add missing file

- Kernel: fused_rms_norm_rope crashed when cos.shape[-1] < x.shape[-1].
  Triton forward/backward take an n_rot runtime arg that restricts
  rotate_half to [0, n_rot) and treats trailing cols as RMSNorm-only
  pass-through (cos=1, sin=0 defaults). Wrapper also expands cos/sin
  that broadcast over batch.

- Forward: _make_fused_forward used a stale shared_kv_states kwarg the
  current decoder layer no longer passes. Now mirrors stock attention,
  reading/writing past_key_values.shared_layers.

src/axolotl/core/trainers/grpo/async_trainer.py

@@ -242,6 +242,85 @@ class ProducerConfig:
             )
 
 
+class _GroupShardedSampler:
+    """Rank-aware shard of a ``RepeatSampler`` that preserves GRPO groups.
+
+    ``RepeatSampler`` yields ``num_generations`` consecutive copies of
+    each prompt, forming a GRPO group. For distributed training each
+    rank must see a disjoint slice of prompts (otherwise every rank
+    dogpiles on the first 1/world_size of the batch) while keeping each
+    group intact on a single rank so advantage normalization sees all
+    peer generations.
+
+    ``accelerator.prepare(DataLoader)`` does not handle this correctly
+    for custom samplers with ``split_batches=False`` (the default): it
+    leaves the sampler alone and every rank replays identical indices.
+    This wrapper fixes that by consuming the inner sampler's full
+    output, chunking it into ``num_generations``-sized groups, and
+    round-robining whole groups across ranks.
+
+    Intended to be used ONLY when distributed training is active
+    (``num_replicas > 1``); for single-rank it is a no-op but still
+    correct.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        inner: Any,
+        num_generations: int,
+        rank: int,
+        num_replicas: int,
+    ):
+        if num_generations < 1:
+            raise ValueError(f"num_generations must be >= 1, got {num_generations}")
+        if num_replicas < 1:
+            raise ValueError(f"num_replicas must be >= 1, got {num_replicas}")
+        if not (0 <= rank < num_replicas):
+            raise ValueError(f"rank must be in [0, {num_replicas}), got {rank}")
+        self.inner = inner
+        self.num_generations = num_generations
+        self.rank = rank
+        self.num_replicas = num_replicas
+
+    def __iter__(self):
+        all_indices = list(self.inner)
+        if len(all_indices) % self.num_generations != 0:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"inner sampler yielded {len(all_indices)} indices, "
+                f"not a multiple of num_generations={self.num_generations}"
+            )
+        # Chunk the flat index sequence into groups of num_generations
+        # consecutive indices. ``RepeatSampler`` guarantees that each
+        # group contains num_generations copies of the same prompt id.
+        groups = [
+            all_indices[i : i + self.num_generations]
+            for i in range(0, len(all_indices), self.num_generations)
+        ]
+        # Round-robin whole groups across ranks. Round-robin (vs.
+        # contiguous chunking) preserves approximate shuffled order on
+        # each rank even when the group count is small relative to the
+        # world size.
+        for group in groups[self.rank :: self.num_replicas]:
+            yield from group
+
+    def __len__(self):
+        try:
+            inner_len = len(self.inner)
+        except TypeError:
+            # Non-sized inner sampler — we can't know the per-rank
+            # length without materializing. Return 0 as a hint that the
+            # DataLoader should fall back to iteration.
+            return 0
+        total_groups = inner_len // self.num_generations
+        # Ceiling division for the trailing groups that don't divide
+        # evenly — extra groups go to the first ``total_groups %
+        # num_replicas`` ranks, matching the round-robin above.
+        my_groups = (
+            total_groups + self.num_replicas - self.rank - 1
+        ) // self.num_replicas
+        return my_groups * self.num_generations
+
+
 class DataProducer(ABC):
     """Abstract base class for online data producers.
 
@@ -556,6 +635,34 @@ class GRPODataProducer(BaseDataProducer):
             seed=self._seed,
         )
 
