diff --git a/fms_fsdp/config/training.py b/fms_fsdp/config/training.py
index 22b9a840..aa188aeb 100644
--- a/fms_fsdp/config/training.py
+++ b/fms_fsdp/config/training.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ class train_config:
 
     # training spec
     batch_size: int = 2
+    grad_accum_steps: int = 1
     num_steps: int = 1000000
     training_stage: str = "initial"
     learning_rate: float = 3e-4
diff --git a/fms_fsdp/utils/train_utils.py b/fms_fsdp/utils/train_utils.py
index 2d512cb2..78c6f512 100644
--- a/fms_fsdp/utils/train_utils.py
+++ b/fms_fsdp/utils/train_utils.py
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ def train(
                 run["hparams"] = asdict(cfg)
 
     model.train()
+    optimizer.zero_grad()
     ddp_stats = torch.zeros(3).to(local_rank)
 
     start = time.time()
@@ -91,20 +92,24 @@ def train(
         input = input.to(local_rank)
         label = label.to(local_rank)
 
-        optimizer.zero_grad()
         output = model(input)
         output = output.logits if hasattr(output, "logits") else output
         ce_loss = torch.nn.CrossEntropyLoss()
         loss = ce_loss(output.view(-1, output.size(-1)), label.view(-1).long())
         loss = loss + .0001 * torch.logsumexp(output, dim=-1).pow(2).mean()
+        loss = loss / cfg.grad_accum_steps
 
         loss.backward()
-        ddp_stats[1] += model.clip_grad_norm_(cfg.grad_clip_thresh).item()
-        optimizer.step()
+
+        if batch_idx % cfg.grad_accum_steps == 0:
+            ddp_stats[1] += model.clip_grad_norm_(cfg.grad_clip_thresh).item()
+            optimizer.step()
+            optimizer.zero_grad()
+            ddp_stats[2] += 1
+
         scheduler.step()
 
         ddp_stats[0] += loss.item()
-        ddp_stats[2] += 1
 
         if profiler:
             profiler.step()