diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 20c8d6a..979c8c2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -199,17 +199,63 @@ end
 Using a class:
 
 ```ruby
-GlobalID::Locator.use :bar, BarLocator.new
 class BarLocator
   def locate(gid, options = {})
     @search_client.search name: gid.model_name, id: gid.model_id
   end
 end
+
+GlobalID::Locator.use :bar, BarLocator.new
+```
+
+It's recommended to inherit from `GlobalID::Locator::BaseLocator` (or `GlobalID::Locator::UnscopedLocator` for Active Record models) to get default implementations of `model_class` and `locate_many`:
+
+```ruby
+class BarLocator < GlobalID::Locator::BaseLocator
+  def locate(gid, options = {})
+    @search_client.search name: gid.model_name, id: gid.model_id
+  end
+end
+
+GlobalID::Locator.use :bar, BarLocator.new
 ```
 
 After defining locators as above, URIs like `gid://foo/Person/1` and `gid://bar/Person/1` will now use the foo block locator and `BarLocator` respectively.
 Other apps will still keep using the default locator.
 
+#### Custom Model Class Derivation
+
+By default, GlobalID derives the model class by calling `constantize` on the model name from the GID. Custom locators can override this behavior by implementing a `model_class` method. This is useful when the model name in the GID doesn't match the actual class name, or when you want to redirect to a different model.
+
+Inherit from `BaseLocator` and override `model_class`:
+
+```ruby
+class RemoteLocator < GlobalID::Locator::BaseLocator
+  def model_class(gid)
+    # Map remote model names to local models
+    case gid.model_name
+    when 'User'
+      RemoteUser
+    when 'Profile'
+      RemoteProfile
+    else
+      super # Fall back to default constantize behavior
+    end
+  end
+
+  def locate(gid, options = {})
+    # Use the mapped model class to find the record
+    model_class(gid).find_by(remote_id: gid.model_id)
+  end
+end
+
+GlobalID::Locator.use :remote, RemoteLocator.new
+```
+
+This allows you to work with Global IDs that reference models that don't exist in your application, redirecting them to the appropriate local models.
+
+**Note**: For backward compatibility, if a custom locator doesn't implement `model_class`, GlobalID will fall back to the default behavior (`constantize`) but will emit a deprecation warning. To avoid this, inherit from `GlobalID::Locator::BaseLocator` or `GlobalID::Locator::UnscopedLocator`.
+
 ### Custom Default Locator
 
 A custom default locator can be set for an app by calling `GlobalID::Locator.default_locator=` and providing a default locator to use for that app.
@@ -221,7 +267,7 @@ class MyCustomLocator < UnscopedLocator
       super(gid, options)
     end
   end
-  
+
   def locate_many(gids, options = {})
     ActiveRecord::Base.connected_to(role: :reading) do
       super(gids, options)
diff --git a/lib/global_id/global_id.rb b/lib/global_id/global_id.rb
index 9bf961f..9791273 100644
--- a/lib/global_id/global_id.rb
+++ b/lib/global_id/global_id.rb
@@ -55,7 +55,17 @@ def find(options = {})
 
   def model_class
     @model_class ||= begin
-      model = model_name.constantize
+      locator = Locator.locator_for(self)
+      model = if locator.respond_to?(:model_class)
+                locator.model_class(self)
+              else
+                GlobalID.deprecator.warn <<~MSG.squish
+                  Your locator #{locator.class.name} does not implement the
+                  `model_class` method. Please add a `model_class(gid)` method
+                  to your locator or inherit from `GlobalID::Locator::BaseLocator`.
+                MSG
+                model_name.constantize
+              end
 
       if model <= GlobalID
         raise ArgumentError, "GlobalID and SignedGlobalID cannot be used as model_class."
diff --git a/lib/global_id/locator.rb b/lib/global_id/locator.rb
index c9edc5e..b2456ac 100644
--- a/lib/global_id/locator.rb
+++ b/lib/global_id/locator.rb
@@ -135,11 +135,11 @@ def use(app, locator = nil, &locator_block)
         @locators[normalize_app(app)] = locator || BlockLocator.new(locator_block)
       end
 
-      private
-        def locator_for(gid)
-          @locators.fetch(normalize_app(gid.app)) { default_locator }
-        end
+      def locator_for(gid)
+        @locators.fetch(normalize_app(gid.app)) { default_locator }
+      end
 
+      private
         def find_allowed?(model_class, only = nil)
           only ? Array(only).any? { |c| model_class <= c } : true
         end
@@ -157,6 +157,10 @@ def normalize_app(app)
       @locators = {}
 
       class BaseLocator
+        def model_class(gid)
+          gid.model_name.constantize
+        end
+
         def locate(gid, options = {})
           return unless model_id_is_valid?(gid)
           model_class = gid.model_class
@@ -234,6 +238,10 @@ def initialize(block)
           @locator = block
         end
 
+        def model_class(gid)
+          gid.model_name.constantize
+        end
+
         def locate(gid, options = {})
           @locator.call(gid, options)
         end
diff --git a/test/cases/global_locator_test.rb b/test/cases/global_locator_test.rb
index 6775d2d..1dbf5db 100644
--- a/test/cases/global_locator_test.rb
+++ b/test/cases/global_locator_test.rb
@@ -281,6 +281,7 @@ class GlobalLocatorTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
   test 'use locator with class' do
     class BarLocator
+      def model_class(gid); gid.model_name.constantize; end
       def locate(gid, options = {}); :bar; end
       def locate_many(gids, options = {}); gids.map(&:model_id); end
     end
@@ -295,6 +296,7 @@ def locate_many(gids, options = {}); gids.map(&:model_id); end
 
   test 'use locator with class and single argument' do
     class DeprecatedBarLocator
+      def model_class(gid); gid.model_name.constantize; end
       def locate(gid); :deprecated; end
       def locate_many(gids, options = {}); gids.map(&:model_id); end
     end
@@ -325,6 +327,39 @@ def locate_many(gids, options = {}); gids.map(&:model_id); end
     end
   end
 
+  test 'locator with custom model_class derivation' do
+    class CustomModelLocator < GlobalID::Locator::BaseLocator
+      def model_class(_gid); Person; end
+    end
+
+    GlobalID::Locator.use :custom, CustomModelLocator.new
+
+    with_app 'custom' do
+      gid = GlobalID.new('gid://custom/Folk/5')
+
+      found = GlobalID::Locator.locate(gid)
+      assert_kind_of Person, found
+      assert_equal '5', found.id
+    end
+  end
+
+  test 'locator without model_class method shows deprecation warning' do
+    class LegacyLocator
+      # Intentionally doesn't implement model_class
+      def locate(gid, options = {}); Person.find(gid.model_id); end
+    end
+
+    GlobalID::Locator.use :legacy, LegacyLocator.new
+
+    with_app 'legacy' do
+      gid = Person.new('5').to_gid
+
+      assert_deprecated(nil, GlobalID.deprecator) do
+        assert_equal Person, gid.model_class
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   test "by valid purpose returns right model" do
     instance = Person.new
     login_sgid = instance.to_signed_global_id(for: 'login')
@@ -387,7 +422,7 @@ def locate_many(gids, options = {}); gids.map(&:model_id); end
   end
 
   test "can set default_locator" do
-    class MyLocator
+    class MyLocator < GlobalID::Locator::BaseLocator
       def locate(gid, options = {}); :my_locator; end
     end