diff --git a/autoemulate/compare.py b/autoemulate/compare.py
index 7214cc60..b661c24e 100644
--- a/autoemulate/compare.py
+++ b/autoemulate/compare.py
@@ -116,7 +116,9 @@ def setup(
         self.train_idxs, self.test_idxs = _split_data(
             self.X, test_size=test_set_size, random_state=42
         )
-        self.model_names = self.model_registry.get_model_names(model_subset)
+        self.model_names = self.model_registry.get_model_names(
+            model_subset, is_core=True
+        )
         self.models = _process_models(
             model_registry=self.model_registry,
             model_subset=list(self.model_names.keys()),
diff --git a/autoemulate/model_registry.py b/autoemulate/model_registry.py
index 36e9d97e..c50d14c1 100644
--- a/autoemulate/model_registry.py
+++ b/autoemulate/model_registry.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def register_model(self, model_name, model_class, is_core=False):
         if is_core:
             self.core_model_names.append(model_name)
 
-    def get_model_names(self, model_subset=None):
+    def get_model_names(self, model_subset=None, is_core=False):
         """Get a dictionary of (all) model names and their short names
 
         Parameters
@@ -60,6 +60,12 @@ def get_model_names(self, model_subset=None):
                 for k, v in model_names.items()
                 if k in model_subset or v in model_subset
             }
+
+        if is_core:
+            model_names = {
+                k: v for k, v in model_names.items() if k in self.core_model_names
+            }
+
         return model_names
 
     def get_core_models(self):
diff --git a/tests/test_model_registry.py b/tests/test_model_registry.py
index 6796a464..e2336a77 100644
--- a/tests/test_model_registry.py
+++ b/tests/test_model_registry.py
@@ -90,6 +90,13 @@ def test_get_model_names_invalid_str(model_registry):
         model_registry.get_model_names(model_subset="invalid")
 
 
+def test_get_model_names_is_core(model_registry):
+    model_names = model_registry.get_model_names(is_core=True)
+    assert isinstance(model_names, dict)
+    assert len(model_names) == 2
+    assert model_names["RadialBasisFunctions"] == "rbf"
+
+
 # check get_models -------------------------------------------
 def test_get_models(model_registry):
     models = model_registry.get_models()