diff --git a/src/axolotl/utils/data/shared.py b/src/axolotl/utils/data/shared.py
index d14496d96..e4f31a184 100644
--- a/src/axolotl/utils/data/shared.py
+++ b/src/axolotl/utils/data/shared.py
@@ -107,6 +107,13 @@ def load_dataset_w_config(config_dataset, auth_token):
     except (FileNotFoundError, ConnectionError):
         pass
 
+    # gather extra args from the config
+    load_ds_kwargs = {}
+    if config_dataset.split:
+        load_ds_kwargs["split"] = config_dataset.split
+    else:
+        load_ds_kwargs["split"] = None
+
     # prefer local dataset, even if hub exists
     local_path = Path(config_dataset.path)
     if local_path.exists():
@@ -118,7 +125,7 @@ def load_dataset_w_config(config_dataset, auth_token):
                     name=config_dataset.name,
                     data_files=config_dataset.data_files,
                     streaming=False,
-                    split=None,
+                    **load_ds_kwargs,
                 )
             else:
                 try:
@@ -130,7 +137,7 @@ def load_dataset_w_config(config_dataset, auth_token):
                         config_dataset.path,
                         name=config_dataset.name,
                         streaming=False,
-                        split=None,
+                        **load_ds_kwargs,
                     )
         elif local_path.is_file():
             ds_type = get_ds_type(config_dataset)
@@ -140,16 +147,13 @@ def load_dataset_w_config(config_dataset, auth_token):
                 name=config_dataset.name,
                 data_files=config_dataset.path,
                 streaming=False,
-                split=None,
+                **load_ds_kwargs,
             )
         else:
             raise ValueError(
                 "unhandled dataset load: local path exists, but is neither a directory or a file"
             )
     elif ds_from_hub:
-        load_ds_kwargs = {}
-        if config_dataset.split:
-            load_ds_kwargs["split"] = config_dataset.split
         ds = load_dataset(
             config_dataset.path,
             name=config_dataset.name,
@@ -173,9 +177,9 @@ def load_dataset_w_config(config_dataset, auth_token):
                 name=config_dataset.name,
                 data_files=config_dataset.path,
                 streaming=False,
-                split=None,
                 storage_options=storage_options,
                 trust_remote_code=config_dataset.trust_remote_code,
+                **load_ds_kwargs,
             )
     elif config_dataset.path.startswith("https://"):
         ds_type = get_ds_type(config_dataset)
@@ -184,9 +188,9 @@ def load_dataset_w_config(config_dataset, auth_token):
             name=config_dataset.name,
             data_files=config_dataset.path,
             streaming=False,
-            split=None,
             storage_options=storage_options,
             trust_remote_code=config_dataset.trust_remote_code,
+            **load_ds_kwargs,
         )
     else:
         if isinstance(config_dataset.data_files, str):
@@ -214,7 +218,7 @@ def load_dataset_w_config(config_dataset, auth_token):
             name=config_dataset.name,
             data_files=fp,
             streaming=False,
-            split=None,
+            **load_ds_kwargs,
         )
     if not ds:
         raise ValueError("unhandled dataset load")