+        # Shard the sampler across distributed ranks so each rank sees
+        # a disjoint slice of prompts. ``RepeatSampler`` groups each
+        # prompt with ``num_generations`` consecutive copies — our
+        # wrapper round-robins WHOLE groups across ranks so all
+        # generations of a given prompt stay on the same rank (needed
+        # for GRPO advantage normalization within a group).
+        #
+        # Without this, ``accelerator.prepare(dl)`` with the default
+        # ``split_batches=False`` leaves the custom sampler alone, so
+        # every rank iterates the identical index sequence and the
+        # cluster dogpiles on the first 1/world_size of the prompts.
+        num_replicas = max(1, trainer.accelerator.num_processes)
+        if num_replicas > 1:
+            sampler = _GroupShardedSampler(
+                inner=sampler,
+                num_generations=self._num_generations,
+                rank=trainer.accelerator.process_index,
+                num_replicas=num_replicas,
+            )
+            logger.info(
+                "[RANK:%d] _GroupShardedSampler active "
+                "(num_replicas=%d, num_generations=%d, gen_batch=%d)",
+                trainer.accelerator.process_index,
+                num_replicas,
+                self._num_generations,
+                self._generation_batch_size,
+            )
+
         # Use identity collator (same as stock GRPOTrainer)
         def _identity(x):
             return x
@@ -574,12 +681,11 @@ class GRPODataProducer(BaseDataProducer):
                 rank=trainer.args.process_index,
             ),
         )
-        self._prompt_dl = trainer.accelerator.prepare(dl)
-
-        # Don't let accelerator track this dataloader
-        acc_dls = trainer.accelerator._dataloaders
-        if self._prompt_dl in acc_dls:
-            acc_dls.remove(self._prompt_dl)
+        # Skip accelerator.prepare — we're handling per-rank sharding
+        # ourselves via ``_GroupShardedSampler``. ``prepare()`` would
+        # otherwise try to wrap the DataLoader with its own sharding
+        # logic which does not understand our group structure.
+        self._prompt_dl = dl
 
         self._prompt_iter = iter(self._prompt_dl)
 
@@ -1103,11 +1209,22 @@ class AsyncGRPOTrainer(GRPOTrainer):
         - vllm_lora_sync: saves adapter to filesystem, vLLM loads natively
         - PEFT no-merge: computes merged weights as new tensors, NCCL broadcast
         - Non-PEFT: stock sync_weights via merge_adapter + NCCL
+
+        This is the canonical sync trigger and runs in BOTH async and
+        synchronous modes from ``_prepare_inputs_with_data_producer`` /
+        ``_prepare_inputs_legacy_async``. The ``_generate_single_turn``
+        patch is a parallel backup for non-data-producer paths (vanilla
+        GRPO without NeMo Gym), where the data producer is bypassed
+        entirely and TRL's stock generate-then-sync flow is used instead.
         """
-        if not (self.use_vllm and self.args.async_prefetch):
+        if not self.use_vllm:
             return
         step = self.state.global_step
-        interval = self.args.vllm_sync_interval
+        # Default to syncing every step when no interval is configured —
+        # otherwise ``step % None`` would TypeError, and the previous
+        # behavior of crashing on the first sync was strictly worse than
+        # the standard "sync every optimizer step".
+        interval = self.args.vllm_sync_interval or 1
         if step != self._last_synced_step and step % interval == 0:
             if step == 0:
                 logger.info("Skipping vLLM weight sync at step 0 (no training yet)")
@@ -1202,13 +1319,42 @@ class AsyncGRPOTrainer(GRPOTrainer):
 
         # Permanently replace vllm_generation.sync_weights with our custom
         # sync to avoid merge_adapter (fails on FP8 / races with training).
-        # For LoRA sync mode, make it a no-op here since _maybe_sync_vllm_weights
-        # handles the sync with proper interval tracking.
+        #
+        # The design has two modes that have to be threaded carefully:
+        #
+        #   - Async prefetch ON: BG generation thread can't safely call
+        #     sync_weights mid-rollout (it races with the trainer's optimizer
+        #     step and can corrupt weights). We no-op the stock sync hook and
+        #     drive sync ourselves from ``_maybe_sync_vllm_weights`` after the
+        #     optimizer step on the main thread.
+        #
+        #   - Async prefetch OFF (synchronous mode): TRL's stock
+        #     ``_generate_single_turn`` calls ``sync_weights`` once per step
+        #     boundary. There's no BG thread to race with, and
+        #     ``_maybe_sync_vllm_weights`` short-circuits with
+        #     ``if not async_prefetch: return``, so we MUST wire the stock
+        #     hook directly to our LoRA sync helper — otherwise nothing ever
+        #     pushes weights to vLLM and the trainer becomes a no-op (vLLM
+        #     keeps serving the base model, every rollout in every group
+        #     produces identical outputs, advantages are zero, optimizer
+        #     step gets skipped, repeat).
         if not getattr(self, "_patched_sync_weights", False):
             if self.use_vllm and hasattr(self, "vllm_generation"):
                 if getattr(self.args, "vllm_lora_sync", False):
-                    # No-op: LoRA sync is driven by _maybe_sync_vllm_weights
-                    self.vllm_generation.sync_weights = lambda: None
+                    if getattr(self.args, "async_prefetch", False):
+                        # Async: drive sync from main thread via
+                        # _maybe_sync_vllm_weights instead.
+                        self.vllm_generation.sync_weights = lambda: None
+                    else:
+                        # Sync mode: TRL's _generate_single_turn already
+                        # calls sync_weights once per step boundary. Wire
+                        # it directly to our LoRA filesystem sync helper.
+                        sync_helper = self._sync_lora_adapter
+
+                        def _lora_filesystem_sync():
+                            sync_helper()
+
+                        self.vllm_generation.sync_weights = _lora_filesystem_sync
                     self._patched_sync_weights = True
                 else:
                     from accelerate.utils import is_peft_model

