diff --git a/torch_sim/models/sevennet.py b/torch_sim/models/sevennet.py
index 6a5d81b2..90c56892 100644
--- a/torch_sim/models/sevennet.py
+++ b/torch_sim/models/sevennet.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 import traceback
 import warnings
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 
 import torch
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@
     import torch
     from sevenn.atom_graph_data import AtomGraphData
     from sevenn.calculator import torch_script_type
+    from sevenn.util import load_checkpoint
     from torch_geometric.loader.dataloader import Collater
 
 except ImportError as exc:
@@ -44,6 +46,27 @@ def __init__(self, err: ImportError = exc, *_args: Any, **_kwargs: Any) -> None:
             raise err
 
 
+def _validate(model: AtomGraphSequential, modal: str) -> None:
+    if not model.type_map:
+        raise ValueError("type_map is missing")
+
+    if model.cutoff == 0.0:
+        raise ValueError("Model cutoff seems not initialized")
+
+    modal_map = model.modal_map
+    if modal_map:
+        modal_ava = list(modal_map)
+        if not modal:
+            raise ValueError(f"modal argument missing (avail: {modal_ava})")
+        if modal not in modal_ava:
+            raise ValueError(f"unknown modal {modal} (not in {modal_ava})")
+    elif not model.modal_map and modal:
+        warnings.warn(
+            f"modal={modal} is ignored as model has no modal_map",
+            stacklevel=2,
+        )
+
+
 class SevenNetModel(ModelInterface):
     """Computes atomistic energies, forces and stresses using an SevenNet model.
 
@@ -59,7 +82,7 @@ class SevenNetModel(ModelInterface):
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        model: AtomGraphSequential,
+        model: AtomGraphSequential | str | Path,
         *,  # force remaining arguments to be keyword-only
         modal: str | None = None,
         neighbor_list_fn: Callable = vesin_nl_ts,
@@ -72,7 +95,9 @@ def __init__(
         Sets up the model parameters for subsequent use in energy and force calculations.
 
         Args:
-            model (AtomGraphSequential): The SevenNet model to wrap.
+            model (str | Path | AtomGraphSequential): The SevenNet model to wrap.
+                Accepts either 1) a path to a checkpoint file, 2) a model instance,
+                or 3) a pretrained model name.
             modal (str | None): modal (fidelity) if given model is multi-modal model.
                 for 7net-mf-ompa, it should be one of 'mpa' (MPtrj + sAlex) or 'omat24'
                 (OMat24).
@@ -103,8 +128,12 @@ def __init__(
                 stacklevel=2,
             )
 
-        if not model.type_map:
-            raise ValueError("type_map is missing")
+        if isinstance(model, (str, Path)):
+            cp = load_checkpoint(model)
+            model = cp.build_model()
+
+        _validate(model, modal)
+
         model.eval_type_map = torch.tensor(data=True)
 
         self._dtype = dtype
@@ -112,30 +141,13 @@ def __init__(
         self._compute_stress = True
         self._compute_forces = True
 
-        if model.cutoff == 0.0:
-            raise ValueError("Model cutoff seems not initialized")
-
         model.set_is_batch_data(True)
         model_loaded = model
         self.cutoff = torch.tensor(model.cutoff)
         self.neighbor_list_fn = neighbor_list_fn
 
         self.model = model_loaded
-
-        self.modal = None
-        modal_map = self.model.modal_map
-        if modal_map:
-            modal_ava = list(modal_map)
-            if not modal:
-                raise ValueError(f"modal argument missing (avail: {modal_ava})")
-            if modal not in modal_ava:
-                raise ValueError(f"unknown modal {modal} (not in {modal_ava})")
-            self.modal = modal
-        elif not self.model.modal_map and modal:
-            warnings.warn(
-                f"modal={modal} is ignored as model has no modal_map",
-                stacklevel=2,
-            )
+        self.modal = modal
 
         self.model = model.to(self._device)
         self.model = self.model.eval()