diff --git a/docling/pipeline/base_pipeline.py b/docling/pipeline/base_pipeline.py
index d08cf85a..a0796349 100644
--- a/docling/pipeline/base_pipeline.py
+++ b/docling/pipeline/base_pipeline.py
@@ -116,10 +116,7 @@ class PaginatedPipeline(BasePipeline):  # TODO this is a bad name.
 
     def __init__(self, pipeline_options: PipelineOptions):
         super().__init__(pipeline_options)
-        self.keep_backend = (
-            True  # For now, need to be able to query for page size post prediction
-        )
-        # self.keep_backend = False
+        self.keep_backend = False
 
     def _apply_on_pages(
         self, conv_res: ConversionResult, page_batch: Iterable[Page]
diff --git a/docling/pipeline/vlm_pipeline.py b/docling/pipeline/vlm_pipeline.py
index 04ae40d9..da512d3d 100644
--- a/docling/pipeline/vlm_pipeline.py
+++ b/docling/pipeline/vlm_pipeline.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import itertools
 import logging
 import re
+import warnings
 
 # from io import BytesIO
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -28,7 +29,8 @@ from docling.backend.abstract_backend import AbstractDocumentBackend
 from docling.backend.pdf_backend import PdfDocumentBackend
 from docling.datamodel.base_models import Page
 from docling.datamodel.document import ConversionResult
-from docling.datamodel.pipeline_options import PdfPipelineOptions
+from docling.datamodel.pipeline_options import PdfPipelineOptions, VlmPipelineOptions
+from docling.datamodel.settings import settings
 from docling.models.smol_docling_model import SmolDoclingModel
 from docling.pipeline.base_pipeline import PaginatedPipeline
 from docling.utils.profiling import ProfilingScope, TimeRecorder
@@ -38,9 +40,29 @@ _log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 class VlmPipeline(PaginatedPipeline):
 
-    def __init__(self, pipeline_options: PdfPipelineOptions):
+    def __init__(self, pipeline_options: VlmPipelineOptions):
         super().__init__(pipeline_options)
-        self.pipeline_options: PdfPipelineOptions
+        self.keep_backend = True
+
+        warnings.warn(
+            "This API is currently experimental and may change in upcoming versions without notice.",
+            category=UserWarning,
+            stacklevel=2,
+        )
+
+        self.pipeline_options: VlmPipelineOptions
+
+        artifacts_path: Optional[Path] = None
+        if pipeline_options.artifacts_path is not None:
+            artifacts_path = Path(pipeline_options.artifacts_path).expanduser()
+        elif settings.artifacts_path is not None:
+            artifacts_path = Path(settings.artifacts_path).expanduser()
+
+        if artifacts_path is not None and not artifacts_path.is_dir():
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                f"The value of {artifacts_path=} is not valid. "
+                "When defined, it must point to a folder containing all models required by the pipeline."
+            )
 
         # force_backend_text = False - use text that is coming from SmolDocling
         # force_backend_text = True - get text from backend using bounding boxes predicted by SmolDoclingss