src/axolotl/integrations/kernels/libs/scattermoe_lora/__init__.py

@@ -2,17 +2,35 @@
 # Copyright (c) Axolotl AI
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0
 
-from . import layers
-from .lora_ops import ParallelExperts
-from .parallel_experts import flatten_sort_count, parallel_linear
-from .parallel_linear_lora import ScatterMoELoRA, parallel_linear_lora
+from .lora_layout import (
+    peft_down_proj_lora_to_scattermoe,
+    peft_lora_B_to_scattermoe,
+    peft_lora_to_scattermoe,
+    validate_scattermoe_lora_shapes,
+)
 
 __all__ = [
-    "layers",
-    "ParallelExperts",
-    "flatten_sort_count",
-    "parallel_linear",
-    "ScatterMoELoRA",
-    "parallel_linear_lora",
-    "lora_ops",
+    "peft_down_proj_lora_to_scattermoe",
+    "peft_lora_B_to_scattermoe",
+    "peft_lora_to_scattermoe",
+    "validate_scattermoe_lora_shapes",
 ]
+
+try:
+    from . import layers
+    from .lora_ops import ParallelExperts
+    from .parallel_experts import flatten_sort_count, parallel_linear
+    from .parallel_linear_lora import ScatterMoELoRA, parallel_linear_lora
+except ModuleNotFoundError as exc:
+    if exc.name != "triton":
+        raise
+else:
+    __all__ += [
+        "layers",
+        "ParallelExperts",
+        "flatten_sort_count",
+        "parallel_linear",
+        "ScatterMoELoRA",
+        "parallel_linear_lora",
+        "lora_ops",
+    ]

src/axolotl/integrations/kernels/libs/scattermoe_lora/layers.py

@@ -35,81 +35,19 @@ import torch
 from torch import nn
 from torch.nn import functional as F
 
+from .lora_layout import (
+    peft_down_proj_lora_to_scattermoe,
+    peft_lora_B_to_scattermoe,
+    peft_lora_to_scattermoe,
+)
 from .parallel_experts import flatten_sort_count, parallel_linear
 from .parallel_linear_lora import get_lora_params_from_wrapper, parallel_linear_lora
 
-# =============================================================================
-# LoRA layout conversion utilities (peft <-> scattermoe)
-# =============================================================================
-
-
-def peft_lora_B_to_scattermoe(peft_B, num_experts, rank):
-    """Convert peft rank-major lora_B ``[out, E*r]`` to scattermoe
-    expert-major ``[N, r*E]``.
-
-    peft reshapes B to ``[out, r, E]`` (rank-major).
-    scattermoe slices B as ``[:, e*r:(e+1)*r]`` (expert-major).
-    """
-    N = peft_B.shape[0]
-    return (
-        peft_B.reshape(N, rank, num_experts)
-        .permute(0, 2, 1)
-        .contiguous()
-        .reshape(N, num_experts * rank)
-    )
-
-
-def peft_lora_to_scattermoe(peft_A, peft_B, num_experts, rank):
-    """Convert peft LoRA weights to scattermoe layout (with A<->B swap).
-
-    peft operates on the parameter in its native storage layout ``[E, dim1, dim2]``
-    where ``in_features=dim1, out_features=dim2``.  ScatterMoE transposes the
-    parameter (``W = param.transpose(2, 1)``) giving ``[E, dim2, dim1]`` with
-    ``K=dim2, N=dim1``.  Because of this transposition, peft's A and B roles
-    are swapped relative to scattermoe's convention.
-
-    peft gives:
-        lora_A ``[r*E, dim1]``, lora_B ``[dim2, r*E]``
-
-    scattermoe needs:
-        lora_A ``[r*E, K=dim2]``, lora_B ``[N=dim1, r*E]``
-
-    This function swaps A<->B and converts B from rank-major to expert-major.
-    Uses vectorized tensor operations (no Python loop over experts).
-
-    Works for **both** gate_up_proj and down_proj since the transposition
-    issue is the same for any parameter.
-    """
-    peft_B_em = peft_lora_B_to_scattermoe(peft_B, num_experts, rank)
-
-    dim1 = peft_A.shape[1]  # peft in_features -> scattermoe N
-    dim2 = peft_B_em.shape[0]  # peft out_features -> scattermoe K
-
-    # smoe_A: per expert, transpose B_e [dim2, r] -> [r, dim2]
-    # [dim2, E*r] -> [dim2, E, r] -> [E, r, dim2] -> [E*r, dim2]
-    smoe_A = (
-        peft_B_em.reshape(dim2, num_experts, rank)
-        .permute(1, 2, 0)
-        .contiguous()
-        .reshape(rank * num_experts, dim2)
-    )
-
-    # smoe_B: per expert, transpose A_e [r, dim1] -> [dim1, r]
-    # [E*r, dim1] -> [E, r, dim1] -> [dim1, E, r] -> [dim1, E*r]
-    smoe_B = (
-        peft_A.reshape(num_experts, rank, dim1)
-        .permute(2, 0, 1)
-        .contiguous()
-        .reshape(dim1, num_experts * rank)
-    )
-
-    return smoe_A, smoe_B
-
-
-def peft_down_proj_lora_to_scattermoe(peft_A, peft_B, num_experts, rank):
-    """Deprecated alias for :func:`peft_lora_to_scattermoe`."""
-    return peft_lora_to_scattermoe(peft_A, peft_B, num_experts, rank)
-
+__all__ = [
+    "peft_down_proj_lora_to_scattermoe",
+    "peft_lora_B_to_scattermoe",
+    "peft_lora_to_scattermoe",
+]
 
