diff --git a/mergekit/common.py b/mergekit/common.py
index 86f5c296..908914d8 100644
--- a/mergekit/common.py
+++ b/mergekit/common.py
@@ -71,8 +71,10 @@ def merged(
 
         return ModelReference(path=out_path)
 
-    def config(self) -> PretrainedConfig:
-        return AutoConfig.from_pretrained(self.path)
+    def config(self, trust_remote_code: bool = False) -> PretrainedConfig:
+        return AutoConfig.from_pretrained(
+            self.path, trust_remote_code=trust_remote_code
+        )
 
     def tensor_index(self, cache_dir: Optional[str] = None) -> ShardedTensorIndex:
         assert self.lora_path is None
diff --git a/mergekit/merge.py b/mergekit/merge.py
index 6415d275..3aaddcb6 100644
--- a/mergekit/merge.py
+++ b/mergekit/merge.py
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ def run_merge(merge_config: MergeConfiguration, out_path: str, options: MergeOpt
 
     method = merge_methods.get(merge_config.merge_method)
     model_arch_info = [
-        get_architecture_info(m.config()) for m in merge_config.referenced_models()
+        get_architecture_info(m.config(trust_remote_code=options.trust_remote_code))
+        for m in merge_config.referenced_models()
     ]
     if not options.allow_crimes:
         if not all(a == model_arch_info[0] for a in model_arch_info[1:]):
@@ -102,7 +103,9 @@ def run_merge(merge_config: MergeConfiguration, out_path: str, options: MergeOpt
         clone_tensors=options.clone_tensors,
     )
 
-    cfg_out = method.model_out_config(merge_config)
+    cfg_out = method.model_out_config(
+        merge_config, trust_remote_code=options.trust_remote_code
+    )
     if tokenizer:
         try:
             cfg_out.vocab_size = len(tokenizer.get_vocab())
diff --git a/mergekit/merge_methods/base.py b/mergekit/merge_methods/base.py
index aabbacae..549ca3d1 100644
--- a/mergekit/merge_methods/base.py
+++ b/mergekit/merge_methods/base.py
@@ -45,12 +45,18 @@ def input_layer_dependencies(
         """List any tensors necessary when input includes a specific layer"""
         return []
 
-    def model_out_config(self, config: MergeConfiguration) -> PretrainedConfig:
+    def model_out_config(
+        self, config: MergeConfiguration, trust_remote_code: bool = False
+    ) -> PretrainedConfig:
         """Return a configuration for the resulting model."""
         if config.base_model:
-            res = ModelReference.parse(config.base_model).config()
+            res = ModelReference.parse(config.base_model).config(
+                trust_remote_code=trust_remote_code
+            )
         else:
-            res = config.referenced_models()[0].config()
+            res = config.referenced_models()[0].config(
+                trust_remote_code=trust_remote_code
+            )
 
         if config.dtype:
             res.torch_dtype = config.dtype
diff --git a/mergekit/plan.py b/mergekit/plan.py
index a05a0a55..c337b58a 100644
--- a/mergekit/plan.py
+++ b/mergekit/plan.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ def plan(
     merge_config: MergeConfiguration,
     arch_info: ArchitectureInfo,
     embed_permutations: Optional[Dict[ModelReference, torch.Tensor]] = None,
+    trust_remote_code: bool = False,
 ) -> Tuple[List[TensorReference], Dict[TensorReference, Operation]]:
     layer_idx = 0
 
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ def plan(
             if base_model and mref == base_model:
                 base_included = True
 
-            model_cfg = mref.config()
+            model_cfg = mref.config(trust_remote_code=trust_remote_code)
             num_layers = arch_info.num_layers(model_cfg)
             slices_in.append(
                 InputSliceDefinition(
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ def plan(
 
         if base_model and not base_included:
             logging.info("Base model specified but not in input models - adding")
-            base_cfg = base_model.config()
+            base_cfg = base_model.config(trust_remote_code=trust_remote_code)
             num_layers = arch_info.num_layers(base_cfg)
             slices_in.append(
                 InputSliceDefinition(