diff --git a/dolomite_engine/checkpointing.py b/dolomite_engine/checkpointing.py
index 558d454..9462e08 100644
--- a/dolomite_engine/checkpointing.py
+++ b/dolomite_engine/checkpointing.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
     set_optimizer_state_dict,
 )
 from torch.distributed.checkpoint.state_dict_loader import _load_state_dict
+from torch.distributed.checkpoint.stateful import Stateful
 from torch.optim import Optimizer
 from torch.optim.lr_scheduler import LambdaLR
 
@@ -44,6 +45,34 @@
 _KILLSWITCH = "KILLSWITCH"
 
 
+class _ModelSaver(Stateful):
+    def __init__(self, model_container: ModelContainer) -> None:
+        self.model_container = model_container
+
+    def state_dict(self):
+        result = []
+        for model in self.model_container:
+            state_dict = get_model_state_dict(model)
+
+            if model.has_teacher_model():
+                state_dict = _filter_out_teacher_state_dict(state_dict)
+
+            result.append(state_dict)
+
+        return result
+
+    def load_state_dict(self, state_dict: dict) -> None:
+        for i, model in enumerate(self.model_container):
+            has_teacher_model = model.has_teacher_model()
+            if has_teacher_model:
+                log_rank_0(
+                    logging.WARN,
+                    "the model will use non-strict loading of state dict during distillation, this has potential of incorrect behavior",
+                )
+
+            set_model_state_dict(model, state_dict[i], options=StateDictOptions(strict=not has_teacher_model))
+
+
 def save_checkpoint(
     args: TrainingArgs,
     model_container: ModelContainer,
@@ -75,6 +104,8 @@ def save_checkpoint(
     save_path = _get_base_path(args.save_args.save_path, iteration)
     os.makedirs(save_path, exist_ok=True)
 
+    model_saver = _ModelSaver(model_container)
+
     if optimizer_container is None:
         optimizer_container = [None] * len(model_container)
 
@@ -88,15 +119,11 @@ def save_checkpoint(
         args.distributed_args.num_pipeline_stages
     )
 
+    dcp.save(model_saver, checkpoint_id=_get_model_path(save_path))
+
     for pipeline_stage, model, optimizer, lr_scheduler in zip(
         pipeline_stage_ids_on_current_rank, model_container, optimizer_container, lr_scheduler_container
     ):
-        model_state_dict = get_model_state_dict(model)
-        if model.has_teacher_model():
-            model_state_dict = _filter_out_teacher_state_dict(model_state_dict)
-
-        dcp.save(model_state_dict, checkpoint_id=_get_model_path(save_path, pipeline_stage=pipeline_stage))
-
         if save_optimizer:
             if optimizer is None:
                 log_rank_0(