 # =============================================================================
 # ParamWrapper unwrapping
@@ -199,7 +137,7 @@ def _unwrap_experts_lora(experts_module):
         if gup is not None:
             num_experts = gup.shape[0]
 
-    # Extract gate_up_proj LoRA (needs A<->B swap due to transposition)
+    # Extract gate_up_proj LoRA
     gup_lora = None
     gup_wrapper = wrappers.get("gate_up_proj")
     if gup_wrapper is not None:
@@ -208,7 +146,7 @@ def _unwrap_experts_lora(experts_module):
             rank = lora_A.shape[0] // num_experts
             gup_lora = _convert_smoe_lora(lora_A, lora_B, num_experts, rank, scaling)
 
-    # Extract down_proj LoRA (needs A<->B swap due to transposition)
+    # Extract down_proj LoRA
     down_lora = None
     down_wrapper = wrappers.get("down_proj")
     if down_wrapper is not None:

src/axolotl/integrations/kernels/libs/scattermoe_lora/lora_layout.py

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# Copyright (c) Axolotl AI
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0
+
+"""Pure tensor layout helpers for ScatterMoE LoRA weights."""
+
+
+def peft_lora_B_to_scattermoe(peft_B, num_experts, rank):
+    """Convert peft rank-major lora_B ``[out, E*r]`` to scattermoe
+    expert-major ``[N, r*E]``.
+
+    peft reshapes B to ``[out, r, E]`` (rank-major).
+    scattermoe slices B as ``[:, e*r:(e+1)*r]`` (expert-major).
+    """
+    N = peft_B.shape[0]
+    return (
+        peft_B.reshape(N, rank, num_experts)
+        .permute(0, 2, 1)
+        .contiguous()
+        .reshape(N, num_experts * rank)
+    )
+
+
+def peft_lora_to_scattermoe(peft_A, peft_B, num_experts, rank):
+    """Convert peft LoRA weights to scattermoe layout.
+
+    peft operates on the parameter in its native storage layout ``[E, dim1, dim2]``
+    where ``out_features=dim1, in_features=dim2``. ScatterMoE transposes the
+    parameter (``W = param.transpose(2, 1)``), giving ``[E, dim2, dim1]`` with
+    ``K=dim2, N=dim1``.
+
+    peft gives:
+        lora_A ``[r*E, dim2]``, lora_B ``[dim1, r*E]``
+
+    scattermoe needs:
+        lora_A ``[r*E, K=dim2]``, lora_B ``[N=dim1, r*E]``
+
+    peft's A already matches ScatterMoE's A shape. Only B needs conversion from
+    peft's rank-major layout to ScatterMoE's expert-major layout.
+    """
+    smoe_A = peft_A
+    smoe_B = peft_lora_B_to_scattermoe(peft_B, num_experts, rank)
+
+    return smoe_A, smoe_B
+
+
+def peft_down_proj_lora_to_scattermoe(peft_A, peft_B, num_experts, rank):
+    """Deprecated alias for :func:`peft_lora_to_scattermoe`."""
+    return peft_lora_to_scattermoe(peft_A, peft_B, num_experts, rank)
+
+
+def validate_scattermoe_lora_shapes(expert_weights, lora_A, lora_B):
+    """Validate LoRA tensor layout before dispatching ScatterMoE kernels."""
+    E, K, N = expert_weights.shape
+    if lora_A.dim() != 2 or lora_B.dim() != 2:
+        raise ValueError(
+            "ScatterMoE LoRA expects 2D lora_A and lora_B tensors, got "
+            f"lora_A={tuple(lora_A.shape)} and lora_B={tuple(lora_B.shape)}."
+        )
+
+    if lora_A.size(0) % E != 0:
+        raise ValueError(
+            "ScatterMoE LoRA expects lora_A rows to be divisible by the number "
+            f"of experts ({E}), got lora_A={tuple(lora_A.shape)}."
+        )
+
+    rank = lora_A.size(0) // E
+    expected_A = (E * rank, K)
+    expected_B = (N, E * rank)
+    if tuple(lora_A.shape) != expected_A or tuple(lora_B.shape) != expected_B:
+        raise ValueError(
+            "Invalid ScatterMoE LoRA layout for expert_weights "
+            f"{tuple(expert_weights.shape)}. Expected lora_A={expected_A} and "
+            f"lora_B={expected_B}, got lora_A={tuple(lora_A.shape)} and "
+            f"lora_B={tuple(lora_B.shape)}. For PEFT target_parameters, keep "
+            "lora_A as [E*r, K] and only convert lora_B from rank-major to "
+            "expert-major layout."
+        )

