diff --git a/server/routes.go b/server/routes.go
index d9e4fb66b..c493db3fa 100644
--- a/server/routes.go
+++ b/server/routes.go
@@ -1180,11 +1180,12 @@ func (s *Server) GenerateRoutes() http.Handler {
 		})
 
 		r.Handle(method, "/api/tags", s.ListHandler)
-		r.Handle(method, "/api/version", func(c *gin.Context) {
-			c.JSON(http.StatusOK, gin.H{"version": version.Version})
-		})
 	}
 
+	// Use r.Any to call regular http.Handler handlers
+	// as we transition to a standard http.ServeMux.
+	r.Any("/api/version", gin.WrapF(s.versionHandler))
+
 	return r
 }
 
@@ -1566,6 +1567,24 @@ func (s *Server) ChatHandler(c *gin.Context) {
 	streamResponse(c, ch)
 }
 
+func (s *Server) versionHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	if r.Method != http.MethodGet {
+		http.Error(w, "Method not allowed", http.StatusMethodNotAllowed)
+		return
+	}
+
+	data := struct {
+		Version string `json:"version"`
+	}{
+		Version: version.Version,
+	}
+
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(data); err != nil {
+		http.Error(w, "Failed to encode version", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+	}
+}
+
 func handleScheduleError(c *gin.Context, name string, err error) {
 	switch {
 	case errors.Is(err, errCapabilities), errors.Is(err, errRequired):
diff --git a/server/routes_test.go b/server/routes_test.go
index 1daf36f1a..ad26ca171 100644
--- a/server/routes_test.go
+++ b/server/routes_test.go
@@ -102,27 +102,6 @@ func Test_Routes(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	testCases := []testCase{
-		{
-			Name:   "Version Handler",
-			Method: http.MethodGet,
-			Path:   "/api/version",
-			Setup: func(t *testing.T, req *http.Request) {
-			},
-			Expected: func(t *testing.T, resp *http.Response) {
-				contentType := resp.Header.Get("Content-Type")
-				if contentType != "application/json; charset=utf-8" {
-					t.Errorf("expected content type application/json; charset=utf-8, got %s", contentType)
-				}
-				body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
-				if err != nil {
-					t.Fatalf("failed to read response body: %v", err)
-				}
-				expectedBody := fmt.Sprintf(`{"version":"%s"}`, version.Version)
-				if string(body) != expectedBody {
-					t.Errorf("expected body %s, got %s", expectedBody, string(body))
-				}
-			},
-		},
 		{
 			Name:   "Tags Handler (no tags)",
 			Method: http.MethodGet,
@@ -673,3 +652,38 @@ func TestNormalize(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestVersionHandler(t *testing.T) {
+	w := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req, _ := http.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/api/version", nil)
+	s := &Server{}
+	s.versionHandler(w, req)
+
+	if w.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected status code %d, but got %d", http.StatusOK, w.Code)
+	}
+
+	ct := w.Header().Get("Content-Type")
+	if ct != "application/json" {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected content type application/json, but got %s", ct)
+	}
+
+	var resp struct {
+		Version string `json:"version"`
+	}
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(w.Body).Decode(&resp); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if resp.Version != version.Version {
+		t.Fatalf("want version %s, got %s", version.Version, resp.Version)
+	}
+
+	w = httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req, _ = http.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/api/version", nil)
+	s.versionHandler(w, req)
+
+	if w.Code != http.StatusMethodNotAllowed {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected status code %d, but got %d", http.StatusMethodNotAllowed, w.Code)
+	}
+}