diff --git a/prospector/cli/main.py b/prospector/cli/main.py
index a51fcdb70..95b5ef723 100644
--- a/prospector/cli/main.py
+++ b/prospector/cli/main.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 from dotenv import load_dotenv
 
 import llm.operations as llm
+from llm.model_instantiation import create_model_instance
 from util.http import ping_backend
 
 path_root = os.getcwd()
@@ -54,6 +55,10 @@ def main(argv):  # noqa: C901
             )
             return
 
+        # instantiate LLM model if set in config.yaml
+        if config.llm_service:
+            model = create_model_instance(llm_config=config.llm_service)
+
         if not config.repository and not config.use_llm_repository_url:
             logger.error(
                 "Either provide the repository URL or allow LLM usage to obtain it."
@@ -76,11 +81,8 @@ def main(argv):  # noqa: C901
 
         logger.debug("Vulnerability ID: " + config.vuln_id)
 
-    # whether to use LLM support
     if not config.repository:
-        config.repository = llm.get_repository_url(
-            llm_config=config.llm_service, vuln_id=config.vuln_id
-        )
+        config.repository = llm.get_repository_url(model=model, vuln_id=config.vuln_id)
 
     results, advisory_record = prospector(
         vulnerability_id=config.vuln_id,
diff --git a/prospector/llm/operations.py b/prospector/llm/operations.py
index 39a74ae27..f157e8590 100644
--- a/prospector/llm/operations.py
+++ b/prospector/llm/operations.py
@@ -2,22 +2,19 @@
 from typing import Dict
 
 import validators
+from langchain_core.language_models.llms import LLM
 
 from cli.console import ConsoleWriter, MessageStatus
 from datamodel.advisory import get_from_mitre
-from llm.model_instantiation import create_model_instance
 from llm.prompts import best_guess
 from log.logger import logger
 
 
-def get_repository_url(llm_config: Dict, vuln_id: str):
+def get_repository_url(model: LLM, vuln_id: str):
     """Ask an LLM to obtain the repository URL given the advisory description and references.
 
     Args:
-        llm_config (dict): A dictionary containing the configuration for the LLM. Expected keys are:
-            - 'type' (str): Method for accessing the LLM API ('sap' for SAP's AI Core, 'third_party' for
-                            external providers).
-            - 'model_name' (str): Which model to use, e.g. gpt-4.
+        model (LLM): The instantiated model (instantiated with create_model_instance())
         vuln_id: The ID of the advisory, e.g. CVE-2020-1925.
 
     Returns:
@@ -37,7 +34,6 @@ def get_repository_url(llm_config: Dict, vuln_id: str):
             sys.exit(1)
 
         try:
-            model = create_model_instance(llm_config=llm_config)
             chain = best_guess | model
 
             url = chain.invoke(