diff --git a/train.py b/train.py
index 6994fb9b..e6252011 100644
--- a/train.py
+++ b/train.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import gc
 import time
 from dataclasses import dataclass, asdict
+from pathlib import Path
 
 import torch
 import torch.nn as nn
@@ -289,6 +290,46 @@ def forward(self, idx, targets=None, reduction='mean'):
             return loss
         return logits
 
+
+def maybe_load_checkpoint(model, checkpoint_path):
+    if not checkpoint_path:
+        return 0, 0
+
+    checkpoint = torch.load(checkpoint_path, map_location="cpu")
+    state_dict = checkpoint["model_state"] if isinstance(checkpoint, dict) and "model_state" in checkpoint else checkpoint
+    current_state = model.state_dict()
+
+    matched = {}
+    skipped = 0
+    for key, tensor in state_dict.items():
+        if key in current_state and current_state[key].shape == tensor.shape:
+            matched[key] = tensor
+        else:
+            skipped += 1
+
+    current_state.update(matched)
+    model.load_state_dict(current_state, strict=False)
+    print(f"Loaded checkpoint tensors: {len(matched)} matched, {skipped} skipped from {checkpoint_path}")
+    return len(matched), skipped
+
+
+def maybe_save_checkpoint(model, checkpoint_path, *, config, val_bpb, step, total_tokens, training_seconds):
+    if not checkpoint_path:
+        return
+
+    destination = Path(checkpoint_path)
+    destination.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    payload = {
+        "model_state": {key: value.detach().cpu() for key, value in model.state_dict().items()},
+        "config": asdict(config),
+        "val_bpb": float(val_bpb),
+        "step": int(step),
+        "total_tokens": int(total_tokens),
+        "training_seconds": float(training_seconds),
+    }
+    torch.save(payload, destination)
+    print(f"checkpoint_path:     {destination}")
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Optimizer (MuonAdamW, single GPU only)
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -479,23 +520,24 @@ def build_model_config(depth):
 print(f"Model config: {asdict(config)}")
 
 with torch.device("meta"):
-    model = GPT(config)
-model.to_empty(device=device)
-model.init_weights()
+    model_core = GPT(config)
+model_core.to_empty(device=device)
+model_core.init_weights()
+maybe_load_checkpoint(model_core, os.environ.get("AUTORESEARCH_LOAD_CHECKPOINT"))
 
-param_counts = model.num_scaling_params()
+param_counts = model_core.num_scaling_params()
 print("Parameter counts:")
 for key, value in param_counts.items():
     print(f"  {key:24s}: {value:,}")
 num_params = param_counts['total']
-num_flops_per_token = model.estimate_flops()
+num_flops_per_token = model_core.estimate_flops()
 print(f"Estimated FLOPs per token: {num_flops_per_token:e}")
 
 tokens_per_fwdbwd = DEVICE_BATCH_SIZE * MAX_SEQ_LEN
 assert TOTAL_BATCH_SIZE % tokens_per_fwdbwd == 0
 grad_accum_steps = TOTAL_BATCH_SIZE // tokens_per_fwdbwd
 
-optimizer = model.setup_optimizer(
+optimizer = model_core.setup_optimizer(
     unembedding_lr=UNEMBEDDING_LR,
     embedding_lr=EMBEDDING_LR,
     scalar_lr=SCALAR_LR,
@@ -504,7 +546,7 @@ def build_model_config(depth):
     weight_decay=WEIGHT_DECAY,
 )
 
-model = torch.compile(model, dynamic=False)
+model = torch.compile(model_core, dynamic=False)
 
 train_loader = make_dataloader(tokenizer, DEVICE_BATCH_SIZE, MAX_SEQ_LEN, "train")
 x, y, epoch = next(train_loader)  # prefetch first batch
@@ -610,6 +652,15 @@ def get_weight_decay(progress):
 model.eval()
 with autocast_ctx:
     val_bpb = evaluate_bpb(model, tokenizer, DEVICE_BATCH_SIZE)
+maybe_save_checkpoint(
+    model_core,
+    os.environ.get("AUTORESEARCH_SAVE_CHECKPOINT"),
+    config=config,
+    val_bpb=val_bpb,
+    step=step,
+    total_tokens=total_tokens,
+    training_seconds=total_training_time,
+)
 
 # Final summary
 t_end = time.time()