diff --git a/x/imagegen/server.go b/x/imagegen/server.go
index d3eccc4d7..d6ab99f43 100644
--- a/x/imagegen/server.go
+++ b/x/imagegen/server.go
@@ -115,36 +115,7 @@ func (s *Server) Load(ctx context.Context, _ ml.SystemInfo, gpus []ml.DeviceInfo
 	// Spawn subprocess: ollama runner --imagegen-engine --model <path> --port <port>
 	cmd := exec.Command(exe, "runner", "--imagegen-engine", "--model", s.modelName, "--port", strconv.Itoa(port))
 	cmd.Env = os.Environ()
-
-	// On Linux, set LD_LIBRARY_PATH to include MLX library directories
-	if runtime.GOOS == "linux" {
-		// Build library paths: start with LibOllamaPath, then add any mlx_* subdirectories
-		libraryPaths := []string{ml.LibOllamaPath}
-		if mlxDirs, err := filepath.Glob(filepath.Join(ml.LibOllamaPath, "mlx_*")); err == nil {
-			libraryPaths = append(libraryPaths, mlxDirs...)
-		}
-
-		// Append existing LD_LIBRARY_PATH if set
-		if existingPath, ok := os.LookupEnv("LD_LIBRARY_PATH"); ok {
-			libraryPaths = append(libraryPaths, filepath.SplitList(existingPath)...)
-		}
-
-		pathEnvVal := strings.Join(libraryPaths, string(filepath.ListSeparator))
-
-		// Update or add LD_LIBRARY_PATH in cmd.Env
-		found := false
-		for i := range cmd.Env {
-			if strings.HasPrefix(cmd.Env[i], "LD_LIBRARY_PATH=") {
-				cmd.Env[i] = "LD_LIBRARY_PATH=" + pathEnvVal
-				found = true
-				break
-			}
-		}
-		if !found {
-			cmd.Env = append(cmd.Env, "LD_LIBRARY_PATH="+pathEnvVal)
-		}
-		slog.Debug("mlx subprocess library path", "LD_LIBRARY_PATH", pathEnvVal)
-	}
+	configureMLXSubprocessEnv(cmd, ml.LibraryPaths(gpus))
 
 	s.cmd = cmd
 
@@ -200,6 +171,53 @@ func (s *Server) Ping(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func mlxLibraryPathEnv() string {
+	switch runtime.GOOS {
+	case "windows":
+		return "PATH"
+	case "darwin":
+		return "DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH"
+	default:
+		return "LD_LIBRARY_PATH"
+	}
+}
+
+func configureMLXSubprocessEnv(cmd *exec.Cmd, libraryPaths []string) {
+	if len(libraryPaths) == 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Search order for the imagegen runner is:
+	//   1. bundled lib/ollama root
+	//   2. backend-specific library dirs selected during GPU discovery
+	//   3. any existing caller-provided library path values
+	pathEnv := mlxLibraryPathEnv()
+	pathEnvPaths := append([]string{}, libraryPaths...)
+	if existingPath, ok := os.LookupEnv(pathEnv); ok {
+		pathEnvPaths = append(pathEnvPaths, filepath.SplitList(existingPath)...)
+	}
+	setSubprocessEnv(cmd, pathEnv, strings.Join(pathEnvPaths, string(filepath.ListSeparator)))
+	slog.Debug("mlx subprocess library path", pathEnv, strings.Join(pathEnvPaths, string(filepath.ListSeparator)))
+
+	ollamaLibraryPaths := append([]string{}, libraryPaths...)
+	if existingPath, ok := os.LookupEnv("OLLAMA_LIBRARY_PATH"); ok {
+		ollamaLibraryPaths = append(ollamaLibraryPaths, filepath.SplitList(existingPath)...)
+	}
+	setSubprocessEnv(cmd, "OLLAMA_LIBRARY_PATH", strings.Join(ollamaLibraryPaths, string(filepath.ListSeparator)))
+	slog.Debug("mlx subprocess library path", "OLLAMA_LIBRARY_PATH", strings.Join(ollamaLibraryPaths, string(filepath.ListSeparator)))
+}
+
+func setSubprocessEnv(cmd *exec.Cmd, key, value string) {
+	for i := range cmd.Env {
+		name, _, ok := strings.Cut(cmd.Env[i], "=")
+		if ok && strings.EqualFold(name, key) {
+			cmd.Env[i] = key + "=" + value
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	cmd.Env = append(cmd.Env, key+"="+value)
+}
+
 // getLastErr returns the last stderr line.
 func (s *Server) getLastErr() string {
 	s.lastErrLock.Lock()