diff --git a/crates/milli/src/update/index_documents/mod.rs b/crates/milli/src/update/index_documents/mod.rs
index 56c26ed29..d62128eaa 100644
--- a/crates/milli/src/update/index_documents/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/milli/src/update/index_documents/mod.rs
@@ -2763,6 +2763,7 @@ mod tests {
                         source: Setting::Set(crate::vector::settings::EmbedderSource::UserProvided),
                         model: Setting::NotSet,
                         revision: Setting::NotSet,
+                        pooling: Setting::NotSet,
                         api_key: Setting::NotSet,
                         dimensions: Setting::Set(3),
                         document_template: Setting::NotSet,
diff --git a/crates/milli/src/update/settings.rs b/crates/milli/src/update/settings.rs
index 85259c2d0..0d0648fc8 100644
--- a/crates/milli/src/update/settings.rs
+++ b/crates/milli/src/update/settings.rs
@@ -1676,6 +1676,7 @@ fn validate_prompt(
             source,
             model,
             revision,
+            pooling,
             api_key,
             dimensions,
             document_template: Setting::Set(template),
@@ -1709,6 +1710,7 @@ fn validate_prompt(
                 source,
                 model,
                 revision,
+                pooling,
                 api_key,
                 dimensions,
                 document_template: Setting::Set(template),
@@ -1735,6 +1737,7 @@ pub fn validate_embedding_settings(
         source,
         model,
         revision,
+        pooling,
         api_key,
         dimensions,
         document_template,
@@ -1776,6 +1779,7 @@ pub fn validate_embedding_settings(
             source,
             model,
             revision,
+            pooling,
             api_key,
             dimensions,
             document_template,
@@ -1791,6 +1795,7 @@ pub fn validate_embedding_settings(
     match inferred_source {
         EmbedderSource::OpenAi => {
             check_unset(&revision, EmbeddingSettings::REVISION, inferred_source, name)?;
+            check_unset(&pooling, EmbeddingSettings::POOLING, inferred_source, name)?;
 
             check_unset(&request, EmbeddingSettings::REQUEST, inferred_source, name)?;
             check_unset(&response, EmbeddingSettings::RESPONSE, inferred_source, name)?;
@@ -1829,6 +1834,7 @@ pub fn validate_embedding_settings(
         EmbedderSource::Ollama => {
             check_set(&model, EmbeddingSettings::MODEL, inferred_source, name)?;
             check_unset(&revision, EmbeddingSettings::REVISION, inferred_source, name)?;
+            check_unset(&pooling, EmbeddingSettings::POOLING, inferred_source, name)?;
 
             check_unset(&request, EmbeddingSettings::REQUEST, inferred_source, name)?;
             check_unset(&response, EmbeddingSettings::RESPONSE, inferred_source, name)?;
@@ -1846,6 +1852,7 @@ pub fn validate_embedding_settings(
         EmbedderSource::UserProvided => {
             check_unset(&model, EmbeddingSettings::MODEL, inferred_source, name)?;
             check_unset(&revision, EmbeddingSettings::REVISION, inferred_source, name)?;
+            check_unset(&pooling, EmbeddingSettings::POOLING, inferred_source, name)?;
             check_unset(&api_key, EmbeddingSettings::API_KEY, inferred_source, name)?;
             check_unset(
                 &document_template,
@@ -1869,6 +1876,7 @@ pub fn validate_embedding_settings(
         EmbedderSource::Rest => {
             check_unset(&model, EmbeddingSettings::MODEL, inferred_source, name)?;
             check_unset(&revision, EmbeddingSettings::REVISION, inferred_source, name)?;
+            check_unset(&pooling, EmbeddingSettings::POOLING, inferred_source, name)?;
             check_set(&url, EmbeddingSettings::URL, inferred_source, name)?;
             check_set(&request, EmbeddingSettings::REQUEST, inferred_source, name)?;
             check_set(&response, EmbeddingSettings::RESPONSE, inferred_source, name)?;
@@ -1878,6 +1886,7 @@ pub fn validate_embedding_settings(
         source,
         model,
         revision,
+        pooling,
         api_key,
         dimensions,
         document_template,
diff --git a/crates/milli/src/vector/hf.rs b/crates/milli/src/vector/hf.rs
index 9ec34daef..b01a66255 100644
--- a/crates/milli/src/vector/hf.rs
+++ b/crates/milli/src/vector/hf.rs
@@ -34,6 +34,30 @@ pub struct EmbedderOptions {
     pub model: String,
     pub revision: Option<String>,
     pub distribution: Option<DistributionShift>,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub pooling: OverridePooling,
+}
+
+#[derive(
+    Debug,
+    Clone,
+    Copy,
+    Default,
+    Hash,
+    PartialEq,
+    Eq,
+    serde::Deserialize,
+    serde::Serialize,
+    utoipa::ToSchema,
+    deserr::Deserr,
+)]
+#[deserr(rename_all = camelCase, deny_unknown_fields)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
+pub enum OverridePooling {
+    UseModel,
+    ForceCls,
+    #[default]
+    ForceMean,
 }
 
