diff --git a/backend/backends/mlx_backend.py b/backend/backends/mlx_backend.py
index 293da323..67c5e56f 100644
--- a/backend/backends/mlx_backend.py
+++ b/backend/backends/mlx_backend.py
@@ -319,15 +319,16 @@ class MLXTTSBackend:
             """
             if self.model is None or self._current_model_size != self.model_size:
                 self._reload_sync(self.model_size)
-            result = _generate_sync()
-            # An unload_model() that landed while we were generating only
-            # dropped the backend's reference; the model's buffers were kept
-            # alive by _generate_sync's local and have just been returned to
-            # MLX's pool. Drain it now, or they stay resident until the next
-            # load/unload cycle.
-            if self.model is None:
-                empty_mlx_cache()
-            return result
+            try:
+                return _generate_sync()
+            finally:
+                # An unload_model() that landed while we were generating only
+                # dropped the backend's reference; the model's buffers were
+                # kept alive by _generate_sync's local and have just been
+                # returned to MLX's pool (on success or failure). Drain it now,
+                # or they stay resident until the next load/unload cycle.
+                if self.model is None:
+                    empty_mlx_cache()
 
         async with self._op_lock:
             audio, sample_rate = await _run_on_mlx_thread(_reload_and_generate_sync)
@@ -449,12 +450,13 @@ class MLXSTTBackend:
             """
             if self.model is None or self.model_size != resolved_size:
                 self._load_model_sync(resolved_size)
-            result = _transcribe_sync()
-            # See MLXTTSBackend._reload_and_generate_sync: drain the pool if an
-            # unload landed mid-transcription.
-            if self.model is None:
-                empty_mlx_cache()
-            return result
+            try:
+                return _transcribe_sync()
+            finally:
+                # See MLXTTSBackend._reload_and_generate_sync: drain the pool
+                # if an unload landed mid-transcription.
+                if self.model is None:
+                    empty_mlx_cache()
 
         async with self._op_lock:
             return await _run_on_mlx_thread(_reload_and_transcribe_sync)
diff --git a/backend/backends/qwen_llm_backend.py b/backend/backends/qwen_llm_backend.py
index debf078c..81ca7a9f 100644
--- a/backend/backends/qwen_llm_backend.py
+++ b/backend/backends/qwen_llm_backend.py
@@ -282,12 +282,13 @@ class MLXQwenLLMBackend:
             # unload can swap or null out self.model / self.tokenizer.
             if self.model is None or self._current_model_size != resolved_size:
                 self._reload_sync(resolved_size)
-            result = self._generate_sync(prompt, system, max_tokens, temperature, examples)
-            # Drain the MLX pool if an unload landed mid-generation (see
-            # MLXTTSBackend._reload_and_generate_sync).
-            if self.model is None:
-                empty_mlx_cache()
-            return result
+            try:
+                return self._generate_sync(prompt, system, max_tokens, temperature, examples)
+            finally:
+                # Drain the MLX pool if an unload landed mid-generation (see
+                # MLXTTSBackend._reload_and_generate_sync).
+                if self.model is None:
+                    empty_mlx_cache()
 
         async with self._op_lock:
             return await _run_on_mlx_thread(_reload_and_generate_sync)
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_mlx_unload_clears_cache.py b/backend/tests/test_mlx_unload_clears_cache.py
index a311a98b..4c9ba7f7 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_mlx_unload_clears_cache.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_mlx_unload_clears_cache.py
@@ -107,4 +107,30 @@ async def test_mlx_tts_generate_drains_cache_when_unloaded_mid_generation(monkey
 
     assert len(audio) == 2
     assert backend.model is None
-    mock_clear.assert_called_once()
+    # Once from unload_model() itself (reference drop) and once more after the
+    # in-flight generation released the model it had bound locally.
+    assert mock_clear.call_count == 2
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_mlx_tts_generate_drains_cache_when_unloaded_and_generation_fails(monkeypatch):
+    """The post-generation drain also runs when the in-flight op raises."""
+    mock_clear = MagicMock()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mlx_backend, "empty_mlx_cache", mock_clear)
+
+    backend = mlx_backend.MLXTTSBackend(model_size="0.6B")
+
+    class _FakeModel:
+        def generate(self, text, **kwargs):
+            backend.unload_model()
+            raise RuntimeError("boom")
+            yield  # pragma: no cover - makes this a generator
+
+    backend.model = _FakeModel()
+    backend._current_model_size = "0.6B"
+
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="boom"):
+        await backend.generate("hello", {}, "en")
+
+    assert backend.model is None
+    assert mock_clear.call_count == 2