diff --git a/llama_stack/providers/tests/inference/test_model_registration.py b/llama_stack/providers/tests/inference/test_model_registration.py
index 4fa7f4e61..07100c982 100644
--- a/llama_stack/providers/tests/inference/test_model_registration.py
+++ b/llama_stack/providers/tests/inference/test_model_registration.py
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@
 
 import pytest
 
-from llama_models.datatypes import CoreModelId
-
 
 # How to run this test:
 #
@@ -28,10 +26,12 @@ class TestModelRegistration:
             "remote::vllm",
             "remote::tgi",
         ):
-            pytest.skip("70B instruct is too big only for local inference providers")
+            pytest.skip(
+                "Skipping test for remote inference providers since they can handle large models like 70B instruct"
+            )
 
         # Try to register a model that's too large for local inference
-        with pytest.raises(Exception) as exc_info:
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError) as exc_info:
             await models_impl.register_model(
                 model_id="Llama3.1-70B-Instruct",
             )
@@ -52,13 +52,13 @@ class TestModelRegistration:
 
         _ = await models_impl.register_model(
             model_id="custom-model",
-            metadata={"llama_model": CoreModelId.llama3_1_8b_instruct.value},
+            metadata={"llama_model": "meta-llama/Llama-2-7b"},
         )
 
         with pytest.raises(ValueError) as exc_info:
             await models_impl.register_model(
                 model_id="custom-model-2",
-                metadata={"llama_model": CoreModelId.llama3_2_3b_instruct.value},
+                metadata={"llama_model": "meta-llama/Llama-2-7b"},
                 provider_model_id="custom-model",
             )
 
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class TestModelRegistration:
     async def test_register_with_invalid_llama_model(self, inference_stack):
         _, models_impl = inference_stack
 
-        with pytest.raises(Exception) as exc_info:
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError) as exc_info:
             await models_impl.register_model(
                 model_id="custom-model-2",
                 metadata={"llama_model": "invalid-llama-model"},
diff --git a/llama_stack/providers/utils/inference/__init__.py b/llama_stack/providers/utils/inference/__init__.py
index 55f72a791..7d268ed38 100644
--- a/llama_stack/providers/utils/inference/__init__.py
+++ b/llama_stack/providers/utils/inference/__init__.py
@@ -31,3 +31,8 @@ def supported_inference_models() -> List[str]:
             or is_supported_safety_model(m)
         )
     ]
+
+
+ALL_HUGGINGFACE_REPOS_TO_MODEL_DESCRIPTOR = {
+    m.huggingface_repo: m.descriptor() for m in all_registered_models()
+}
diff --git a/llama_stack/providers/utils/inference/model_registry.py b/llama_stack/providers/utils/inference/model_registry.py
index 98810783d..3834946f5 100644
--- a/llama_stack/providers/utils/inference/model_registry.py
+++ b/llama_stack/providers/utils/inference/model_registry.py
@@ -7,11 +7,14 @@
 from collections import namedtuple
 from typing import List, Optional
 
-from llama_models.datatypes import CoreModelId
 from llama_models.sku_list import all_registered_models
 
 from llama_stack.providers.datatypes import Model, ModelsProtocolPrivate
 
+from llama_stack.providers.utils.inference import (
+    ALL_HUGGINGFACE_REPOS_TO_MODEL_DESCRIPTOR,
+)
+
 ModelAlias = namedtuple("ModelAlias", ["provider_model_id", "aliases", "llama_model"])
 
 
@@ -77,17 +80,18 @@ class ModelRegistryHelper(ModelsProtocolPrivate):
                         f"Provider model id '{model.provider_resource_id}' is already registered to a different llama model: '{existing_llama_model}'"
                     )
             else:
-                # Validate that the llama model is a valid CoreModelId
-                try:
-                    CoreModelId(model.metadata["llama_model"])
-                except ValueError as err:
+                if (
+                    model.metadata["llama_model"]
+                    not in ALL_HUGGINGFACE_REPOS_TO_MODEL_DESCRIPTOR
+                ):
                     raise ValueError(
                         f"Invalid llama_model '{model.metadata['llama_model']}' specified in metadata. "
-                        f"Must be one of: {', '.join(m.value for m in CoreModelId)}"
-                    ) from err
-                # Register the mapping from provider model id to llama model for future lookups
+                        f"Must be one of: {', '.join(ALL_HUGGINGFACE_REPOS_TO_MODEL_DESCRIPTOR.keys())}"
+                    )
                 self.provider_id_to_llama_model_map[model.provider_resource_id] = (
-                    model.metadata["llama_model"]
+                    ALL_HUGGINGFACE_REPOS_TO_MODEL_DESCRIPTOR[
+                        model.metadata["llama_model"]
+                    ]
                 )
 
         return model