diff --git a/nemo/core/connectors/save_restore_connector.py b/nemo/core/connectors/save_restore_connector.py
index 856ade3a3eda..4b610fefe4d9 100644
--- a/nemo/core/connectors/save_restore_connector.py
+++ b/nemo/core/connectors/save_restore_connector.py
@@ -359,6 +359,8 @@ def register_artifact(self, model, config_path: str, src: str, verify_src_exists
         """
         app_state = AppState()
 
+        artifact_item = model_utils.ArtifactItem()
+
         # This is for backward compatibility, if the src objects exists simply inside of the tarfile
         # without its key having been overriden, this pathway will be used.
         src_obj_name = os.path.basename(src)
@@ -370,18 +372,18 @@ def register_artifact(self, model, config_path: str, src: str, verify_src_exists
         # src is a local existing path - register artifact and return exact same path for usage by the model
         if os.path.exists(os.path.abspath(src)):
             return_path = os.path.abspath(src)
-            path_type = model_utils.ArtifactPathType.LOCAL_PATH
+            artifact_item.path_type = model_utils.ArtifactPathType.LOCAL_PATH
 
         # this is the case when artifact must be retried from the nemo file
         # we are assuming that the location of the right nemo file is available from _MODEL_RESTORE_PATH
         elif src.startswith("nemo:"):
             return_path = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(app_state.nemo_file_folder, src[5:]))
-            path_type = model_utils.ArtifactPathType.TAR_PATH
+            artifact_item.path_type = model_utils.ArtifactPathType.TAR_PATH
 
         # backward compatibility implementation
         elif os.path.exists(src_obj_path):
             return_path = src_obj_path
-            path_type = model_utils.ArtifactPathType.TAR_PATH
+            artifact_item.path_type = model_utils.ArtifactPathType.TAR_PATH
         else:
             if verify_src_exists:
                 raise FileNotFoundError(
@@ -396,7 +398,7 @@ def register_artifact(self, model, config_path: str, src: str, verify_src_exists
 
         assert os.path.exists(return_path)
 
-        artifact_item = model_utils.ArtifactItem(path=os.path.abspath(src), path_type=path_type,)
+        artifact_item.path = os.path.abspath(src)
         model.artifacts[config_path] = artifact_item
         # we were called by ModelPT
         if hasattr(model, "cfg"):
@@ -487,9 +489,9 @@ def _handle_artifacts(self, model, nemo_file_folder):
                         shutil.copy2(artifact_base_name, os.path.join(nemo_file_folder, artifact_uniq_name))
 
                         # Update artifacts registry
-                        new_artiitem = model_utils.ArtifactItem(
-                            path="nemo:" + artifact_uniq_name, path_type=model_utils.ArtifactPathType.TAR_PATH,
-                        )
+                        new_artiitem = model_utils.ArtifactItem()
+                        new_artiitem.path = "nemo:" + artifact_uniq_name
+                        new_artiitem.path_type = model_utils.ArtifactPathType.TAR_PATH
                         model.artifacts[conf_path] = new_artiitem
                 finally:
                     # change back working directory
diff --git a/nemo/utils/model_utils.py b/nemo/utils/model_utils.py
index 122db3c400db..b2a6abbf54aa 100644
--- a/nemo/utils/model_utils.py
+++ b/nemo/utils/model_utils.py
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ class ArtifactPathType(Enum):
 
 @dataclass
 class ArtifactItem:
-    path: str
-    path_type: ArtifactPathType
+    path: str = ""
+    path_type: ArtifactPathType = ArtifactPathType.LOCAL_PATH
     hashed_path: Optional[str] = None