diff --git a/modeldb/modeldb.py b/modeldb/modeldb.py
index 87eb284..a22a5ca 100644
--- a/modeldb/modeldb.py
+++ b/modeldb/modeldb.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def download_model(arg_tuple):
         # from ModelDB, but it can be overriden to come from GitHub instead.
         if "github" in model_run_info:
             # This means we should try to download the model content from
-            # GitHub instead of from ModelDB.
+            # GitHub instead of from ModelDB. (but see the local: case below.)
             github = model_run_info["github"]
             organisation = "ModelDBRepository"
             suffix = ""  # default branch
@@ -57,6 +57,27 @@ def download_model(arg_tuple):
                 # if you need to test changes to a model that does not exist on
                 # GitHub under the ModelDBRepository organisation.
                 organisation = github[1:]
+            elif github.startswith("local:"):
+                # Using
+                #  github: "local: /path/to/repository"
+                # in modeldb-run.yaml implies that we 'git clone /path/to/repository'.
+                # This is useful to tentatively explore the effect of
+                # model changes on results with different nrn versions
+                # without committing to github or before being ready to
+                # make a pull request
+                print("\nTo be cloned by runmodel", github)
+                return model_id, model
+            elif github.startswith("copy:"):
+                # Using
+                #  github: "copy: /path/to/parentfolder"
+                # in modeldb-run.yaml implies that we
+                #  'cp -R /path/to/parentfolder/<id> <workingdir>'
+                # A copy differs from a clone in that local changes in
+                # the checkout are mirrored in the copy without having to
+                # be committed. Note the copy leaves out the .git and
+                # x86_64 folders.
+                print("\nTo be copied by runmodel %s/%s" % (github, model_id))
+                return model_id, model
             else:
                 raise Exception("Invalid value for github key: {}".format(github))
             url = "https://api.github.com/repos/{organisation}/{model_id}/zipball{suffix}".format(
diff --git a/modeldb/modelrun.py b/modeldb/modelrun.py
index 5ae7b55..5481727 100644
--- a/modeldb/modelrun.py
+++ b/modeldb/modelrun.py
@@ -205,15 +205,30 @@ def build_python_runfile(model):
 
 
 def prepare_model(model):
+    if "github" in model.keys() and (model['github'].startswith("local:")
+        or model['github'].startswith("copy")):
+        _prepare_model(model, None, clone=True)
+        return
+
     # unzip model from cache
     with zipfile.ZipFile(
-            os.path.join(MODELS_ZIP_DIR, str(model.id) + ".zip"), "r"
+        os.path.join(MODELS_ZIP_DIR, str(model.id) + ".zip"), "r"
     ) as zip_ref:
+        _prepare_model(model, zip_ref, clone=False)
+
+def _prepare_model(model, zip_ref, clone=False):
+    if clone:
+        model_dir = os.path.join(
+            model.working_dir,
+            str(model.id),
+        )
+    else:
         model_dir = os.path.join(
             model.working_dir,
             str(model.id),
             os.path.dirname(zip_ref.infolist()[0].filename),
         )
+    if True:
         model_run_info_file = os.path.join(model_dir, str(model.id) + ".yaml")
         if model._inplace and os.path.isfile(model_run_info_file):
             with open(model_run_info_file) as run_info_file:
@@ -221,7 +236,10 @@ def prepare_model(model):
         else:
             if model._clean and is_dir_non_empty(model_dir):
                 shutil.rmtree(model_dir)
-            zip_ref.extractall(os.path.join(model.working_dir, str(model.id)))
+            if clone:
+                gitclone(model, model_dir)
+            else:
+                zip_ref.extractall(os.path.join(model.working_dir, str(model.id)))
 
             # set model_dir
             model.run_info["model_dir"] = model_dir
@@ -247,6 +265,15 @@ def prepare_model(model):
                 yaml.dump(model.run_info, run_info_file, sort_keys=True)
 
 
+def gitclone(model, model_dir):
+    if model['github'].startswith('copy:'):
+        cmd = 'cp -R %s/%s %s' % (model['github'][5:], str(model.id), model_dir)
+    else:
+        cmd = 'git clone %s %s' % (model['github'][7:], model_dir)
+    print("\n", cmd)
+    a = subprocess.run(cmd, shell=True, check=True, capture_output=True)
+
+
 def run_model(model):
     start_time = time.perf_counter()
     # Some models are skipped on purpose