 impl EmbedderOptions {
@@ -42,6 +66,7 @@ impl EmbedderOptions {
             model: "BAAI/bge-base-en-v1.5".to_string(),
             revision: Some("617ca489d9e86b49b8167676d8220688b99db36e".into()),
             distribution: None,
+            pooling: OverridePooling::UseModel,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -95,6 +120,15 @@ pub enum Pooling {
     MeanSqrtLen,
     LastToken,
 }
+impl Pooling {
+    fn override_with(&mut self, pooling: OverridePooling) {
+        match pooling {
+            OverridePooling::UseModel => {}
+            OverridePooling::ForceCls => *self = Pooling::Cls,
+            OverridePooling::ForceMean => *self = Pooling::Mean,
+        }
+    }
+}
 
 impl From<PoolingConfig> for Pooling {
     fn from(value: PoolingConfig) -> Self {
@@ -151,7 +185,7 @@ impl Embedder {
                 }
                 Err(error) => return Err(NewEmbedderError::api_get(error)),
             };
-            let pooling: Pooling = match pooling {
+            let mut pooling: Pooling = match pooling {
                 Some(pooling_filename) => {
                     let pooling = std::fs::read_to_string(&pooling_filename).map_err(|inner| {
                         NewEmbedderError::open_pooling_config(pooling_filename.clone(), inner)
@@ -170,6 +204,8 @@ impl Embedder {
                 None => Pooling::default(),
             };
 
+            pooling.override_with(options.pooling);
+
             (config, tokenizer, weights, source, pooling)
         };
 
diff --git a/crates/milli/src/vector/settings.rs b/crates/milli/src/vector/settings.rs
index 86028c1c4..f10407e42 100644
--- a/crates/milli/src/vector/settings.rs
+++ b/crates/milli/src/vector/settings.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use roaring::RoaringBitmap;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use utoipa::ToSchema;
 
