diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Extensions/ConfigurationExtensions.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Extensions/ConfigurationExtensions.cs
index 2bdc75c7b1..53f3b76c06 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Extensions/ConfigurationExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Extensions/ConfigurationExtensions.cs
@@ -103,6 +103,5 @@ public static class ConfigurationExtensions
     public static RuntimeMode GetRuntimeMode(this IConfiguration configuration)
         => configuration.GetValue<RuntimeMode>(Constants.Configuration.ConfigRuntimeMode);
 
-    public static ModelsMode GetModelsMode(this IConfiguration configuration) =>
-        configuration.GetValue<ModelsMode>(Constants.Configuration.ConfigModelsMode);
+    public static ModelsMode GetModelsMode(this IConfiguration configuration) => (configuration.GetSection(Constants.Configuration.ConfigModelsBuilder).Get<ModelsBuilderSettings>() ?? new ModelsBuilderSettings()).ModelsMode;
 }