src/axolotl/integrations/kernels/libs/scattermoe_lora/parallel_linear_lora.py

@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ from .kernels.lora_ops import (
     scatter2scatter_lora,
     scatter2scatter_lora_dX,
 )
+from .lora_layout import validate_scattermoe_lora_shapes
 
 
 class ScatterMoELoRA(torch.autograd.Function):
@@ -422,11 +423,6 @@ def get_lora_params_from_wrapper(module) -> tuple:
     return lora_A, lora_B, scaling
 
 
-# =============================================================================
-# Drop-in replacement for parallel_linear
-# =============================================================================
-
-
 def parallel_linear_lora(
     inputs: torch.Tensor,
     expert_weights: torch.Tensor,
@@ -451,6 +447,7 @@ def parallel_linear_lora(
     Otherwise falls back to standard scatter2scatter.
     """
     if lora_A is not None and lora_B is not None:
+        validate_scattermoe_lora_shapes(expert_weights, lora_A, lora_B)
         return ScatterMoELoRA.apply(
             inputs,
             expert_weights,

src/axolotl/integrations/nemo_gym/data_producer.py

@@ -110,11 +110,36 @@ class NemoGymDataProducer(GRPODataProducer):
                 item["agent_ref"] = full_item["agent_ref"]
             dataset_items.append(item)
 
-        # Expand by num_generations (agent produces one rollout per call)
-        expanded_items = []
-        for item in dataset_items:
-            for _ in range(self._num_generations):
-                expanded_items.append(item)
+        # NOTE: do NOT re-expand by num_generations here.
+        # ``RepeatSampler(mini_repeat_count=num_generations)`` already
+        # yields ``num_generations`` consecutive copies of each unique
+        # prompt, so ``inputs`` is a list of ``(unique_prompts_per_rank *
+        # num_generations)`` items — one entry per rollout. Expanding
+        # again here would fire ``num_generations^2`` rollouts per
+        # prompt per rank and make every step dogpile on a handful of
+        # tasks.
+        expanded_items = dataset_items
+
+        # Diagnostic: log what this rank is about to fire.
+        try:
+            import collections
+
+            iid_counts: collections.Counter[str | None] = collections.Counter()
+            for it in dataset_items:
+                iid_counts[
+                    (it.get("responses_create_params", {}).get("metadata") or {}).get(
+                        "instance_id"
+                    )
+                ] += 1
+            LOG.info(
+                "[RANK:%d] produce(): firing %d agent /run calls covering %d unique prompts: %s",
+                trainer.accelerator.process_index,
+                len(dataset_items),
+                len(iid_counts),
+                list(iid_counts.most_common(5)),
+            )
+        except Exception:
+            pass
 
         # Call NeMo Gym agents
         loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
@@ -140,6 +165,7 @@ class NemoGymDataProducer(GRPODataProducer):
         logprobs_list = []
         rewards_list = []
 
+        num_turns_list: list[int] = []
         for resp in responses:
             parsed = _parse_agent_response(resp, eos_token_id)
             prompt_ids_list.append(parsed["prompt_ids"])
@@ -147,6 +173,7 @@ class NemoGymDataProducer(GRPODataProducer):
             env_mask_list.append(parsed["env_mask"])
             logprobs_list.append(parsed["logprobs"])
             rewards_list.append(parsed["reward"])
+            num_turns_list.append(parsed.get("num_turns", 0))
 
