diff --git a/src/axolotl/train.py b/src/axolotl/train.py
index 32bcbc1d0..89d83f9f1 100644
--- a/src/axolotl/train.py
+++ b/src/axolotl/train.py
@@ -197,6 +197,13 @@ def train(
         trainer.accelerator.wait_for_everyone()
         unwrapped_model = trainer.accelerator.unwrap_model(trainer.model_wrapped)
 
+        # the trainer saved a model.safetensors file in the output directory,
+        # but it is a proxy model and should be deleted
+        if os.path.exists(os.path.join(cfg.output_dir, "model.safetensors")):
+            LOG.info(f"Deleting {os.path.join(cfg.output_dir, 'model.safetensors')}")
+            LOG.info("This is a proxy model and should be deleted")
+            os.remove(os.path.join(cfg.output_dir, "model.safetensors"))
+
         # Saves the whole/unpartitioned fp16 model when in ZeRO Stage-3 to the output directory if
         # `stage3_gather_16bit_weights_on_model_save` is True in DeepSpeed Config file or
         # `zero3_save_16bit_model` is True in DeepSpeed Plugin.