diff --git a/src/axolotl/cli/convert_linear_attention.py b/src/axolotl/cli/convert_linear_attention.py
index 061e3fe8b..dee2de05c 100644
--- a/src/axolotl/cli/convert_linear_attention.py
+++ b/src/axolotl/cli/convert_linear_attention.py
@@ -16,11 +16,14 @@ from axolotl.cli.config import load_cfg
 from axolotl.cli.utils import load_model_and_tokenizer
 from axolotl.common.datasets import load_datasets
 from axolotl.integrations.base import PluginManager
-from axolotl.integrations.lolcats.linearize_attention import (
-    remove_base_attention,
-    toggle_attention,
+from axolotl.integrations.lolcats.linear_llama.configuration_linear_llama import (
+    LinearLlamaConfig,
+)
+from axolotl.integrations.lolcats.linear_llama.modeling_linear_llama import (
+    LinearLlamaForCausalLM,
 )
 from axolotl.utils.dict import DictDefault
+from axolotl.utils.models import load_model_config
 from axolotl.utils.trainer import setup_trainer
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -42,11 +45,15 @@ def do_linearize(cfg: DictDefault, cli_args: TrainerCliArgs) -> None:
     # load model
     model, tokenizer = load_model_and_tokenizer(cfg=cfg)
 
-    # convert attention
-    from axolotl.integrations.lolcats.linearize_attention import convert_attention
+    # load config
+    base_config = load_model_config(cfg)
 
-    model = convert_attention(
-        model, cfg.attention_config, train_attention=True, remove_base_attn=True
+    # convert to linear llama
+    linear_llama_config = LinearLlamaConfig.from_llama(
+        base_config, cfg.attention_config
+    )
+    model = LinearLlamaForCausalLM.from_llama(
+        model, config=linear_llama_config, train_attention=True
     )
 
     # Get datasets
@@ -56,7 +63,7 @@ def do_linearize(cfg: DictDefault, cli_args: TrainerCliArgs) -> None:
     total_num_steps = dataset_meta.total_num_steps
 
     # toggle attention to be trainable
-    model = toggle_attention(model, train=True)
+    model.toggle_attention(train=True)
 
     # Setup trainer
     trainer = setup_trainer(
@@ -73,8 +80,8 @@ def do_linearize(cfg: DictDefault, cli_args: TrainerCliArgs) -> None:
     trainer.train(resume_from_checkpoint=cfg.resume_from_checkpoint)
 
     # drop base_attention + remove training attn
-    model = toggle_attention(model, train=False)
-    model = remove_base_attention(model)
+    model.toggle_attention(train=False)
+    model.remove_base_attention()
 
     # NOTE: If in peft mode, consider whether to auto-merge
 
diff --git a/src/axolotl/integrations/lolcats/linear_llama/configuration_linear_llama.py b/src/axolotl/integrations/lolcats/linear_llama/configuration_linear_llama.py
index 31e81a274..2eb0ec8a4 100644
--- a/src/axolotl/integrations/lolcats/linear_llama/configuration_linear_llama.py
+++ b/src/axolotl/integrations/lolcats/linear_llama/configuration_linear_llama.py
@@ -62,3 +62,18 @@ class LinearLlamaConfig(LlamaConfig):
 
         # Set default attention config if none provided
         self.attention_config = attention_config
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_llama(cls, llama_config: LlamaConfig, attention_config: dict):
+        """
+        Instantiate a LinearLlamaConfig from a LlamaConfig and additional attention config.
+
+        Args:
+            llama_config (:class:`~transformers.LlamaConfig`):
+                The LlamaConfig to inherit from.
+
+            attention_config (`dict`):
+                Dictionary containing the configuration for linear attention mechanism.
+        """
+
+        return cls(attention_config=attention_config, **llama_config.to_dict())
diff --git a/src/axolotl/integrations/lolcats/linear_llama/modeling_linear_llama.py b/src/axolotl/integrations/lolcats/linear_llama/modeling_linear_llama.py
index 937735e0d..57ea6cacb 100644
--- a/src/axolotl/integrations/lolcats/linear_llama/modeling_linear_llama.py
+++ b/src/axolotl/integrations/lolcats/linear_llama/modeling_linear_llama.py
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@ class LinearLlamaModel(LlamaModel):
 
 
 class LinearLlamaForCausalLM(LlamaForCausalLM):
+    """
+    Linear LLaMA model for causal language modeling.
+    """
+
     def __init__(self, config):
         super().__init__(config)
         self.model = LinearLlamaModel(config)
@@ -113,3 +117,21 @@ class LinearLlamaForCausalLM(LlamaForCausalLM):
         )
 
         return new_model
+
+    def toggle_attention(self, train: bool = True):
+        """
+        Toggle attention to be trainable or not
+        """
+        from axolotl.integrations.lolcats.linearize_attention import toggle_attention
+
+        toggle_attention(self.model, train=train)
+
+    def remove_base_attention(self):
+        """
+        Remove base attention after distillation
+        """
+        from axolotl.integrations.lolcats.linearize_attention import (
+            remove_base_attention,
+        )
+
+        remove_base_attention(self.model)