diff --git a/pyaerocom/colocation_auto.py b/pyaerocom/colocation_auto.py
index f4b41b17f..9f3c0d3fe 100644
--- a/pyaerocom/colocation_auto.py
+++ b/pyaerocom/colocation_auto.py
@@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ def _instantiate_gridded_reader(self, what):
         reader_class = self._get_gridded_reader_class(what=what)
         if what == "model" and reader_class in self.MODELS_WITH_KWARGS:
             reader = reader_class(
-                data_id=data_id, data_dir=data_dir, **self.colocation_setup.model_read_kwargs
+                data_id=data_id, data_dir=data_dir, **self.colocation_setup.model_kwargs
             )
         else:
             reader = reader_class(data_id=data_id, data_dir=data_dir)
diff --git a/pyaerocom/colocation_setup.py b/pyaerocom/colocation_setup.py
index 6d8c379c4..3203679e0 100644
--- a/pyaerocom/colocation_setup.py
+++ b/pyaerocom/colocation_setup.py
@@ -196,9 +196,7 @@ class ColocationSetup(BaseModel):
         active, only single year analysis are supported (i.e. provide int to
         :attr:`start` to specify the year and leave :attr:`stop` empty).
     model_kwargs: dict
-        Key word arguments to be given to the model reader class's read_var function
-    model_read_kwargs: dict
-        Key word arguments to be given to the model reader class's init function
+        Key word arguments to be given to the model reader class's read_var and init function
     gridded_reader_id : dict
         BETA: dictionary specifying which gridded reader is supposed to be used
         for model (and gridded obs) reading. Note: this is a workaround
@@ -390,15 +388,11 @@ def validate_basedirs(cls, v):
     model_to_stp: bool = False
 
     model_ts_type_read: str | dict | None = None
-    model_read_aux: dict[
-        str, dict[Literal["vars_required", "fun"], list[str] | Callable]
-    ] | None = {}
+    model_read_aux: (
+        dict[str, dict[Literal["vars_required", "fun"], list[str] | Callable]] | None
+    ) = {}
     model_use_climatology: bool = False
 
-    model_kwargs: dict = {}
-    # model_read_kwargs are arguments that are sent to the model reader
-    model_read_kwargs: dict = {}
-
     gridded_reader_id: dict[str, str] = {"model": "ReadGridded", "obs": "ReadGridded"}
 
     flex_ts_type: bool = True
@@ -423,6 +417,19 @@ def validate_basedirs(cls, v):
     keep_data: bool = True
     add_meta: dict | None = {}
 
+    model_kwargs: dict = {}
+
+    @field_validator("model_kwargs")
+    @classmethod
+    def validate_kwargs(cls, v):
+        forbidden = [
+            "vert_which",
+        ]  # Forbidden key names which are not found in colocation_setup.model_field, or has another name there
+        for key in v:
+            if key in list(cls.model_fields.keys()) + forbidden:
+                raise ValueError(f"Key {key} not allowed in model_kwargs")
+        return v
+
     # Override __init__ to allow for positional arguments
     def __init__(
         self,
diff --git a/tests/test_colocation_setup.py b/tests/test_colocation_setup.py
index 2100cff45..3619e1782 100644
--- a/tests/test_colocation_setup.py
+++ b/tests/test_colocation_setup.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
+from pydantic import ValidationError
 
 from pyaerocom import const
 from pyaerocom.colocation_setup import ColocationSetup
@@ -65,3 +66,15 @@ def test_ColocationSetup(stp: ColocationSetup, should_be: dict):
             assert Path(val) == Path(stp_dict["basedir_coldata"])
         else:
             assert val == stp_dict[key], key
+
+
+def test_ColocationSetup_model_kwargs_validationerror() -> None:
+    stp_dict = default_setup
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
+        stp_dict["model_kwargs"] = "not a dict"
+        stp = ColocationSetup(**stp_dict)
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
+        stp_dict["model_kwargs"] = {"emep_vars": {}, "ts_type": "daily"}
+        stp = ColocationSetup(**stp_dict)