diff --git a/docs/release_notes/index.md b/docs/release_notes/index.md
index 9158423ee5..aee31140bb 100644
--- a/docs/release_notes/index.md
+++ b/docs/release_notes/index.md
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ is available in the [commit logs](https://github.com/scverse/scvi-tools/commits/
 
 #### Fixed
 
+-   Correctly apply non-default user parameters in {class}`scvi.external.POISSONVI` {pr}`2522`.
+
 ### 1.1.0 (2024-02-13)
 
 #### Added
diff --git a/scvi/external/poissonvi/_model.py b/scvi/external/poissonvi/_model.py
index eef36a6a85..0acf9276fd 100644
--- a/scvi/external/poissonvi/_model.py
+++ b/scvi/external/poissonvi/_model.py
@@ -79,14 +79,13 @@ def __init__(
         adata: AnnData,
         n_hidden: int | None = None,
         n_latent: int | None = None,
-        n_layers: int | None = None,
-        dropout_rate: float | None = None,
+        n_layers: int = 2,
+        dropout_rate: float = 0.1,
         latent_distribution: Literal["normal", "ln"] = "normal",
         **model_kwargs,
     ):
-        super().__init__(
-            adata,
-        )
+        # need to pass these in to get the correct defaults for peakvi
+        super().__init__(adata, n_hidden=n_hidden, n_latent=n_latent)
 
         n_batch = self.summary_stats.n_batch
         use_size_factor_key = REGISTRY_KEYS.SIZE_FACTOR_KEY in self.adata_manager.data_registry
@@ -104,11 +103,11 @@ def __init__(
             n_cats_per_cov=self.module.n_cats_per_cov,
             n_hidden=self.module.n_hidden,
             n_latent=self.module.n_latent,
-            n_layers=self.module.n_layers_encoder,
-            dropout_rate=self.module.dropout_rate,
+            n_layers=n_layers,
+            dropout_rate=dropout_rate,
             dispersion="gene",  # not needed here
             gene_likelihood="poisson",  # fixed value for now, but we could think of also allowing nb
-            latent_distribution=self.module.latent_distribution,
+            latent_distribution=latent_distribution,
             use_size_factor_key=use_size_factor_key,
             library_log_means=library_log_means,
             library_log_vars=library_log_vars,
diff --git a/tests/external/test_poissonvi.py b/tests/external/test_poissonvi.py
index d75c7493e6..53de237668 100644
--- a/tests/external/test_poissonvi.py
+++ b/tests/external/test_poissonvi.py
@@ -1,13 +1,69 @@
+from torch.nn import Linear
+
 from scvi.data import synthetic_iid
 from scvi.external import POISSONVI
 
 
 def test_poissonvi():
     adata = synthetic_iid(batch_size=100)
-    POISSONVI.setup_anndata(
-        adata,
-    )
+    POISSONVI.setup_anndata(adata)
     model = POISSONVI(adata)
     model.train(max_epochs=1)
     model.get_latent_representation()
     model.get_accessibility_estimates()
+
+
+def test_poissonvi_default_params():
+    from scvi.model import PEAKVI
+
+    adata = synthetic_iid(batch_size=100)
+    POISSONVI.setup_anndata(adata)
+    PEAKVI.setup_anndata(adata)
+    poissonvi = POISSONVI(adata)
+    peakvi = PEAKVI(adata)
+
+    assert poissonvi.module.n_latent == peakvi.module.n_latent
+    assert poissonvi.module.latent_distribution == peakvi.module.latent_distribution
+    poisson_encoder = poissonvi.module.z_encoder.encoder
+    poisson_mean_encoder = poissonvi.module.z_encoder.mean_encoder
+    poisson_decoder = poissonvi.module.decoder.px_decoder
+    assert len(poisson_encoder.fc_layers) == peakvi.module.n_layers_encoder
+    assert len(poisson_decoder.fc_layers) == peakvi.module.n_layers_encoder
+    assert poisson_encoder.fc_layers[-1][0].in_features == peakvi.module.n_hidden
+    assert poisson_decoder.fc_layers[-1][0].in_features == peakvi.module.n_hidden
+    assert poisson_mean_encoder.out_features == peakvi.module.n_latent
+    assert poisson_decoder.fc_layers[0][0].in_features == peakvi.module.n_latent
+
+
+def test_poissonvi_non_default_params(
+    n_hidden: int = 50,
+    n_latent: int = 5,
+    n_layers: int = 2,
+    dropout_rate: float = 0.4,
+    latent_distribution="ln",
+):
+    adata = synthetic_iid(batch_size=100)
+    POISSONVI.setup_anndata(adata)
+    model = POISSONVI(
+        adata,
+        n_hidden=n_hidden,
+        n_latent=n_latent,
+        n_layers=n_layers,
+        dropout_rate=dropout_rate,
+        latent_distribution=latent_distribution,
+    )
+
+    assert model.module.n_latent == n_latent
+    assert model.module.latent_distribution == latent_distribution
+
+    encoder = model.module.z_encoder.encoder
+    assert len(encoder.fc_layers) == n_layers
+    linear = encoder.fc_layers[-1][0]
+    assert isinstance(linear, Linear)
+    assert linear.in_features == n_hidden
+    mean_encoder = model.module.z_encoder.mean_encoder
+    assert isinstance(mean_encoder, Linear)
+    assert mean_encoder.out_features == n_latent
+
+    model.train(max_epochs=1)
+    assert model.get_latent_representation().shape[1] == n_latent