diff --git a/libs/ai-endpoints/langchain_nvidia_ai_endpoints/_common.py b/libs/ai-endpoints/langchain_nvidia_ai_endpoints/_common.py
index daa47ebf..46604bad 100644
--- a/libs/ai-endpoints/langchain_nvidia_ai_endpoints/_common.py
+++ b/libs/ai-endpoints/langchain_nvidia_ai_endpoints/_common.py
@@ -214,9 +214,12 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs: Any):
                         "unknown and inference may fail."
                     )
                 else:
-                    raise ValueError(
-                        f"Model {self.mdl_name} is unknown, check `available_models`"
-                    )
+                    if self.mdl_name.startswith("nvdev/"):  # assume valid
+                        model = Model(id=self.mdl_name)
+                    else:
+                        raise ValueError(
+                            f"Model {self.mdl_name} is unknown, check `available_models`"
+                        )
             self.model = model
             self.mdl_name = self.model.id  # name may change because of aliasing
         else: