diff --git a/inferedgelab/studio/static/app.js b/inferedgelab/studio/static/app.js
index cdb8f06..1d6d22a 100644
--- a/inferedgelab/studio/static/app.js
+++ b/inferedgelab/studio/static/app.js
@@ -75,14 +75,16 @@ function setEmpty(selector, label = "No data available") {
 }
 
 async function fetchJson(url) {
+  assertHttpStudio();
   const response = await fetch(url, { headers: { Accept: "application/json" } });
   if (!response.ok) {
-    throw new Error(`Request failed: ${response.status}`);
+    throw new Error(await responseErrorMessage(response));
   }
   return response.json();
 }
 
 async function postJson(url, payload) {
+  assertHttpStudio();
   const response = await fetch(url, {
     method: "POST",
     headers: {
@@ -92,12 +94,34 @@ async function postJson(url, payload) {
     body: JSON.stringify(payload),
   });
   if (!response.ok) {
-    const message = await response.text();
-    throw new Error(message || `Request failed: ${response.status}`);
+    throw new Error(await responseErrorMessage(response));
   }
   return response.json();
 }
 
+function assertHttpStudio() {
+  if (window.location.protocol === "file:") {
+    throw new Error("Open Studio from http://127.0.0.1:8000/studio so it can call the local API.");
+  }
+}
+
+async function responseErrorMessage(response) {
+  const fallback = `Request failed: ${response.status}`;
+  try {
+    const payload = await response.clone().json();
+    if (payload?.detail) {
+      return Array.isArray(payload.detail) ? payload.detail.map(String).join("; ") : String(payload.detail);
+    }
+    if (payload?.error) {
+      return typeof payload.error === "string" ? payload.error : JSON.stringify(payload.error);
+    }
+  } catch (error) {
+    const text = await response.text();
+    return text || fallback;
+  }
+  return fallback;
+}
+
 async function loadJobs(preferredJobId = selectedJobId) {
   setLoading("#job-list");
   try {
@@ -191,7 +215,7 @@ async function runModel() {
     setState("#run-state", "completed");
     await loadJobs(payload.job_id);
   } catch (error) {
-    setStatus("#run-status", "Error: run request failed.", "error");
+    setStatus("#run-status", `Error: ${formatError(error)}`, "error");
     setState("#run-state", "idle");
   } finally {
     button.disabled = false;
@@ -225,7 +249,7 @@ async function importResult() {
     renderImportedResult();
     await loadCompare();
   } catch (error) {
-    setStatus("#import-status", "Error: import failed.", "error");
+    setStatus("#import-status", `Error: ${formatError(error)}`, "error");
     setState("#import-state", "idle");
   } finally {
     button.disabled = false;
@@ -244,7 +268,7 @@ async function loadJetsonCommand() {
     setState("#jetson-state", "completed");
   } catch (error) {
     textarea.value = "";
-    setStatus("#jetson-status", "Error: command unavailable.", "error");
+    setStatus("#jetson-status", `Error: ${formatError(error)}`, "error");
     setState("#jetson-state", "idle");
   }
 }
@@ -616,10 +640,20 @@ async function initLocalStudio() {
     await loadJetsonCommand();
   } catch (error) {
     console.error("Local Studio initialization failed", error);
+    if (window.location.protocol === "file:") {
+      renderFileProtocolNotice();
+    }
     renderSafeFallback();
   }
 }
 
+function renderFileProtocolNotice() {
+  const message = "Open http://127.0.0.1:8000/studio instead of this file path to use Run, Import, Compare, and Jetson helpers.";
+  setStatus("#run-status", message, "error");
+  setStatus("#import-status", message, "error");
+  setStatus("#jetson-status", message, "error");
+}
+
 function renderSafeFallback() {
   const requiredTargets = [
     ["#pipeline-flow", "Pipeline cards could not be initialized."],
@@ -637,6 +671,11 @@ function renderSafeFallback() {
   });
 }
 
+function formatError(error) {
+  const message = error?.message || String(error || "request failed");
+  return message.replace(/^Error:\s*/, "");
+}
+
 if (document.readyState === "loading") {
   document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", initLocalStudio);
 } else {
diff --git a/inferedgelab/studio/static/index.html b/inferedgelab/studio/static/index.html
index ea9c98f..1085d7a 100644
--- a/inferedgelab/studio/static/index.html
+++ b/inferedgelab/studio/static/index.html
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@
         }
       }
     </style>
-    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/studio/static/style.css?v=5" />
+    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/studio/static/style.css?v=6" />
   </head>
   <body>
     <main class="shell">
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ <h3 id="import-title">Runtime result JSON</h3>
             </div>
             <div class="form-stack">
               <label for="import-json-path">result path</label>
-              <input id="import-json-path" type="text" placeholder="results/jetson/result.json" />
+              <input id="import-json-path" type="text" value="results/latest.json" placeholder="results/latest.json" />
               <button id="import-button" type="button">Import</button>
               <p id="import-status" class="status-line"></p>
             </div>
@@ -275,6 +275,6 @@ <h2 id="future-title">Future Work</h2>
       </section>
     </main>
 
-    <script src="/studio/static/app.js?v=5" defer></script>
+    <script src="/studio/static/app.js?v=6" defer></script>
   </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/tests/test_studio_routes.py b/tests/test_studio_routes.py
index 691f426..f59956a 100644
--- a/tests/test_studio_routes.py
+++ b/tests/test_studio_routes.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ def test_studio_route_returns_local_studio_html():
     assert 'data-critical="studio-dark"' in html
     assert 'href="/studio/static/style.css?v=' in html
     assert 'src="/studio/static/app.js?v=' in html
+    assert 'value="results/latest.json"' in html
 
 
 def test_studio_static_assets_are_served():
@@ -66,6 +67,8 @@ def test_studio_static_assets_include_redesigned_ui_contracts():
     assert style_response.status_code == 200
     assert "initLocalStudio" in app_text
     assert "DOMContentLoaded" in app_text
+    assert "Open Studio from http://127.0.0.1:8000/studio" in app_text
+    assert "responseErrorMessage" in app_text
     assert "#0b0f14" in style_text
     assert "grid-template-columns" in style_text
     assert ".form-stack button" in style_text
@@ -174,6 +177,19 @@ def test_studio_import_api_accepts_runtime_result_json():
     assert response["compare_ready"] is False
 
 
+def test_studio_import_api_accepts_existing_result_path():
+    app = api.create_app()
+    route = _get_route(app, "/studio/api/import")
+    request = SimpleNamespace(app=app)
+
+    response = route.endpoint(request=request, payload={"path": "results/latest.json"})
+
+    assert response["status"] == "imported"
+    assert response["result"]["compare_key"]
+    assert response["result"]["backend_key"]
+    assert response["compare_ready"] is False
+
+
 def test_studio_jetson_command_api_returns_command():
     app = api.create_app()
     route = _get_route(app, "/studio/api/jetson-command")