Crossbar-Host}' "$base/hermes-x/v1/models")
+[ "$h" = "200 beta" ] || fail "hermes-x should go to beta, got '$h'"
+h=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' "$base/nope/v1/models")
+[ "$h" = "404" ] || fail "unknown route should be 404, got '$h'"
+
+touch "$tmp/alpha.down"; sleep 2.5   # poll_interval is 1s in example.toml
+h=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code} %header{X-Crossbar-Host}' "$base/opencode-a/v1/models")
+[ "$h" = "200 beta" ] || fail "with alpha down, opencode-a should fail over to beta, got '$h'"
+curl -s "$base/_crossbar/hosts" | grep -q '"alpha":{"healthy":false' || fail "/_crossbar/hosts does not show alpha unhealthy: $(curl -s $base/_crossbar/hosts)"
+
+rm "$tmp/alpha.down"; sleep 3.5     # recovery needs two good polls
+h=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%header{X-Crossbar-Host}' "$base/opencode-a/v1/models")
+[ "$h" = "alpha" ] || fail "alpha should be back after two good polls, got '$h'"
+
+# Streaming: five chunks 200 ms apart must arrive over >= 0.6 s, not all at once at the end.
+start=$(date +%s%N)
+first=""
+curl -sN -X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{"model":"ornith-1.5-35b-a3b","stream":true,"messages":[]}' \
+  "$base/opencode-a/v1/chat/completions" | while IFS= read -r line; do
+    [ -n "$line" ] || continue
+    now=$(date +%s%N); echo "$(( (now - start) / 1000000 )) $line"
+  done > "$tmp/stream.txt"
+firstms=$(head -1 "$tmp/stream.txt" | cut -d' ' -f1); lastms=$(tail -1 "$tmp/stream.txt" | cut -d' ' -f1)
+[ -n "$firstms" ] && [ "$((lastms - firstms))" -ge 600 ] || fail "stream arrived in one burst (first ${firstms:-?} ms, last ${lastms:-?} ms):
+$(cat "$tmp/stream.txt")"
+grep -q 'DONE' "$tmp/stream.txt" || fail "stream did not end with [DONE]"
+
+grep -q 'route=opencode-a host=alpha' "$tmp/crossbar.log" || fail "no request log line"
+echo "smoke: ok (stream spread $((lastms - firstms)) ms)"