diff --git a/src/semantic-router/pkg/services/classification.go b/src/semantic-router/pkg/services/classification.go
index f58406b0..63890c61 100644
--- a/src/semantic-router/pkg/services/classification.go
+++ b/src/semantic-router/pkg/services/classification.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package services
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -35,9 +36,9 @@ func NewClassificationService(classifier *classification.Classifier, config *con
 }
 
 // NewUnifiedClassificationService creates a new service with unified classifier
-func NewUnifiedClassificationService(unifiedClassifier *classification.UnifiedClassifier, config *config.RouterConfig) *ClassificationService {
+func NewUnifiedClassificationService(unifiedClassifier *classification.UnifiedClassifier, legacyClassifier *classification.Classifier, config *config.RouterConfig) *ClassificationService {
 	service := &ClassificationService{
-		classifier:        nil, // Legacy classifier not used
+		classifier:        legacyClassifier,
 		unifiedClassifier: unifiedClassifier,
 		config:            config,
 	}
@@ -54,16 +55,69 @@ func NewClassificationServiceWithAutoDiscovery(config *config.RouterConfig) (*Cl
 	observability.Debugf("Debug: Attempting to discover models in: ./models")
 
 	// Always try to auto-discover and initialize unified classifier for batch processing
-	unifiedClassifier, err := classification.AutoInitializeUnifiedClassifier("./models")
+	// Use model path from config, fallback to "./models" if not specified
+	modelsPath := "./models"
+	if config != nil && config.Classifier.CategoryModel.ModelID != "" {
+		// Extract the models directory from the model path
+		// e.g., "models/category_classifier_modernbert-base_model" -> "models"
+		if idx := strings.Index(config.Classifier.CategoryModel.ModelID, "/"); idx > 0 {
+			modelsPath = config.Classifier.CategoryModel.ModelID[:idx]
+		}
+	}
+	unifiedClassifier, ucErr := classification.AutoInitializeUnifiedClassifier(modelsPath)
+	if ucErr != nil {
+		observability.Infof("Unified classifier auto-discovery failed: %v", ucErr)
+	}
+	// create legacy classifier
+	legacyClassifier, lcErr := createLegacyClassifier(config)
+	if lcErr != nil {
+		observability.Warnf("Legacy classifier initialization failed: %v", lcErr)
+	}
+	if unifiedClassifier == nil && legacyClassifier == nil {
+		observability.Warnf("No classifier initialized. Using placeholder service.")
+	}
+	return NewUnifiedClassificationService(unifiedClassifier, legacyClassifier, config), nil
+}
+
+// createLegacyClassifier creates a legacy classifier with proper model loading
+func createLegacyClassifier(config *config.RouterConfig) (*classification.Classifier, error) {
+	// Load category mapping
+	var categoryMapping *classification.CategoryMapping
+	if config.Classifier.CategoryModel.CategoryMappingPath != "" {
+		var err error
+		categoryMapping, err = classification.LoadCategoryMapping(config.Classifier.CategoryModel.CategoryMappingPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to load category mapping: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Load PII mapping
+	var piiMapping *classification.PIIMapping
+	if config.Classifier.PIIModel.PIIMappingPath != "" {
+		var err error
+		piiMapping, err = classification.LoadPIIMapping(config.Classifier.PIIModel.PIIMappingPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to load PII mapping: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Load jailbreak mapping
+	var jailbreakMapping *classification.JailbreakMapping
+	if config.PromptGuard.JailbreakMappingPath != "" {
+		var err error
+		jailbreakMapping, err = classification.LoadJailbreakMapping(config.PromptGuard.JailbreakMappingPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to load jailbreak mapping: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Create classifier
+	classifier, err := classification.NewClassifier(config, categoryMapping, piiMapping, jailbreakMapping)
 	if err != nil {
-		// Log the discovery failure but don't fail - fall back to legacy processing
-		observability.Infof("Unified classifier auto-discovery failed: %v. Using legacy processing.", err)
-		return NewClassificationService(nil, config), nil
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create classifier: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Success! Create service with unified classifier
-	observability.Infof("Unified classifier auto-discovered and initialized. Using batch processing.")
-	return NewUnifiedClassificationService(unifiedClassifier, config), nil
+	return classifier, nil
 }
 
 // GetGlobalClassificationService returns the global classification service instance