diff --git a/src/llama-chat.cpp b/src/llama-chat.cpp
index 61ceb1e41d..e96699e58a 100644
--- a/src/llama-chat.cpp
+++ b/src/llama-chat.cpp
@@ -74,11 +74,17 @@
 }
 
 llm_chat_template llm_chat_detect_template(const std::string & tmpl) {
+#if 0
     try {
         return llm_chat_template_from_str(tmpl);
     } catch (const std::out_of_range &) {
         // ignore
     }
+#endif
+    auto chat_template = LLM_CHAT_TEMPLATES.find(tmpl);
+    if (chat_template != LLM_CHAT_TEMPLATES.end()) {
+        return chat_template->second;
+    }
 
     auto tmpl_contains = [&tmpl](const char * haystack) -> bool {
         return tmpl.find(haystack) != std::string::npos;