diff --git a/invokeai/app/api/routers/model_records.py b/invokeai/app/api/routers/model_records.py
index 298b30735a..787a9e40fa 100644
--- a/invokeai/app/api/routers/model_records.py
+++ b/invokeai/app/api/routers/model_records.py
@@ -41,17 +41,13 @@ async def list_model_records(
 ) -> ModelsList:
     """Get a list of models."""
     record_store = ApiDependencies.invoker.services.model_records
-    if base_models and len(base_models) > 0:
-        models_raw = list()
+    models = list()
+    if base_models:
         for base_model in base_models:
-            models_raw.extend(
-                [x.model_dump() for x in record_store.search_by_attr(base_model=base_model, model_type=model_type)]
-            )
+            models.extend(record_store.search_by_attr(base_model=base_model, model_type=model_type))
     else:
-        models_raw = [x.model_dump() for x in record_store.search_by_attr(model_type=model_type)]
-    models = ModelsListValidator.validate_python({"models": models_raw})
-    return models
-
+        models.extend(record_store.search_by_attr(model_type=model_type))
+    return ModelsList(models=models)
 
 @model_records_router.get(
     "/i/{key}",
diff --git a/invokeai/app/services/model_records/model_records_sql.py b/invokeai/app/services/model_records/model_records_sql.py
index 0fb027e3fa..a353fd88e0 100644
--- a/invokeai/app/services/model_records/model_records_sql.py
+++ b/invokeai/app/services/model_records/model_records_sql.py
@@ -107,7 +107,9 @@ class ModelRecordServiceSQL(ModelRecordServiceBase):
                 config TEXT NOT NULL,
                 created_at DATETIME NOT NULL DEFAULT(STRFTIME('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%f', 'NOW')),
                 -- Updated via trigger
-                updated_at DATETIME NOT NULL DEFAULT(STRFTIME('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%f', 'NOW'))
+                updated_at DATETIME NOT NULL DEFAULT(STRFTIME('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%f', 'NOW')),
+                -- unique constraint on combo of name, base and type
+                UNIQUE(name, base, type)
             );
             """
         )
@@ -200,6 +202,8 @@ class ModelRecordServiceSQL(ModelRecordServiceBase):
                 if "UNIQUE constraint failed" in str(e):
                     if "model_config.path" in str(e):
                         msg = f"A model with path '{record.path}' is already installed"
+                    elif "model_config.name" in str(e):
+                        msg = f"A model with name='{record.name}', type='{record.type}', base='{record.base}' is already installed"
                     else:
                         msg = f"A model with key '{key}' is already installed"
                     raise DuplicateModelException(msg) from e
diff --git a/invokeai/backend/model_manager/config.py b/invokeai/backend/model_manager/config.py
index ff835b1f3f..2ffdbd9919 100644
--- a/invokeai/backend/model_manager/config.py
+++ b/invokeai/backend/model_manager/config.py
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ class ModelConfigFactory(object):
     @classmethod
     def make_config(
         cls,
-        model_data: Union[dict, ModelConfigBase],
+        model_data: Union[dict, AnyModelConfig],
         key: Optional[str] = None,
         dest_class: Optional[Type] = None,
     ) -> AnyModelConfig:
diff --git a/tests/app/services/model_records/test_model_records_sql.py b/tests/app/services/model_records/test_model_records_sql.py
index 52a7c40dfd..8d99e581a8 100644
--- a/tests/app/services/model_records/test_model_records_sql.py
+++ b/tests/app/services/model_records/test_model_records_sql.py
@@ -170,6 +170,44 @@ def test_filter(store: ModelRecordServiceBase):
     matches = store.all_models()
     assert len(matches) == 3
 
+def test_unique(store:  ModelRecordServiceBase):
+    config1 = MainDiffusersConfig(
+        path="/tmp/config1",
+        base=BaseModelType("sd-1"),
+        type=ModelType("main"),
+        name="nonuniquename",
+        original_hash="CONFIG1HASH",
+    )
+    config2 = MainDiffusersConfig(
+        path="/tmp/config2",
+        base=BaseModelType("sd-2"),
+        type=ModelType("main"),
+        name="nonuniquename",
+        original_hash="CONFIG1HASH",
+    )
+    config3 = VaeDiffusersConfig(
+        path="/tmp/config3",
+        base=BaseModelType("sd-2"),
+        type=ModelType("vae"),
+        name="nonuniquename",
+        original_hash="CONFIG1HASH",
+    )
+    config4 = MainDiffusersConfig(
+        path="/tmp/config4",
+        base=BaseModelType("sd-1"),
+        type=ModelType("main"),
+        name="nonuniquename",
+        original_hash="CONFIG1HASH",
+    )
+    # config1, config2 and config3 are compatible because they have unique combos
+    # of name, type and base
+    for c in config1, config2, config3:
+        store.add_model(sha256(c.path.encode("utf-8")).hexdigest(), c)
+
+    # config4 clashes with config1 and should raise an integrity error
+    with pytest.raises(DuplicateModelException):
+        store.add_model(sha256(c.path.encode("utf-8")).hexdigest(), config4)
+
 
 def test_filter_2(store: ModelRecordServiceBase):
     config1 = MainDiffusersConfig(
@@ -196,7 +234,7 @@ def test_filter_2(store: ModelRecordServiceBase):
     config4 = MainDiffusersConfig(
         path="/tmp/config4",
         name="dup_name1",
-        base=BaseModelType("sd-2"),
+        base=BaseModelType("sdxl"),
         type=ModelType("main"),
         original_hash="CONFIG3HASH",
     )