diff --git a/scripts/chat_sft.py b/scripts/chat_sft.py
index bbeb1f9..a39fa0d 100644
--- a/scripts/chat_sft.py
+++ b/scripts/chat_sft.py
@@ -212,18 +212,30 @@ for step in range(num_iterations):
         break
 
     # evaluate the gradient
+    total_loss_sum = torch.tensor(0.0, device=device)  # sum of losses
     num_tokens = torch.tensor(0, device=device) # the number of "active" tokens of supervision seen
     for micro_step in range(grad_accum_steps):
         train_inputs, train_targets = next(train_iter)
         with autocast_ctx:
-            loss = model(train_inputs, train_targets)
-        train_loss = loss.detach() # for logging
-        loss = loss / grad_accum_steps # each .backward() is a grad sum => normalize loss here
+            loss = model(train_inputs, train_targets, loss_reduction='sum')
+        total_loss_sum += loss.detach() # for logging
         loss.backward() # accumulate the gradient
         num_tokens += (train_targets >= 0).sum()
     if ddp:
+        dist.all_reduce(total_loss_sum, op=dist.ReduceOp.SUM)
         dist.all_reduce(num_tokens, op=dist.ReduceOp.SUM) # sum over ranks
 
+    # scale gradients by total number of tokens
+    num_tokens_item = num_tokens.item()
+    if num_tokens_item == 0:
+        print0(f"Warning: the number of valid tokens in train targets is 0 at step {step}, skipping model update")
+        model.zero_grad(set_to_none=True)
+        continue
+
+    for param in model.parameters():
+        if param.grad is not None:
+            param.grad.div_(num_tokens_item)
+
     # learning rate scheduler
     lrm = get_lr_multiplier(step)
     for opt in optimizers:
@@ -236,8 +248,7 @@ for step in range(num_iterations):
     model.zero_grad(set_to_none=True)
 
     # logging
-    train_loss_item = train_loss.item()
-    num_tokens_item = num_tokens.item()
+    train_loss_item = total_loss_sum.item() / num_tokens_item
     print0(f"Step {step:05d}/{num_iterations:05d} | Training loss: {train_loss_item:.6f}| lrm: {lrm:.6f}| num_tokens: {num_tokens_item:,}")
     wandb_run.log({
         "step": step,