diff --git a/maven-api-impl/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/internal/impl/model/BuildModelTransformer.java b/maven-api-impl/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/internal/impl/model/BuildModelTransformer.java
index cc48498afe..c1ff4d8efa 100644
--- a/maven-api-impl/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/internal/impl/model/BuildModelTransformer.java
+++ b/maven-api-impl/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/internal/impl/model/BuildModelTransformer.java
@@ -44,28 +44,15 @@
 @Singleton
 public class BuildModelTransformer implements ModelTransformer {
 
-    public static final String NAMESPACE_PREFIX = "http://maven.apache.org/POM/";
-
     @Override
     public Model transform(ModelTransformerContext context, Model model, Path path) {
         Model.Builder builder = Model.newBuilder(model);
-        handleModelVersion(context, model, path, builder);
         handleParent(context, model, path, builder);
         handleReactorDependencies(context, model, path, builder);
         handleCiFriendlyVersion(context, model, path, builder);
         return builder.build();
     }
 
-    //
-    // Infer modelVersion from namespace URI
-    //
-    void handleModelVersion(ModelTransformerContext context, Model model, Path pomFile, Model.Builder builder) {
-        String namespace = model.getNamespaceUri();
-        if (model.getModelVersion() == null && namespace != null && namespace.startsWith(NAMESPACE_PREFIX)) {
-            builder.modelVersion(namespace.substring(NAMESPACE_PREFIX.length()));
-        }
-    }
-
     //
     // Infer parent information
     //
diff --git a/maven-api-impl/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/internal/impl/model/DefaultModelBuilder.java b/maven-api-impl/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/internal/impl/model/DefaultModelBuilder.java
index b66f04d6d9..0ea2430097 100644
--- a/maven-api-impl/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/internal/impl/model/DefaultModelBuilder.java
+++ b/maven-api-impl/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/internal/impl/model/DefaultModelBuilder.java
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@
 @Singleton
 public class DefaultModelBuilder implements ModelBuilder {
 
+    public static final String NAMESPACE_PREFIX = "http://maven.apache.org/POM/";
     private static final String RAW = "raw";
     private static final String FILE = "file";
     private static final String IMPORT = "import";
@@ -749,6 +750,11 @@ private ModelData doReadRawModel(
             }
         }
 
+        String namespace = rawModel.getNamespaceUri();
+        if (rawModel.getModelVersion() == null && namespace != null && namespace.startsWith(NAMESPACE_PREFIX)) {
+            rawModel = rawModel.withModelVersion(namespace.substring(NAMESPACE_PREFIX.length()));
+        }
+
         modelValidator.validateRawModel(rawModel, request, problems);
 
         if (hasFatalErrors(problems)) {