diff --git a/claas/core/types.py b/claas/core/types.py
index 419265f..6a81f8f 100644
--- a/claas/core/types.py
+++ b/claas/core/types.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class TrainingConfig(BaseModel):
     """Training configuration for distillation."""
 
     learning_rate: float = Field(
-        default=5e-5,
+        default=3e-5,
         description="Learning rate for LoRA parameter updates",
     )
     alpha: float = Field(
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class TrainingConfig(BaseModel):
         description="Maximum gradient norm for clipping",
     )
     kl_reg_weight: float = Field(
-        default=0.001,
+        default=0.0,
         ge=0.0,
         le=1.0,
         description="Weight for KL regularization to base policy",
@@ -71,9 +71,7 @@ class SDPOLossInput(BaseModel):
     response_mask: Any  # torch.Tensor (B, T)
     old_student_logprobs: Any  # torch.Tensor (B, T)
     response_ids: Any  # torch.Tensor (B, T)
-    alpha: float = 0.5
-    is_clip: float = 5.0
-    kl_reg_weight: float = 0.001
+    training: TrainingConfig = Field(default_factory=TrainingConfig)
 
 
 class SDPOLossResult(TypedDict):
diff --git a/claas/eval/configs/base.yaml b/claas/eval/configs/base.yaml
index a378ef0..92323c1 100644
--- a/claas/eval/configs/base.yaml
+++ b/claas/eval/configs/base.yaml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ plots: true
 
 num_steps: 20
 batch_size: 4
-steps_per_batch: 1
+steps_per_batch: 4
 feedback_repetitions: 1
 seed: 42
 lora_id_prefix: eval
diff --git a/claas/eval/metrics/verifiers.py b/claas/eval/metrics/verifiers.py
index f1ab6d9..9a579ed 100644
--- a/claas/eval/metrics/verifiers.py
+++ b/claas/eval/metrics/verifiers.py
@@ -76,7 +76,14 @@ def __call__(self, response: str) -> VerifierResult:
 
 
 class ConciseVerifier:
+    """Pass when response is concise (<=3 sentences) but still substantive (>=10 words)."""
+
+    MIN_WORDS = 10
+
     def __call__(self, response: str) -> VerifierResult:
+        word_count = len(response.split())
+        if word_count < self.MIN_WORDS:
+            return VerifierResult(score=0.0, passed=False)
         n = _count_sentences(response)
         if n <= 3:
             score = 1.0
diff --git a/claas/eval/types.py b/claas/eval/types.py
index a175a6f..84d1733 100644
--- a/claas/eval/types.py
+++ b/claas/eval/types.py
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ class EvalConfig:
     openclaw_url: Optional[str] = None
     base_model: str = "Qwen/Qwen3-8B"
     batch_size: int = 4
-    steps_per_batch: int = 1
+    steps_per_batch: int = 4
     feedback_repetitions: int = 1
 
 
diff --git a/claas/training/distillation.py b/claas/training/distillation.py
index a46ee89..5487303 100644
--- a/claas/training/distillation.py
+++ b/claas/training/distillation.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import logging
 import os
 import tempfile
+from contextlib import nullcontext as _nullcontext
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, cast
 
 import torch
@@ -169,6 +170,7 @@ def _build_self_teacher_topk(
         top_k: int,
         *,
         system_prompt: str,
+        peft_model: "PeftModel | PeftMixedModel | None" = None,
     ) -> tuple["torch.Tensor", "torch.Tensor", str]:
         """Build top-k teacher logits from the frozen base model.
 
@@ -202,7 +204,8 @@ def _build_self_teacher_topk(
         teacher_resp_start = teacher_prompt_ids.shape[-1]
         response_token_count = response_ids.shape[-1]
 
-        with torch.no_grad():
+        ctx = peft_model.disable_adapter() if peft_model is not None else _nullcontext()
+        with torch.no_grad(), ctx:
             teacher_output = self.base_model(input_ids=teacher_full_ids)
             teacher_logits = teacher_output.logits[:, teacher_resp_start - 1 : -1, :]
             log_probs = self.functional.log_softmax(teacher_logits, dim=-1)
@@ -282,7 +285,7 @@ def distill(self, payload: DistillBatchRequestPayload) -> DistillResponse:
                 response_mask = torch.zeros(1, full_ids.shape[-1], device=self.device)
                 response_mask[:, response_start:] = 1.0
 