         # Pad to tensors
         prompt_ids = [torch.tensor(ids, device=device) for ids in prompt_ids_list]
@@ -179,22 +206,48 @@ class NemoGymDataProducer(GRPODataProducer):
         tool_mask = [torch.tensor(m, device=device) for m in env_mask_list]
         tool_mask = pad(tool_mask, padding_value=1, padding_side="right")
 
-        # Inject rewards into inputs so _compute_deferred_scores can use them
-        # The deferred scoring path calls _calculate_rewards which reads reward_funcs.
-        # Our passthrough reward_fn reads "env_reward" from kwargs.
+        # Inject per-rollout reward + num_turns into each input. Since
+        # ``RepeatSampler`` already yields ``num_generations`` copies of
+        # each prompt, ``inputs`` has ONE entry per rollout (matching
+        # ``rewards_list`` 1:1). No per-prompt grouping happens here —
+        # GRPO advantage normalization is the trainer's job downstream.
+        assert len(inputs) == len(rewards_list), (
+            f"rewards/inputs length mismatch: "
+            f"{len(rewards_list)} rewards vs {len(inputs)} inputs"
+        )
         for i, inp in enumerate(inputs):
-            # Each input gets rewards for its num_generations rollouts
-            start = i * self._num_generations
-            end = start + self._num_generations
-            inp["env_reward"] = rewards_list[start:end]
+            inp["env_reward"] = rewards_list[i]
+            inp["num_turns"] = num_turns_list[i]
 
-        # Expand inputs to match expanded rollouts (num_generations copies)
-        expanded_inputs = []
-        for inp in inputs:
-            for g in range(self._num_generations):
-                expanded_inp = dict(inp)
-                expanded_inp["env_reward"] = inp["env_reward"][g]
-                expanded_inputs.append(expanded_inp)
+        # One expanded_input per rollout (already correct count because
+        # inputs has num_generations copies baked in by the sampler).
+        expanded_inputs = [dict(inp) for inp in inputs]
+
+        # Log rollout-level stats to wandb from rank 0. These are the
+        # true agent-side metrics (not the tokenized TRL view) — so
+        # num_turns reflects how many /run iterations each rollout
+        # actually took before finishing or hitting max_turns.
+        if is_main and num_turns_list:
+            try:
+                import wandb
+
+                if wandb.run is not None:
+                    import statistics as _stats
+
+                    nonzero = sum(1 for r in rewards_list if r > 0)
+                    log_payload = {
+                        "rollout/num_turns/mean": float(_stats.mean(num_turns_list)),
+                        "rollout/num_turns/min": float(min(num_turns_list)),
+                        "rollout/num_turns/max": float(max(num_turns_list)),
+                        "rollout/reward/mean": float(_stats.mean(rewards_list)),
+                        "rollout/reward/nonzero_frac": (
+                            nonzero / len(rewards_list) if rewards_list else 0.0
+                        ),
+                        "rollout/n_samples": float(len(rewards_list)),
+                    }
+                    wandb.log(log_payload, commit=False)
+            except Exception as exc:  # never let metric logging break training
+                LOG.warning("rollout wandb log failed: %s", exc)
 
         # Decode completions for reward functions
         completions = trainer.processing_class.batch_decode(

src/axolotl/integrations/nemo_gym/plugin.py

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ Supports two modes:
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import os
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Union
 
 from axolotl.integrations.base import BasePlugin
@@ -30,6 +31,107 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 LOG = get_logger(__name__)
 