+use super::hf::OverridePooling;
 use super::{ollama, openai, DistributionShift};
 use crate::prompt::{default_max_bytes, PromptData};
 use crate::update::Setting;
@@ -30,6 +31,10 @@ pub struct EmbeddingSettings {
     pub revision: Setting<String>,
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Setting::is_not_set")]
     #[deserr(default)]
+    #[schema(value_type = Option<OverridePooling>)]
+    pub pooling: Setting<OverridePooling>,
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Setting::is_not_set")]
+    #[deserr(default)]
     #[schema(value_type = Option<String>)]
     pub api_key: Setting<String>,
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Setting::is_not_set")]
@@ -164,6 +169,7 @@ impl SettingsDiff {
                     mut source,
                     mut model,
                     mut revision,
+                    mut pooling,
                     mut api_key,
                     mut dimensions,
                     mut document_template,
@@ -180,6 +186,7 @@ impl SettingsDiff {
                     source: new_source,
                     model: new_model,
                     revision: new_revision,
+                    pooling: new_pooling,
                     api_key: new_api_key,
                     dimensions: new_dimensions,
                     document_template: new_document_template,
@@ -210,6 +217,7 @@ impl SettingsDiff {
                         &source,
                         &mut model,
                         &mut revision,
+                        &mut pooling,
                         &mut dimensions,
                         &mut url,
                         &mut request,
@@ -225,6 +233,9 @@ impl SettingsDiff {
                 if revision.apply(new_revision) {
                     ReindexAction::push_action(&mut reindex_action, ReindexAction::FullReindex);
                 }
+                if pooling.apply(new_pooling) {
+                    ReindexAction::push_action(&mut reindex_action, ReindexAction::FullReindex);
+                }
                 if dimensions.apply(new_dimensions) {
                     match source {
                         // regenerate on dimensions change in OpenAI since truncation is supported
@@ -290,6 +301,7 @@ impl SettingsDiff {
                     source,
                     model,
                     revision,
+                    pooling,
                     api_key,
                     dimensions,
                     document_template,
@@ -338,6 +350,7 @@ fn apply_default_for_source(
     source: &Setting<EmbedderSource>,
     model: &mut Setting<String>,
     revision: &mut Setting<String>,
+    pooling: &mut Setting<OverridePooling>,
     dimensions: &mut Setting<usize>,
     url: &mut Setting<String>,
     request: &mut Setting<serde_json::Value>,
@@ -350,6 +363,7 @@ fn apply_default_for_source(
         Setting::Set(EmbedderSource::HuggingFace) => {
             *model = Setting::Reset;
             *revision = Setting::Reset;
+            *pooling = Setting::Reset;
             *dimensions = Setting::NotSet;
             *url = Setting::NotSet;
             *request = Setting::NotSet;
@@ -359,6 +373,7 @@ fn apply_default_for_source(
         Setting::Set(EmbedderSource::Ollama) => {
             *model = Setting::Reset;
             *revision = Setting::NotSet;
+            *pooling = Setting::NotSet;
             *dimensions = Setting::Reset;
             *url = Setting::NotSet;
             *request = Setting::NotSet;
@@ -368,6 +383,7 @@ fn apply_default_for_source(
         Setting::Set(EmbedderSource::OpenAi) | Setting::Reset => {
             *model = Setting::Reset;
             *revision = Setting::NotSet;
+            *pooling = Setting::NotSet;
             *dimensions = Setting::NotSet;
             *url = Setting::Reset;
             *request = Setting::NotSet;
@@ -377,6 +393,7 @@ fn apply_default_for_source(
         Setting::Set(EmbedderSource::Rest) => {
             *model = Setting::NotSet;
             *revision = Setting::NotSet;
+            *pooling = Setting::NotSet;
             *dimensions = Setting::Reset;
             *url = Setting::Reset;
             *request = Setting::Reset;
@@ -386,6 +403,7 @@ fn apply_default_for_source(
         Setting::Set(EmbedderSource::UserProvided) => {
             *model = Setting::NotSet;
             *revision = Setting::NotSet;
+            *pooling = Setting::NotSet;
