diff --git a/management/ncp.py b/management/ncp.py
index 07d60fe..701a273 100644
--- a/management/ncp.py
+++ b/management/ncp.py
@@ -64,6 +64,19 @@ def http_ok(url: str, timeout: float = 1.0) -> bool:
         return False
 
 
+def ollama_bin() -> str | None:
+    """The bundled binary if we have one, else whatever is on PATH.
+
+    Only Linux ships a copy in the repo (bin/fetch-ollama.sh); on Windows the
+    installer gets Ollama from winget, which puts it in %LOCALAPPDATA%\\Programs
+    and on PATH. Checking only the bundled path made `ncp doctor` report a red
+    "Ollama binary missing" on every Windows box, and made `ncp models install`
+    refuse to run there at all. Mirrors _ollama_bin() in ollama_manager.py."""
+    if OLLAMA_BIN.exists():
+        return str(OLLAMA_BIN)
+    return shutil.which("ollama")
+
+
 def npm() -> str | None:
     """npm, resolving through nvm. The bash version sourced ~/.nvm/nvm.sh; a
     non-login shell has neither, so fall back to globbing the nvm install."""
@@ -191,7 +204,11 @@ def check(svc: Service) -> bool:
 
 def wait_for_port(svc: Service, timeout: int = 30) -> bool:
     if http_ok(svc.url):
-        print(f"  {svc.label} already running (:{svc.port})")
+        # "READY", not "already running": `ncp start` launches memory and backend
+        # together and only then waits on each, so by the time the backend's turn
+        # comes it is normally up - and reporting "already running" for a service
+        # this same command started two seconds ago reads like a stale process.
+        print(f"  {svc.label} READY (:{svc.port})")
         return True
     for _ in range(timeout):
         time.sleep(1)
@@ -477,8 +494,9 @@ def cmd_doctor() -> None:
          "Memory database directory writable", "Memory database directory not writable")
 
     print("\nChecking Ollama...")
-    mark(OLLAMA_BIN.exists(), f"Ollama binary found ({OLLAMA_BIN})",
-         f"Ollama binary missing at {OLLAMA_BIN}")
+    _obin = ollama_bin()
+    mark(bool(_obin), f"Ollama binary found ({_obin})",
+         f"Ollama binary missing (not at {OLLAMA_BIN}, not on PATH)")
     mark(OLLAMA_MODELS_DIR.is_dir(), f"Ollama models directory found ({OLLAMA_MODELS_DIR})",
          f"Ollama models directory missing at {OLLAMA_MODELS_DIR}")
     print()
@@ -575,11 +593,12 @@ def cmd_models(action, name) -> None:
             print("Usage: ncp models install <model>")
             print("Run 'ncp models available' to see options.")
             return
-        if not OLLAMA_BIN.exists():
-            print(f"Ollama binary not found at {OLLAMA_BIN}")
+        obin = ollama_bin()
+        if not obin:
+            print(f"Ollama binary not found at {OLLAMA_BIN}, and no 'ollama' on PATH")
             return
         print(f"Pulling '{name}' into {OLLAMA_MODELS_DIR} ...\n")
-        subprocess.run([str(OLLAMA_BIN), "pull", name],
+        subprocess.run([obin, "pull", name],
                        env={**os.environ, "OLLAMA_MODELS": str(OLLAMA_MODELS_DIR)})
         print("\nDone. Run 'ncp models list' to verify.")
     else: