diff --git a/google/cloud/aiplatform/models.py b/google/cloud/aiplatform/models.py
index b12c045548..0df059125c 100644
--- a/google/cloud/aiplatform/models.py
+++ b/google/cloud/aiplatform/models.py
@@ -5240,8 +5240,8 @@ def __init__(
         # Create ModelRegistry with the unversioned resource name
         self._registry = ModelRegistry(
             self.resource_name,
-            location=location,
-            project=project,
+            location=location or self.location,
+            project=project or self.project,
             credentials=credentials,
         )
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/aiplatform/test_models.py b/tests/unit/aiplatform/test_models.py
index 1eb57c7804..bd008e0ed8 100644
--- a/tests/unit/aiplatform/test_models.py
+++ b/tests/unit/aiplatform/test_models.py
@@ -4701,6 +4701,33 @@ def test_init_with_version_arg(self, get_model_with_version):
         # The Model yielded from upload SHOULD have a version in the versioned resource name
         assert model.versioned_resource_name.endswith(f"@{_TEST_VERSION_ID}")
 
+    def test_versioning_registry_uses_location_from_resource_name(
+        self, create_client_mock
+    ):
+        # Regression test for https://github.com/googleapis/python-aiplatform/issues/2608:
+        # When a Model is initialized with a fully-qualified resource name that encodes a
+        # non-default location, the versioning registry client must use that location, not
+        # the global default from aiplatform.init().
+        models.Model(_TEST_MODEL_RESOURCE_NAME_CUSTOM_LOCATION)
+        create_client_mock.assert_any_call(
+            client_class=utils.ModelClientWithOverride,
+            credentials=initializer.global_config.credentials,
+            location_override=_TEST_LOCATION_2,
+            appended_user_agent=None,
+        )
+
+    def test_versioning_registry_uses_project_from_resource_name(
+        self, get_model_with_custom_project_mock
+    ):
+        # Regression test for https://github.com/googleapis/python-aiplatform/issues/2608:
+        # When a Model is initialized with a fully-qualified resource name that encodes a
+        # non-default project, the versioning registry must use that project, not the
+        # global default from aiplatform.init().
+        model = models.Model(_TEST_MODEL_RESOURCE_NAME_CUSTOM_PROJECT)
+        assert model._registry.model_resource_name.startswith(
+            f"projects/{_TEST_PROJECT_2}/"
+        )
+
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
         "parent,location,project",
         [