diff --git a/env.go b/env.go
index 4cd0f1b..30122e3 100644
--- a/env.go
+++ b/env.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ type EnvSettings struct {
 	ImageGeneration bool   `json:"image-generation"`
 	Transformation  string `json:"transformation"`
 	Timeout         int64  `json:"timeout"`
+	RefreshInterval int64  `json:"refresh-interval"`
 }
 
 type EnvUI struct {
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ var env = Environment{
 		CleanContent:    true,
 		ImageGeneration: true,
 		Timeout:         1200,
+		RefreshInterval: 30,
 	},
 }
 
@@ -131,6 +133,11 @@ func (e *Environment) Init() error {
 		env.Settings.Timeout = 300
 	}
 
+	// default model refresh interval
+	if env.Settings.RefreshInterval <= 0 {
+		env.Settings.RefreshInterval = 30
+	}
+
 	// create user lookup map
 	e.Authentication.lookup = make(map[string]*EnvUser)
 
@@ -184,6 +191,7 @@ func (e *Environment) Store() error {
 			"$.settings.image-generation": {yaml.HeadComment(" allow image generation (optional; default: true)")},
 			"$.settings.transformation":   {yaml.HeadComment(" what transformation method to use for too long contexts (optional; default: middle-out)")},
 			"$.settings.timeout":          {yaml.HeadComment(" the http timeout to use for completion requests in seconds (optional; default: 300s)")},
+			"$.settings.refresh-interval": {yaml.HeadComment(" the interval in which the model list is refreshed in minutes (optional; default: 30m)")},
 
 			"$.ui.reduced-motion": {yaml.HeadComment(" disables things like the floating stars in the background (optional; default: false)")},
 
diff --git a/models.go b/models.go
index 8d03672..d417ed6 100644
--- a/models.go
+++ b/models.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func StartModelUpdateLoop() error {
 	}
 
 	go func() {
-		ticker := time.NewTicker(2 * time.Hour)
+		ticker := time.NewTicker(time.Duration(env.Settings.RefreshInterval) * time.Minute)
 
 		for range ticker.C {
 			err := LoadModels(false)
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func LoadModels(initial bool) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if !initial && len(list) == len(ModelList) {
+	if !initial && !HasModelListChanged(list) {
 		log.Println("No new models, skipping update")
 
 		return nil
@@ -173,3 +173,20 @@ func GetModelTags(model openrouter.Model, m *Model) {
 
 	sort.Strings(m.Tags)
 }
+
+func HasModelListChanged(list []openrouter.Model) bool {
+	modelMx.RLock()
+	defer modelMx.RUnlock()
+
+	if len(list) != len(ModelList) {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	for i, model := range list {
+		if ModelList[i].ID != model.ID {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false
+}