diff --git a/src/axolotl/train.py b/src/axolotl/train.py
index 23388e40e..0dfeb0c7f 100644
--- a/src/axolotl/train.py
+++ b/src/axolotl/train.py
@@ -229,6 +229,28 @@ def execute_training(
         PLUGIN_MANAGER.post_train(cfg, trainer.model)
 
 
+def _rename_fsdp_merged_to_adapter(merged_dir: Path):
+    """Rename model*.safetensors files to adapter_model* in place.
+
+    Also rewrites the index JSON weight_map if sharded output was produced.
+    """
+    for file in sorted(merged_dir.iterdir()):
+        if file.name.startswith("model") and ".safetensors" in file.name:
+            file.rename(merged_dir / file.name.replace("model", "adapter_model", 1))
+
+    index = merged_dir / "adapter_model.safetensors.index.json"
+    if index.exists():
+        data = json.loads(index.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        if "weight_map" in data:
+            data["weight_map"] = {
+                k: v.replace("model", "adapter_model", 1)
+                for k, v in data["weight_map"].items()
+            }
+        index.write_text(
+            json.dumps(data, indent=2, sort_keys=True) + "\n", encoding="utf-8"
+        )
+
+
 def save_trained_model(
     cfg: DictDefault,
     trainer: Any,
@@ -298,12 +320,17 @@ def save_trained_model(
                 )
                 trainer.accelerator.wait_for_everyone()
                 if trainer.accelerator.is_main_process:
-                    # move all files in merged_path to cfg.output_dir
+                    # FSDP checkpoints for PEFT only contain adapter weights;
+                    # rename model* → adapter_model* so it loads correctly.
+                    is_peft = cfg.adapter and not cfg.relora
+                    if is_peft:
+                        _rename_fsdp_merged_to_adapter(Path(merged_path))
                     for merged_file in Path(merged_path).iterdir():
-                        if (Path(cfg.output_dir) / merged_file.name).exists():
-                            (Path(cfg.output_dir) / merged_file.name).unlink()
-                        shutil.move(str(merged_file), cfg.output_dir)
-                    shutil.rmtree(merged_path)  # remove what should be an empty dir
+                        dest = Path(cfg.output_dir) / merged_file.name
+                        if dest.exists():
+                            dest.unlink()
+                        shutil.move(str(merged_file), dest)
+                    shutil.rmtree(merged_path)
         # TODO(wing):see https://github.com/huggingface/transformers/pull/40207
         # cleanup the FSDP prefix in the model config.json
         if trainer.accelerator.is_main_process: