diff --git a/docs/src/dev-docs/new-architecture.rst b/docs/src/dev-docs/new-architecture.rst
index 68b9df0d9..062846582 100644
--- a/docs/src/dev-docs/new-architecture.rst
+++ b/docs/src/dev-docs/new-architecture.rst
@@ -160,7 +160,9 @@ methods for ``train()``, ``save_checkpoint()`` and ``load_checkpoint()``.
 
 The format of checkpoints is not defined by ``metatrain`` and can be any format that
 can be loaded by the trainer (to restart training) and by the model (to export the
-checkpoint).
+checkpoint). The only requirements are that the checkpoint must be loadable with
+``torch.load()``, it must be a dictionary, and it must contain the name of the
+architecture under the ``architecture_name`` key.
 
 Init file (``__init__.py``)
 ---------------------------
diff --git a/docs/src/getting-started/checkpoints.rst b/docs/src/getting-started/checkpoints.rst
index e5c2dfaae..050753277 100644
--- a/docs/src/getting-started/checkpoints.rst
+++ b/docs/src/getting-started/checkpoints.rst
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@ positional arguments
 
 .. code-block:: bash
 
-    mtt export experimental.soap_bpnn model.ckpt -o model.pt
+    mtt export model.ckpt -o model.pt
 
 or
 
 .. code-block:: bash
 
-    mtt export experimental.soap_bpnn model.ckpt --output model.pt
+    mtt export model.ckpt --output model.pt
 
 For a export of distribution of models the ``export`` command also supports parsing
 models from remote locations. To export a remote model you can provide a URL instead of
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ a file path.
 
 .. code-block:: bash
 
-    mtt export experimental.soap_bpnn https://my.url.com/model.ckpt --output model.pt
+    mtt export https://my.url.com/model.ckpt --output model.pt
 
 Downloading private HuggingFace models is also supported, by specifying the
 corresponding API token with the ``--huggingface_api_token`` flag.
diff --git a/src/metatrain/cli/export.py b/src/metatrain/cli/export.py
index a27b617e4..c025c6989 100644
--- a/src/metatrain/cli/export.py
+++ b/src/metatrain/cli/export.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 
 from metatensor.torch.atomistic import is_atomistic_model
 
-from ..utils.architectures import find_all_architectures
 from ..utils.io import check_file_extension, load_model
 from .formatter import CustomHelpFormatter
 
@@ -30,12 +29,6 @@ def _add_export_model_parser(subparser: argparse._SubParsersAction) -> None:
     )
     parser.set_defaults(callable="export_model")
 
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "architecture_name",
-        type=str,
-        choices=find_all_architectures(),
-        help="name of the model's architecture",
-    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "path",
         type=str,
@@ -66,10 +59,8 @@ def _add_export_model_parser(subparser: argparse._SubParsersAction) -> None:
 def _prepare_export_model_args(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
     """Prepare arguments for export_model."""
     path = args.__dict__.pop("path")
-    architecture_name = args.__dict__.pop("architecture_name")
     args.model = load_model(
         path=path,
-        architecture_name=architecture_name,
         **args.__dict__,
     )
     keys_to_keep = ["model", "output"]  # only these are needed for `export_model``
diff --git a/src/metatrain/experimental/alchemical_model/trainer.py b/src/metatrain/experimental/alchemical_model/trainer.py
index 611c1c2e4..db1caa825 100644
--- a/src/metatrain/experimental/alchemical_model/trainer.py
+++ b/src/metatrain/experimental/alchemical_model/trainer.py
@@ -371,6 +371,7 @@ def train(
 
     def save_checkpoint(self, model, path: Union[str, Path]):
         checkpoint = {
+            "architecture_name": "experimental.alchemical_model",
             "model_hypers": {
                 "model_hypers": model.hypers,
                 "dataset_info": model.dataset_info,
diff --git a/src/metatrain/experimental/pet/trainer.py b/src/metatrain/experimental/pet/trainer.py
index a74f5050f..69fe9576e 100644
--- a/src/metatrain/experimental/pet/trainer.py
+++ b/src/metatrain/experimental/pet/trainer.py
@@ -754,6 +754,7 @@ def save_checkpoint(self, model, path: Union[str, Path]):
         else:
             lora_state_dict = None
         last_model_checkpoint = {
+            "architecture_name": "experimental.pet",
             "trainer_state_dict": trainer_state_dict,
             "model_state_dict": last_model_state_dict,
             "best_model_state_dict": self.best_model_state_dict,
@@ -765,6 +766,7 @@ def save_checkpoint(self, model, path: Union[str, Path]):
             "lora_state_dict": lora_state_dict,
         }
         best_model_checkpoint = {
+            "architecture_name": "experimental.pet",
             "trainer_state_dict": None,
             "model_state_dict": self.best_model_state_dict,
             "best_model_state_dict": None,
diff --git a/src/metatrain/experimental/soap_bpnn/trainer.py b/src/metatrain/experimental/soap_bpnn/trainer.py
index 563fc00d6..151e46316 100644
--- a/src/metatrain/experimental/soap_bpnn/trainer.py
+++ b/src/metatrain/experimental/soap_bpnn/trainer.py
@@ -411,6 +411,7 @@ def train(
 
     def save_checkpoint(self, model, path: Union[str, Path]):
         checkpoint = {
+            "architecture_name": "experimental.soap_bpnn",
             "model_hypers": {
                 "model_hypers": model.hypers,
                 "dataset_info": model.dataset_info,
diff --git a/src/metatrain/utils/io.py b/src/metatrain/utils/io.py
index fea744079..d68247fac 100644
--- a/src/metatrain/utils/io.py
+++ b/src/metatrain/utils/io.py
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 from urllib.request import urlretrieve
 
+import torch
 from metatensor.torch.atomistic import check_atomistic_model, load_atomistic_model
 
+from ..utils.architectures import find_all_architectures
 from .architectures import import_architecture
 
 
@@ -70,7 +72,6 @@ def is_exported_file(path: str) -> bool:
 def load_model(
     path: Union[str, Path],
     extensions_directory: Optional[Union[str, Path]] = None,
-    architecture_name: Optional[str] = None,
     **kwargs,
 ) -> Any:
     """Load checkpoints and exported models from an URL or a local file.
@@ -78,32 +79,19 @@ def load_model(
     If an exported model should be loaded and requires compiled extensions, their
     location should be passed using the ``extensions_directory`` parameter.
 
-    Loading checkpoints requires the ``architecture_name`` parameter, which can be
-    ommited for loading an exported model. After reading a checkpoint, the returned
+    After reading a checkpoint, the returned
     model can be exported with the model's own ``export()`` method.
 
     :param path: local or remote path to a model. For supported URL schemes see
         :py:class`urllib.request`
     :param extensions_directory: path to a directory containing all extensions required
         by an *exported* model
-    :param architecture_name: name of the architecture required for loading from a
-        *checkpoint*.
 
-    :raises ValueError: if both an ``extensions_directory`` and ``architecture_name``
-        are given
     :raises ValueError: if ``path`` is a YAML option file and no model
-    :raises ValueError: if no ``archietcture_name`` is given for loading a checkpoint
-    :raises ValueError: if the checkpoint saved in ``path`` does not math the given
-        ``architecture_name``
+    :raises ValueError: if no ``archietcture_name`` is found in the checkpoint
+    :raises ValueError: if the ``architecture_name`` is not found in the available
+        architectures
     """
-    if extensions_directory is not None and architecture_name is not None:
-        raise ValueError(
-            f"Both ``extensions_directory`` ('{str(extensions_directory)}') and "
-            f"``architecture_name`` ('{architecture_name}') are given which are "
-            "mutually exclusive. An ``extensions_directory`` is only required for "
-            "*exported* models while an ``architecture_name`` is only needed for model "
-            "*checkpoints*."
-        )
 
     if Path(path).suffix in [".yaml", ".yml"]:
         raise ValueError(
@@ -167,10 +155,15 @@ def load_model(
     if is_exported_file(path):
         return load_atomistic_model(path, extensions_directory=extensions_directory)
     else:  # model is a checkpoint
-        if architecture_name is None:
+        checkpoint = torch.load(path, weights_only=False, map_location="cpu")
+        if "architecture_name" not in checkpoint:
+            raise ValueError("No architecture name found in the checkpoint")
+        architecture_name = checkpoint["architecture_name"]
+        if architecture_name not in find_all_architectures():
             raise ValueError(
-                f"path '{path}' seems to be a checkpointed model but no "
-                "`architecture_name` was given"
+                f"Checkpoint architecture '{architecture_name}' not found "
+                "in the available architectures. Available architectures are: "
+                f"{find_all_architectures()}"
             )
         architecture = import_architecture(architecture_name)
 
@@ -178,6 +171,6 @@ def load_model(
             return architecture.__model__.load_checkpoint(path)
         except Exception as err:
             raise ValueError(
-                f"path '{path}' is not a valid model file for the {architecture_name} "
+                f"path '{path}' is not a valid checkpoint for the {architecture_name} "
                 "architecture"
             ) from err
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_cli.py b/tests/cli/test_cli.py
index 112497b7f..990e07421 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_cli.py
@@ -149,13 +149,11 @@ def test_run_information(capfd, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
 
     with pytest.raises(CalledProcessError):
-        subprocess.check_call(["mtt", "export", "experimental.soap_bpnn", "model.ckpt"])
+        subprocess.check_call(["mtt", "export", "model.ckpt"])
 
     stdout_log = capfd.readouterr().out
 
     assert f"Package directory: {PACKAGE_ROOT}" in stdout_log
     assert f"Working directory: {Path('.').absolute()}" in stdout_log
     assert f"Metatrain version: {__version__}" in stdout_log
-    assert (
-        "Executed command: mtt export experimental.soap_bpnn model.ckpt" in stdout_log
-    )
+    assert "Executed command: mtt export model.ckpt" in stdout_log
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_export_model.py b/tests/cli/test_export_model.py
index 8c005b5f2..9c57ed2f8 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_export_model.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_export_model.py
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ def test_export_cli(monkeypatch, tmp_path, output, dtype):
     command = [
         "mtt",
         "export",
-        "experimental.soap_bpnn",
         str(RESOURCES_PATH / f"model-{dtype_string}-bit.ckpt"),
     ]
 
@@ -81,12 +80,17 @@ def test_export_cli(monkeypatch, tmp_path, output, dtype):
     assert next(model.parameters()).device.type == "cpu"
 
 
-def test_export_cli_architecture_names_choices():
-    stderr = str(subprocess.run(["mtt", "export", "foo"], capture_output=True).stderr)
+def test_export_cli_unknown_architecture(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+    torch.save({"architecture_name": "foo"}, "fake.ckpt")
+
+    stdout = str(
+        subprocess.run(["mtt", "export", "fake.ckpt"], capture_output=True).stdout
+    )
 
-    assert "invalid choice: 'foo'" in stderr
+    assert "architecture 'foo' not found in the available architectures" in stdout
     for architecture_name in find_all_architectures():
-        assert architecture_name in stderr
+        assert architecture_name in stdout
 
 
 def test_reexport(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
@@ -129,7 +133,6 @@ def test_private_huggingface(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     command = [
         "mtt",
         "export",
-        "experimental.soap_bpnn",
         "https://huggingface.co/metatensor/metatrain-test/resolve/main/model.ckpt",
         f"--huggingface_api_token={HF_TOKEN}",
     ]
diff --git a/tests/utils/test_io.py b/tests/utils/test_io.py
index a864bf7e3..8294dad1c 100644
--- a/tests/utils/test_io.py
+++ b/tests/utils/test_io.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
+import torch
 from metatensor.torch.atomistic import MetatensorAtomisticModel
 
 from metatrain.experimental.soap_bpnn.model import SoapBpnn
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ def test_is_exported_file():
     ],
 )
 def test_load_model_checkpoint(path):
-    model = load_model(path, architecture_name="experimental.soap_bpnn")
+    model = load_model(path)
     assert type(model) is SoapBpnn
     if str(path).startswith("file:"):
         # test that the checkpoint is also copied to the current directory
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ def test_load_model_checkpoint(path):
     ],
 )
 def test_load_model_exported(path):
-    model = load_model(path, architecture_name="experimental.soap_bpnn")
+    model = load_model(path)
     assert type(model) is MetatensorAtomisticModel
 
 
@@ -69,30 +70,29 @@ def test_load_model_exported(path):
 def test_load_model_yaml(suffix):
     match = f"path 'foo{suffix}' seems to be a YAML option file and not a model"
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=match):
-        load_model(
-            f"foo{suffix}",
-            architecture_name="experimental.soap_bpnn",
-        )
+        load_model(f"foo{suffix}")
 
 
-def test_load_model_unknown_model():
-    architecture_name = "experimental.pet"
-    path = RESOURCES_PATH / "model-32-bit.ckpt"
+def test_load_model_unknown_model(monkeypatch, tmpdir):
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmpdir)
+    architecture_name = "experimental.soap_bpnn"
+    path = "fake.ckpt"
+    torch.save({"architecture_name": architecture_name}, path)
 
     match = (
-        f"path '{path}' is not a valid model file for the {architecture_name} "
+        f"path '{path}' is not a valid checkpoint for the {architecture_name} "
         "architecture"
     )
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=match):
         load_model(path, architecture_name=architecture_name)
 
 
-def test_extensions_directory_and_architecture_name():
-    match = (
-        r"Both ``extensions_directory`` \('.'\) and ``architecture_name`` \('foo'\) "
-        r"are given which are mutually exclusive. An ``extensions_directory`` is only "
-        r"required for \*exported\* models while an ``architecture_name`` is only "
-        r"needed for model \*checkpoints\*."
-    )
+def test_load_model_no_architecture_name(monkeypatch, tmpdir):
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmpdir)
+    architecture_name = "experimental.soap_bpnn"
+    path = "fake.ckpt"
+    torch.save({"not_architecture_name": architecture_name}, path)
+
+    match = "No architecture name found in the checkpoint"
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=match):
-        load_model("model.pt", extensions_directory=".", architecture_name="foo")
+        load_model(path, architecture_name=architecture_name)
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 9694d7fba..b8aa89680 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ deps =
 changedir = tests
 extras =  # architectures used in the package tests
     soap-bpnn
-    pet
 allowlist_externals = bash
 commands_pre = bash {toxinidir}/tests/resources/generate-outputs.sh
 commands =