diff --git a/extensions/model-extension/src/index.ts b/extensions/model-extension/src/index.ts
index 887ce7474..aa8f6603b 100644
--- a/extensions/model-extension/src/index.ts
+++ b/extensions/model-extension/src/index.ts
@@ -417,6 +417,30 @@ export default class JanModelExtension extends ModelExtension {
     )
   }
 
+  private async getModelJsonPath(
+    folderFullPath: string
+  ): Promise<string | undefined> {
+    // try to find model.json recursively inside each folder
+    if (!(await fs.existsSync(folderFullPath))) return undefined
+    const files: string[] = await fs.readdirSync(folderFullPath)
+    if (files.length === 0) return undefined
+    if (files.includes(JanModelExtension._modelMetadataFileName)) {
+      return joinPath([
+        folderFullPath,
+        JanModelExtension._modelMetadataFileName,
+      ])
+    }
+    // continue recursive
+    for (const file of files) {
+      const path = await joinPath([folderFullPath, file])
+      const fileStats = await fs.fileStat(path)
+      if (fileStats.isDirectory) {
+        const result = await this.getModelJsonPath(path)
+        if (result) return result
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   private async getModelsMetadata(
     selector?: (path: string, model: Model) => Promise<boolean>
   ): Promise<Model[]> {
@@ -438,11 +462,11 @@ export default class JanModelExtension extends ModelExtension {
       const readJsonPromises = allDirectories.map(async (dirName) => {
         // filter out directories that don't match the selector
         // read model.json
-        const jsonPath = await joinPath([
+        const folderFullPath = await joinPath([
           JanModelExtension._homeDir,
           dirName,
-          JanModelExtension._modelMetadataFileName,
         ])
+        const jsonPath = await this.getModelJsonPath(folderFullPath)
 
         if (await fs.existsSync(jsonPath)) {
           // if we have the model.json file, read it