             *dimensions = Setting::Reset;
             *url = Setting::NotSet;
             *request = Setting::NotSet;
@@ -419,6 +437,7 @@ impl EmbeddingSettings {
     pub const SOURCE: &'static str = "source";
     pub const MODEL: &'static str = "model";
     pub const REVISION: &'static str = "revision";
+    pub const POOLING: &'static str = "pooling";
     pub const API_KEY: &'static str = "apiKey";
     pub const DIMENSIONS: &'static str = "dimensions";
     pub const DOCUMENT_TEMPLATE: &'static str = "documentTemplate";
@@ -446,6 +465,7 @@ impl EmbeddingSettings {
                 &[EmbedderSource::HuggingFace, EmbedderSource::OpenAi, EmbedderSource::Ollama]
             }
             Self::REVISION => &[EmbedderSource::HuggingFace],
+            Self::POOLING => &[EmbedderSource::HuggingFace],
             Self::API_KEY => {
                 &[EmbedderSource::OpenAi, EmbedderSource::Ollama, EmbedderSource::Rest]
             }
@@ -500,6 +520,7 @@ impl EmbeddingSettings {
                 Self::SOURCE,
                 Self::MODEL,
                 Self::REVISION,
+                Self::POOLING,
                 Self::DOCUMENT_TEMPLATE,
                 Self::DOCUMENT_TEMPLATE_MAX_BYTES,
                 Self::DISTRIBUTION,
@@ -592,10 +613,12 @@ impl From<EmbeddingConfig> for EmbeddingSettings {
                 model,
                 revision,
                 distribution,
+                pooling,
             }) => Self {
                 source: Setting::Set(EmbedderSource::HuggingFace),
                 model: Setting::Set(model),
                 revision: Setting::some_or_not_set(revision),
+                pooling: Setting::Set(pooling),
                 api_key: Setting::NotSet,
                 dimensions: Setting::NotSet,
                 document_template: Setting::Set(prompt.template),
@@ -617,6 +640,7 @@ impl From<EmbeddingConfig> for EmbeddingSettings {
                 source: Setting::Set(EmbedderSource::OpenAi),
                 model: Setting::Set(embedding_model.name().to_owned()),
                 revision: Setting::NotSet,
+                pooling: Setting::NotSet,
                 api_key: Setting::some_or_not_set(api_key),
                 dimensions: Setting::some_or_not_set(dimensions),
                 document_template: Setting::Set(prompt.template),
@@ -638,6 +662,7 @@ impl From<EmbeddingConfig> for EmbeddingSettings {
                 source: Setting::Set(EmbedderSource::Ollama),
                 model: Setting::Set(embedding_model),
                 revision: Setting::NotSet,
+                pooling: Setting::NotSet,
                 api_key: Setting::some_or_not_set(api_key),
                 dimensions: Setting::some_or_not_set(dimensions),
                 document_template: Setting::Set(prompt.template),
@@ -656,6 +681,7 @@ impl From<EmbeddingConfig> for EmbeddingSettings {
                 source: Setting::Set(EmbedderSource::UserProvided),
                 model: Setting::NotSet,
                 revision: Setting::NotSet,
+                pooling: Setting::NotSet,
                 api_key: Setting::NotSet,
                 dimensions: Setting::Set(dimensions),
                 document_template: Setting::NotSet,
@@ -679,6 +705,7 @@ impl From<EmbeddingConfig> for EmbeddingSettings {
                 source: Setting::Set(EmbedderSource::Rest),
                 model: Setting::NotSet,
                 revision: Setting::NotSet,
+                pooling: Setting::NotSet,
                 api_key: Setting::some_or_not_set(api_key),
                 dimensions: Setting::some_or_not_set(dimensions),
                 document_template: Setting::Set(prompt.template),
@@ -701,6 +728,7 @@ impl From<EmbeddingSettings> for EmbeddingConfig {
             source,
             model,
             revision,
+            pooling,
             api_key,
             dimensions,
             document_template,
@@ -764,6 +792,9 @@ impl From<EmbeddingSettings> for EmbeddingConfig {
                     if let Some(revision) = revision.set() {
                         options.revision = Some(revision);
                     }
+                    if let Some(pooling) = pooling.set() {
+                        options.pooling = pooling;
+                    }
                     options.distribution = distribution.set();
                     this.embedder_options = super::EmbedderOptions::HuggingFace(options);
                 }