diff --git a/pynestml/codegeneration/nest_desktop_code_generator.py b/pynestml/codegeneration/nest_desktop_code_generator.py
index 1eaca5f45..6983888c5 100644
--- a/pynestml/codegeneration/nest_desktop_code_generator.py
+++ b/pynestml/codegeneration/nest_desktop_code_generator.py
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@
 from typing import Sequence, Union, Optional, Mapping, Any, Dict
 
 from pynestml.codegeneration.code_generator import CodeGenerator
+from pynestml.codegeneration.code_generator_utils import CodeGeneratorUtils
 from pynestml.frontend.frontend_configuration import FrontendConfiguration
-from pynestml.meta_model.ast_neuron import ASTNeuron
-from pynestml.meta_model.ast_synapse import ASTSynapse
+from pynestml.meta_model.ast_model import ASTModel
 
 
 class NESTDesktopCodeGenerator(CodeGenerator):
@@ -32,8 +32,10 @@ class NESTDesktopCodeGenerator(CodeGenerator):
     Code generator for NEST Desktop
     """
     _default_options = {
+        "neuron_models": [],
+        "synapse_models": [],
         "templates": {
-            "path": "",
+            "path": "resources_nest_desktop",
             "model_templates": {
                 "neuron": ["@NEURON_NAME@.json.jinja2"],
             }
@@ -45,19 +47,17 @@ def __init__(self, options: Optional[Mapping[str, Any]] = None):
         super().__init__(self._target, options)
         self.setup_template_env()
 
-    def generate_code(self, models: Sequence[Union[ASTNeuron, ASTSynapse]]) -> None:
+    def generate_code(self, models: Sequence[ASTModel]) -> None:
         """
         Generate the .json files for the given neuron and synapse models
         :param models: list of neuron models
         """
-        if not os.path.isdir(FrontendConfiguration.get_target_path()):
-            os.makedirs(FrontendConfiguration.get_target_path())
-        neurons = [model for model in models if isinstance(model, ASTNeuron)]
-        synapses = [model for model in models if isinstance(model, ASTSynapse)]
+        neurons, synapses = CodeGeneratorUtils.get_model_types_from_names(models, neuron_models=self.get_option("neuron_models"),
+                                                                          synapse_models=self.get_option("synapse_models"))
         self.generate_neurons(neurons)
         self.generate_synapses(synapses)
 
-    def _get_neuron_model_namespace(self, neuron: ASTNeuron) -> Dict:
+    def _get_neuron_model_namespace(self, neuron: ASTModel) -> Dict:
         """
         Returns a standard namespace with often required functionality.
         :param neuron: a single neuron instance
diff --git a/tests/nest_desktop_code_generator_test.py b/tests/nest_desktop_code_generator_test.py
index f1c39e364..7c2e1a551 100644
--- a/tests/nest_desktop_code_generator_test.py
+++ b/tests/nest_desktop_code_generator_test.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def test_nest_desktop_code_generator(self):
         Test to generate the json file for NEST Desktop target for the given neuron model
         """
         input_path = os.path.join(os.path.realpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), os.path.join(
-            os.pardir, "models", "neurons", "iaf_psc_exp.nestml"))))
+            os.pardir, "models", "neurons", "iaf_psc_exp_neuron.nestml"))))
         target_path = "target_iaf"
         target_platform = "NEST_DESKTOP"
         generate_target(input_path=input_path,
@@ -47,17 +47,17 @@ def test_nest_desktop_code_generator(self):
                         logging_level="INFO")
 
         # Read the parameters from the generated json file and match them with the actual values
-        with open(os.path.join(target_path, "iaf_psc_exp.json")) as f:
+        with open(os.path.join(target_path, "iaf_psc_exp_neuron.json")) as f:
             data = f.read()
         json_data = json.loads(data)
         actual_params = {"C_m": "250.0",
                          "tau_m": "10.0",
                          "tau_syn_inh": "2.0",
                          "tau_syn_exc": "2.0",
-                         "t_ref": "2.0",
+                         "refr_T": "2.0",
                          "E_L": "-70.0",
-                         "V_reset": "0.0",
-                         "Theta": "15.0",
+                         "V_reset": "-70.0",
+                         "V_th": "-55.0",
                          "I_e": "0.0"}
         for param_data in json_data["params"]:
             _id = param_data["id"]