diff --git a/timm/models/factory.py b/timm/models/factory.py
index a7b6c90e..6f196208 100644
--- a/timm/models/factory.py
+++ b/timm/models/factory.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from .registry import is_model, is_model_in_modules, model_entrypoint
-from .helpers import load_checkpoint
+from .helpers import load_checkpoint, load_hf_checkpoint_config
 from .layers import set_layer_config
 
 
@@ -52,7 +52,16 @@ def create_model(
             create_fn = model_entrypoint(model_name)
             model = create_fn(**model_args, **kwargs)
         else:
-            raise RuntimeError('Unknown model (%s)' % model_name)
+            try:
+                model_cfg = load_hf_checkpoint_config(model_name, revision=kwargs.get("hf_revision"))
+                # This does not work, but there is probably a way to have the values in the config override 
+                # the defaults if needed.
+                # model_args["model_cfg"] = model_cfg
+                create_fn = model_entrypoint(model_cfg.pop("architecture"))
+                model = create_fn(**model_args, **kwargs)
+            except Exception as e:
+                raise RuntimeError('Unknown model or checkpoint from the Hugging Face hub (%s)' % model_name)
+ 
 
     if checkpoint_path:
         load_checkpoint(model, checkpoint_path)
diff --git a/timm/models/helpers.py b/timm/models/helpers.py
index 5c174fad..fe1f509d 100644
--- a/timm/models/helpers.py
+++ b/timm/models/helpers.py
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
 Hacked together by / Copyright 2020 Ross Wightman
 """
 import logging
+import json
 import os
 import math
 from collections import OrderedDict
 from copy import deepcopy
-from typing import Callable
+from typing import Callable, Optional, Union
 
 import torch
 import torch.nn as nn
@@ -183,16 +184,21 @@ def adapt_input_conv(in_chans, conv_weight):
     return conv_weight
 
 
-def load_pretrained(model, cfg=None, num_classes=1000, in_chans=3, filter_fn=None, strict=True, progress=False):
+def load_pretrained(model, cfg=None, num_classes=1000, in_chans=3, filter_fn=None, strict=True, 
+    progress=False, hf_checkpoint=None, hf_revision=None):
     if cfg is None:
         cfg = getattr(model, 'default_cfg')
-    if cfg is None or 'url' not in cfg or not cfg['url'] or 'hf_checkpoint' not in cfg or not cfg['hf_checkpoint']:
+    if hf_checkpoint is None:
+        hg_checkpoint = cfg.get('hf_checkpoint')
+    if hf_revision is None:
+        hg_revision = cfg.get('hf_revision')
+    if cfg is None or (('url' not in cfg or not cfg['url']) and hf_checkpoint is None):
         _logger.warning("No pretrained weights exist for this model. Using random initialization.")
         return
 
-    if cfg.get('hf_checkpoint') is not None:
+    if hf_checkpoint is not None:
         # TODO, progress is ignored.
-        url = hf_hub_url(cfg['hf_checkpoint'], "pytorch_model.pth", revision=cfg.get('hf_revision'))
+        url = hf_hub_url(hf_checkpoint, "pytorch_model.pth", revision=hf_revision)
         cached_filed = cached_download(
             url, library_name="timm", library_version=__version__, cache_dir=get_cache_dir()
         )
@@ -354,6 +360,8 @@ def build_model_with_cfg(
         pretrained_custom_load: bool = False,
         **kwargs):
     pruned = kwargs.pop('pruned', False)
+    hf_checkpoint = kwargs.pop('hf_checkpoint', None)
+    hf_revision = kwargs.pop('hf_revision', None)
     features = False
     feature_cfg = feature_cfg or {}
 
@@ -371,14 +379,15 @@ def build_model_with_cfg(
 
     # for classification models, check class attr, then kwargs, then default to 1k, otherwise 0 for feats
     num_classes_pretrained = 0 if features else getattr(model, 'num_classes', kwargs.get('num_classes', 1000))
-    if pretrained:
+    if pretrained or hf_checkpoint is not None:
         if pretrained_custom_load:
             load_custom_pretrained(model)
         else:
             load_pretrained(
                 model,
                 num_classes=num_classes_pretrained, in_chans=kwargs.get('in_chans', 3),
-                filter_fn=pretrained_filter_fn, strict=pretrained_strict)
+                filter_fn=pretrained_filter_fn, strict=pretrained_strict, 
+                hf_checkpoint=hf_checkpoint, hf_revision=hf_revision)
     
     if features:
         feature_cls = FeatureListNet
@@ -394,3 +403,17 @@ def build_model_with_cfg(
         model.default_cfg = default_cfg_for_features(default_cfg)  # add back default_cfg
     
     return model
+
+
+def load_cfg_from_json(json_file: Union[str, os.PathLike]):
+    with open(json_file, "r", encoding="utf-8") as reader:
+        text = reader.read()
+    return json.loads(text)
+
+
+def load_hf_checkpoint_config(checkpoint: str, revision: Optional[str] = None):
+    url = hf_hub_url(checkpoint, "config.json", revision=revision)
+    cached_filed = cached_download(
+        url, library_name="timm", library_version=__version__, cache_dir=get_cache_dir()
+    )
+    return load_cfg_from_json(cached_filed)