diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 96bc8098832..bce1be25629 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -532,8 +532,8 @@ Mongoose.prototype.model = function(name, schema, collection, skipInit) {
 
   // connection.model() may be passing a different schema for
   // an existing model name. in this case don't read from cache.
-  const overwriteModels = this.options.hasOwnProperty('overwriteModels') ?
-    this.options.overwriteModels :
+  const overwriteModels = _mongoose.options.hasOwnProperty('overwriteModels') ?
+    _mongoose.options.overwriteModels :
     options.overwriteModels;
   if (_mongoose.models[name] && options.cache !== false && overwriteModels !== true) {
     if (originalSchema &&