 
+# ---- vLLM weight-sync transport probe ------------------------------------
+
+
+@dataclass
+class VLLMWeightSyncCapabilities:
+    """What weight-sync routes a vLLM server actually exposes.
+
+    Discovered once at ``pre_model_load`` time by fetching the server's
+    ``/openapi.json``. Drives the transport-selection table below.
+    """
+
+    nccl: bool = False  # /init_communicator/ + /update_named_param/
+    lora_filesystem: bool = False  # /v1/load_lora_adapter (vLLM native)
+    lora_axolotl: bool = False  # /set_lora_adapter/ (axolotl serve_lora extension)
+    http_full: bool = False  # /http_update_weights/ (axolotl serve_lora extension)
+    probed: bool = False
+    probe_error: str | None = None
+    routes: list[str] = field(default_factory=list)
+
+    @property
+    def any_full_param_sync(self) -> bool:
+        """True if at least one transport can push full-model weights."""
+        return self.nccl or self.http_full
+
+    @property
+    def any_lora_sync(self) -> bool:
+        """True if at least one transport can push LoRA adapters."""
+        return self.lora_filesystem or self.lora_axolotl or self.nccl
+
+
+def probe_vllm_weight_sync(
+    base_url: str, timeout: float = 5.0
+) -> VLLMWeightSyncCapabilities:
+    """Detect which weight-sync routes the configured vLLM server exposes.
+
+    Uses the server's FastAPI ``/openapi.json`` — every weight-sync transport
+    we care about is mounted as a POST route there. Falls back to all-False
+    on any error so the caller can still decide what to do (typically: raise
+    a clear error rather than silently no-op).
+    """
+    import requests
+
+    caps = VLLMWeightSyncCapabilities()
+    try:
+        r = requests.get(f"{base_url.rstrip('/')}/openapi.json", timeout=timeout)
+        r.raise_for_status()
+        spec = r.json()
+        routes = sorted((spec.get("paths") or {}).keys())
+        caps.routes = routes
+        caps.nccl = "/init_communicator/" in routes and "/update_named_param/" in routes
+        caps.lora_filesystem = "/v1/load_lora_adapter" in routes
+        caps.lora_axolotl = "/set_lora_adapter/" in routes
+        caps.http_full = "/http_update_weights/" in routes
+        caps.probed = True
+    except Exception as exc:
+        caps.probe_error = f"{type(exc).__name__}: {exc}"
+        LOG.warning(
+            "NeMo Gym: failed to probe vLLM /openapi.json at %s — %s. "
+            "Will fall back to LoRA-only behavior.",
+            base_url,
+            caps.probe_error,
+        )
+    return caps
+
+
+def select_weight_sync_transport(
+    caps: VLLMWeightSyncCapabilities,
+    *,
+    has_lora: bool,
+    vllm_lora_sync_pref: bool,
+) -> str:
+    """Pick the right transport for a (server caps, model type) combo.
+
+    Returns one of: ``"lora_filesystem"``, ``"nccl"``, ``"http_full"``, or
+    ``"none"``. The caller decides what to do with ``"none"`` (typically:
+    raise an error explaining the misconfiguration).
+
+    Selection table:
+        LoRA model + lora endpoint + lora-sync pref    → lora_filesystem
+        LoRA model + lora endpoint                     → lora_filesystem
+        LoRA model + nccl endpoint                     → nccl (broadcast merged adapter)
+        Full model + nccl endpoint                     → nccl
+        Full model + http endpoint                     → http_full
+        anything else                                  → none
+    """
+    if has_lora:
+        if (caps.lora_filesystem or caps.lora_axolotl) and vllm_lora_sync_pref:
+            return "lora_filesystem"
+        if caps.lora_filesystem or caps.lora_axolotl:
+            return "lora_filesystem"
+        if caps.nccl:
+            return "nccl"
+        return "none"
+    # Full-parameter model
+    if caps.nccl:
+        return "nccl"
+    if caps.http_full:
+        return "http_full"
+    return "none"
+
+
 class NemoGymPlugin(BasePlugin):
     """Plugin for NVIDIA NeMo Gym integration with Axolotl.
 
@@ -50,37 +152,69 @@ class NemoGymPlugin(BasePlugin):
         self._reward_fn = None
         self._dataset_lookup = None
         self._agent_servers = {}
+        self._vllm_caps: VLLMWeightSyncCapabilities | None = None
 
     def get_input_args(self):
         return "axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.NemoGymArgs"
 
     def pre_model_load(self, cfg):
-        """Apply monkeypatches before trainer creation."""
+        """Probe vLLM weight-sync routes and conditionally bypass NCCL init.
+
+        Replaces the previous unconditional ``init_communicator`` monkey-patch
+        with a probe of the configured vLLM server's ``/openapi.json``. We only
+        bypass NCCL init when the server we're talking to actually lacks the
+        ``/init_communicator/`` route (i.e. stock ``vllm serve``); against
+        TRL/axolotl serve modules that DO expose NCCL routes, we leave the
+        standard TRL flow alone so full-finetune training can sync weights.
+        """
         if not cfg.nemo_gym_enabled:
             return
 