-                with torch.no_grad():
+                with torch.no_grad(), model.disable_adapter():
                     base_output = self.base_model(input_ids=full_ids)
                     base_logits = base_output.logits[:, response_start - 1 : -1, :]
                     base_logprobs = self.functional.log_softmax(base_logits, dim=-1).gather(
@@ -312,6 +315,7 @@ def distill(self, payload: DistillBatchRequestPayload) -> DistillResponse:
                     response_ids,
                     config.teacher_top_k,
                     system_prompt=sample.system_prompt,
+                    peft_model=model,
                 )
 
                 if teacher_logprobs.shape[0] != response_token_count:
@@ -325,9 +329,7 @@ def distill(self, payload: DistillBatchRequestPayload) -> DistillResponse:
                     response_mask=response_mask[:, response_start:],
                     old_student_logprobs=old_student_logprobs,
                     response_ids=response_ids[:, :response_token_count],
-                    alpha=config.alpha,
-                    is_clip=config.is_clip,
-                    kl_reg_weight=config.kl_reg_weight,
+                    training=config,
                 )
                 loss_dict = compute_sdpo_loss(loss_input)
                 batch_loss_tensors.append(loss_dict["loss"])
diff --git a/claas/training/sdpo_loss.py b/claas/training/sdpo_loss.py
index 2ead21a..a8c00f8 100644
--- a/claas/training/sdpo_loss.py
+++ b/claas/training/sdpo_loss.py
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ def compute_sdpo_loss(loss_input: SDPOLossInput) -> SDPOLossResult:
     response_mask = loss_input.response_mask
     old_student_logprobs = loss_input.old_student_logprobs
     response_ids = loss_input.response_ids
-    alpha = loss_input.alpha
-    is_clip = loss_input.is_clip
-    kl_reg_weight = loss_input.kl_reg_weight
+    alpha = loss_input.training.alpha
+    is_clip = loss_input.training.is_clip
+    kl_reg_weight = loss_input.training.kl_reg_weight
 
     _B, _T, _V = student_logits.shape
 
diff --git a/tests/test_eval_config.py b/tests/test_eval_config.py
index 802f5e2..2179bee 100644
--- a/tests/test_eval_config.py
+++ b/tests/test_eval_config.py
@@ -118,14 +118,23 @@ def test_preference_verifier_callable() -> None:
     assert result.score == 0.0
     assert result.passed is False
 
-    # concise: short text should pass
-    result = configs["concise"].verifier("One sentence. Two sentences. Three.")
+    # concise: short text should pass (>=10 words, <=3 sentences)
+    result = configs["concise"].verifier(
+        "Python is a versatile, high-level programming language known for its readable syntax."
+    )
     assert result.score == 1.0
     assert result.passed is True
 
+    # concise: degenerate text (too few words) should fail
+    result = configs["concise"].verifier("Just a dot.")
+    assert result.score == 0.0
+    assert result.passed is False
+
     # concise: verbose text should fail
     result = configs["concise"].verifier(
-        "One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten."
+        "One thing to know. Two things to know. Three things to know. "
+        "Four things to know. Five things to know. Six things to know. "
+        "Seven things to know. Eight things to know. Nine things to know. Ten things."
     )
     assert result.score < 1.0
     assert result.passed is False
diff --git a/tests/test_eval_runner.py b/tests/test_eval_runner.py
index 1a8370e..fa04c0c 100644
--- a/tests/test_eval_runner.py
+++ b/tests/test_eval_runner.py
@@ -108,9 +108,9 @@ def test_step_result_from_dict_no_metrics():
 
 
 def test_steps_per_batch_default():
-    """HarnessConfig.steps_per_batch defaults to 1."""
+    """HarnessConfig.steps_per_batch defaults to 4."""
     config = HarnessConfig()
-    assert config.steps_per_batch == 1
+    assert config.steps_per_batch == 4
 
 
 def test_steps_per_batch_custom():
diff --git a/tests/test_sdpo_loss.py b/tests/test_sdpo_loss.py
index b01482b..26b1ff7 100644
--- a/tests/test_sdpo_loss.py
+++ b/tests/test_sdpo_loss.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 torch = pytest.importorskip("torch")
 
-from claas.core.types import SDPOLossInput  # noqa: E402
+from claas.core.types import SDPOLossInput, TrainingConfig  # noqa: E402
 from claas.training.sdpo_loss import _lookup_token_in_topk, compute_sdpo_loss  # noqa: E402
 
 
@@ -104,8 +104,18 @@ def test_batch_processing(self, device):
 class TestComputeSdpoLoss:
     """Tests for compute_sdpo_loss."""
 
+    _TRAINING_FIELDS = {"alpha", "is_clip", "kl_reg_weight"}
+
     @staticmethod
     def _run_loss(sample_data: dict, **overrides):
+        training_overrides = {
+            k: v for k, v in overrides.items()
+            if k in TestComputeSdpoLoss._TRAINING_FIELDS
+        }
+        tensor_overrides = {
+            k: v for k, v in overrides.items()
+            if k not in TestComputeSdpoLoss._TRAINING_FIELDS
+        }
         payload = {
             "student_logits": sample_data["student_logits"],
             "teacher_logprobs": sample_data["teacher_logprobs"],
@@ -114,8 +124,9 @@ def _run_loss(sample_data: dict, **overrides):
             "response_mask": sample_data["response_mask"],
             "old_student_logprobs": sample_data["old_student_logprobs"],
             "response_ids": sample_data["response_ids"],
+            "training": TrainingConfig(**training_overrides),
         }
-        payload.update(overrides)
+        payload.update(tensor_overrides)
         return compute_sdpo_loss(SDPOLossInput(**payload))
 
     def test_returns_expected_keys(self, sample_data):