diff --git a/studio/backend/core/inference/llama_cpp.py b/studio/backend/core/inference/llama_cpp.py
index 09f8a2fcc9..f47b9132db 100644
--- a/studio/backend/core/inference/llama_cpp.py
+++ b/studio/backend/core/inference/llama_cpp.py
@@ -76,25 +76,51 @@ class LlamaCppBackend:
         Locate the llama-server binary.
 
         Search order:
-        1. LLAMA_SERVER_PATH environment variable
-        2. ~/.unsloth/llama.cpp/build/bin/llama-server  (Linux, built by setup.sh)
-        3. ~/.unsloth/llama.cpp/build/bin/Release/llama-server.exe  (Windows, built by setup.ps1)
-        4. ./llama.cpp/build/bin/llama-server  (legacy: in-tree build)
-        5. llama-server on PATH  (system install)
-        6. ./bin/llama-server  (legacy: extracted binary)
+        1.  LLAMA_SERVER_PATH environment variable (direct path to binary)
+        1b. UNSLOTH_LLAMA_CPP_PATH env var (custom llama.cpp install dir)
+        2.  ~/.unsloth/llama.cpp/llama-server        (make build, root dir)
+        3.  ~/.unsloth/llama.cpp/build/bin/llama-server  (cmake build, Linux)
+        4.  ~/.unsloth/llama.cpp/build/bin/Release/llama-server.exe  (cmake build, Windows)
+        5.  ./llama.cpp/llama-server                 (legacy: make build, root dir)
+        6.  ./llama.cpp/build/bin/llama-server        (legacy: cmake in-tree build)
+        7.  llama-server on PATH                     (system install)
+        8.  ./bin/llama-server                       (legacy: extracted binary)
         """
         import os
         import sys
 
         binary_name = "llama-server.exe" if sys.platform == "win32" else "llama-server"
 
-        # 1. Env var
+        # 1. Env var — direct path to binary
         env_path = os.environ.get("LLAMA_SERVER_PATH")
         if env_path and Path(env_path).is_file():
             return env_path
 
-        # 2. ~/.unsloth/llama.cpp (primary — setup.sh / setup.ps1 build here)
+        # 1b. UNSLOTH_LLAMA_CPP_PATH — custom llama.cpp install directory
+        custom_llama_cpp = os.environ.get("UNSLOTH_LLAMA_CPP_PATH")
+        if custom_llama_cpp:
+            custom_dir = Path(custom_llama_cpp)
+            # Root dir (make builds)
+            root_bin = custom_dir / binary_name
+            if root_bin.is_file():
+                return str(root_bin)
+            # build/bin/ (cmake builds on Linux)
+            cmake_bin = custom_dir / "build" / "bin" / binary_name
+            if cmake_bin.is_file():
+                return str(cmake_bin)
+            # build/bin/Release/ (cmake builds on Windows)
+            if sys.platform == "win32":
+                win_bin = custom_dir / "build" / "bin" / "Release" / binary_name
+                if win_bin.is_file():
+                    return str(win_bin)
+
+        # 2–4. ~/.unsloth/llama.cpp (primary — setup.sh / setup.ps1 build here)
         unsloth_home = Path.home() / ".unsloth" / "llama.cpp"
+        # Root dir (make builds copy binaries here)
+        home_root = unsloth_home / binary_name
+        if home_root.is_file():
+            return str(home_root)
+        # build/bin/ (cmake builds on Linux)
         home_linux = unsloth_home / "build" / "bin" / binary_name
         if home_linux.is_file():
             return str(home_linux)
@@ -105,8 +131,13 @@ class LlamaCppBackend:
             if home_win.is_file():
                 return str(home_win)
 
-        # 4. Legacy: in-tree build (older setup.sh / setup.ps1 versions)
+        # 5–6. Legacy: in-tree build (older setup.sh / setup.ps1 versions)
         project_root = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[4]
+        # Root dir (make builds)
+        root_path = project_root / "llama.cpp" / binary_name
+        if root_path.is_file():
+            return str(root_path)
+        # build/bin/ (cmake builds)
         build_path = project_root / "llama.cpp" / "build" / "bin" / binary_name
         if build_path.is_file():
             return str(build_path)
@@ -115,12 +146,12 @@ class LlamaCppBackend:
             if win_path.is_file():
                 return str(win_path)
 
-        # 5. System PATH
+        # 7. System PATH
         system_path = shutil.which("llama-server")
         if system_path:
             return system_path
 
-        # 6. Legacy: extracted to bin/
+        # 8. Legacy: extracted to bin/
         bin_path = project_root / "bin" / binary_name
         if bin_path.is_file():
             return str(bin_path)