diff --git a/casanovo/denovo/model_runner.py b/casanovo/denovo/model_runner.py
index cbefd849..7549a7a1 100644
--- a/casanovo/denovo/model_runner.py
+++ b/casanovo/denovo/model_runner.py
@@ -252,16 +252,13 @@ def initialize_model(self, train: bool) -> None:
         # otherwise use the provided configuration.
         device = torch.empty(1).device  # Use the default device.
         try:
-            self.model = Spec2Pep.load_from_checkpoint(
-                self.model_filename,
-                map_location=device,
-            )
-        except RuntimeError:
             self.model = Spec2Pep.load_from_checkpoint(
                 self.model_filename,
                 map_location=device,
                 **model_params,
             )
+        except RuntimeError:
+            raise RuntimeError("Mismatching parameters between loaded model and config file")
 
     def initialize_data_module(
         self,