diff --git a/src/flare_ai_consensus/api/routes/chat.py b/src/flare_ai_consensus/api/routes/chat.py
index bcd9a28..1e1650f 100644
--- a/src/flare_ai_consensus/api/routes/chat.py
+++ b/src/flare_ai_consensus/api/routes/chat.py
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ class ChatRouter:
     def __init__(
         self,
         router: APIRouter,
-        provider: AsyncOpenRouterProvider,
+        api_key: str,
+        base_url: str = "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
         consensus_config: ConsensusConfig | None = None,
     ) -> None:
         """
@@ -38,11 +39,13 @@ def __init__(
 
         Args:
             router (APIRouter): FastAPI router to attach endpoints.
-            provider: instance of an async OpenRouter client.
+            api_key: API key for OpenRouter.
+            base_url: Base URL for OpenRouter API.
             consensus_config: config for running the consensus algorithm.
         """
         self._router = router
-        self.provider = provider
+        self.api_key = api_key
+        self.base_url = base_url
         if consensus_config:
             self.consensus_config = consensus_config
         self.logger = logger.bind(router="chat")
@@ -59,6 +62,11 @@ async def chat(message: ChatMessage) -> dict[str, str] | None:  # pyright: ignor
             Process a chat message through the CL pipeline.
             Returns an aggregated response after a number of iterations.
             """
+            # Create a new provider for each request
+            provider = AsyncOpenRouterProvider(
+                api_key=self.api_key, base_url=self.base_url
+            )
+
             try:
                 self.logger.debug("Received chat message", message=message.user_message)
                 # Build initial conversation
@@ -69,13 +77,15 @@ async def chat(message: ChatMessage) -> dict[str, str] | None:  # pyright: ignor
 
                 # Run consensus algorithm
                 answer = await run_consensus(
-                    self.provider,
+                    provider,
                     self.consensus_config,
                     initial_conversation,
                 )
 
             except Exception as e:
                 self.logger.exception("Chat processing failed", error=str(e))
+                # Make sure to close the provider even if an exception occurs
+                await provider.close()
                 raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail=str(e)) from e
             else:
                 self.logger.info("Response generated", answer=answer)
diff --git a/src/flare_ai_consensus/main.py b/src/flare_ai_consensus/main.py
index 3397b66..4456ce4 100644
--- a/src/flare_ai_consensus/main.py
+++ b/src/flare_ai_consensus/main.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 from fastapi.middleware.cors import CORSMiddleware
 
 from flare_ai_consensus.api import ChatRouter
-from flare_ai_consensus.router import AsyncOpenRouterProvider
 from flare_ai_consensus.settings import settings
 from flare_ai_consensus.utils import load_json
 
@@ -18,7 +17,7 @@ def create_app() -> FastAPI:
     This function:
       1. Creates a new FastAPI instance with optional CORS middleware.
       2. Loads configuration.
-      3. Sets up the OpenRouter client.
+      3. Sets up the chat router with API key information.
       4. Initializes a ChatRouter that wraps the RAG pipeline.
       5. Registers the chat endpoint under the /chat prefix.
 
@@ -42,15 +41,12 @@ def create_app() -> FastAPI:
     config_json = load_json(settings.input_path / "input.json")
     settings.load_consensus_config(config_json)
 
-    # Initialize the OpenRouter provider.
-    provider = AsyncOpenRouterProvider(
-        api_key=settings.open_router_api_key, base_url=settings.open_router_base_url
-    )
-
     # Create an APIRouter for chat endpoints and initialize ChatRouter.
+    # Instead of passing a provider, pass the API key and base URL
     chat_router = ChatRouter(
         router=APIRouter(),
-        provider=provider,
+        api_key=settings.open_router_api_key,
+        base_url=settings.open_router_base_url,
         consensus_config=settings.consensus_config,
     )
     app.include_router(chat_router.router, prefix="/api/routes/chat", tags=["chat"])