diff --git a/backend/src/llm.py b/backend/src/llm.py
index ef835b560..a36c7cc33 100644
--- a/backend/src/llm.py
+++ b/backend/src/llm.py
@@ -127,6 +127,14 @@ def get_llm(model: str):
     logging.info(f"Model created - Model Version: {model}")
     return llm, model_name
 
+def get_llm_model_name(llm):
+    """Extract name of llm model from llm object"""
+    for attr in ["model_name", "model", "model_id"]:
+        model_name = getattr(llm, attr, None)
+        if model_name:
+            return model_name.lower()
+    print("Could not determine model name; defaulting to empty string")
+    return ""
 
 def get_combined_chunks(chunkId_chunkDoc_list, chunks_to_combine):
     combined_chunk_document_list = []
@@ -181,8 +189,9 @@ async def get_graph_document_list(
             node_properties = ["description"]
             relationship_properties = ["description"]
         TOOL_SUPPORTED_MODELS = {"qwen3", "deepseek"} 
-        model_name = llm.model_name.lower() 
+        model_name = get_llm_model_name(llm)
         ignore_tool_usage = not any(pattern in model_name for pattern in TOOL_SUPPORTED_MODELS)
+        logging.info(f"Keeping ignore tool usage parameter as {ignore_tool_usage}")
         llm_transformer = LLMGraphTransformer(
             llm=llm,
             node_properties=node_properties,