-        # Always skip NCCL communicator init in NeMo Gym mode.
-        # NeMo Gym uses its own vLLM server (standard OpenAI API), not the TRL
-        # colocate/NCCL path. The NCCL init fails with vLLM V1 and standard servers.
         trl_cfg = getattr(cfg, "trl", None)
-        if trl_cfg and getattr(trl_cfg, "vllm_mode", "server") == "server":
+        if not (trl_cfg and getattr(trl_cfg, "vllm_mode", "server") == "server"):
+            return
+
+        host = getattr(trl_cfg, "vllm_server_host", None) or "127.0.0.1"
+        port = getattr(trl_cfg, "vllm_server_port", None) or 8000
+        base_url = f"http://{host}:{port}"
+        self._vllm_caps = probe_vllm_weight_sync(base_url)
+
+        if self._vllm_caps.probed:
+            LOG.info(
+                "NeMo Gym: vLLM weight-sync probe @ %s — nccl=%s lora_native=%s "
+                "lora_axolotl=%s http_full=%s",
+                base_url,
+                self._vllm_caps.nccl,
+                self._vllm_caps.lora_filesystem,
+                self._vllm_caps.lora_axolotl,
+                self._vllm_caps.http_full,
+            )
+
+        # Only bypass NCCL init when the server doesn't speak it. If NCCL is
+        # available we leave VLLMClient.init_communicator alone so the
+        # standard TRL sync flow can run for full-parameter training.
+        if not self._vllm_caps.nccl:
             self._patch_skip_nccl_init()
 
     def _patch_skip_nccl_init(self):
         """Monkeypatch VLLMClient.init_communicator to no-op.
 
-        NeMo Gym uses its own vLLM server (standard OpenAI API or custom LoRA
-        serve script). The NCCL communicator is not needed and fails with both
-        vLLM V1 engine and standard OpenAI server mode.
+        Only called when the configured vLLM server doesn't expose
+        ``/init_communicator/`` (e.g. stock ``vllm serve``). In that case
+        TRL's standard ``init_communicator`` would 404 inside trainer
+        construction; we no-op it so the LoRA filesystem path can install
+        its own sync in ``post_trainer_create``.
         """
         try:
             from trl.generation.vllm_client import VLLMClient
 
             VLLMClient._original_init_communicator = VLLMClient.init_communicator
             VLLMClient.init_communicator = lambda self, **kwargs: LOG.info(
-                "Skipping NCCL init_communicator (LoRA sync mode)"
+                "Skipping NCCL init_communicator (server has no /init_communicator/)"
+            )
+            LOG.info(
+                "Patched VLLMClient.init_communicator to no-op (server has no NCCL routes)"
             )
-            LOG.info("Patched VLLMClient.init_communicator to no-op for LoRA sync")
         except Exception as exc:
             LOG.warning(f"Failed to patch VLLMClient: {exc}")
 
@@ -234,30 +368,80 @@ class NemoGymPlugin(BasePlugin):
         verify_timeout = cfg.nemo_gym_verify_timeout or 30
         multi_turn = cfg.nemo_gym_multi_turn or False
 
-        # Handle weight sync. NeMo Gym skips NCCL init, so we need to either:
-        # - Install LoRA sync (when vllm_lora_sync=True)
-        # - Or no-op sync_weights (when using standard vLLM server)
+        # Pick a weight-sync transport based on what the configured vLLM
+        # server actually exposes (see ``pre_model_load`` probe) and what
+        # kind of model we're training. The selection table is documented
+        # in ``select_weight_sync_transport``.
         trl_cfg = getattr(cfg, "trl", None)
         if hasattr(trainer, "vllm_generation") and trainer.vllm_generation:
             vllm_gen = trainer.vllm_generation
-            if trl_cfg and getattr(trl_cfg, "vllm_lora_sync", False):
+            adapter = getattr(cfg, "adapter", None)
+            has_lora = adapter in ("lora", "qlora")
+            vllm_lora_sync_pref = bool(
+                trl_cfg and getattr(trl_cfg, "vllm_lora_sync", False)
+            )
+            caps = self._vllm_caps or VLLMWeightSyncCapabilities()
+            transport = select_weight_sync_transport(
+                caps,
+                has_lora=has_lora,
+                vllm_lora_sync_pref=vllm_lora_sync_pref,
+            )
+
+            if transport == "lora_filesystem":
                 self._setup_lora_sync(trainer)
-                # Verify the vLLM server supports runtime LoRA loading
                 self._check_lora_endpoint(vllm_gen)
-            else:
-                # No NCCL, no LoRA sync — skip all weight sync paths
-                vllm_gen.sync_weights = lambda: LOG.debug(
-                    "Weight sync skipped (NeMo Gym mode)"
+                LOG.info("NeMo Gym weight sync: LoRA filesystem")
+            elif transport == "nccl":
+                # Standard TRL NCCL path. We leave ``VLLMClient.init_communicator``
+                # alone (pre_model_load only patched it when the probe found no
+                # NCCL route) so the trainer's normal weight-sync flow runs.
+                LOG.info(
+                    "NeMo Gym weight sync: NCCL (server exposes /init_communicator/)"
                 )
-                type(vllm_gen).sync_weights = lambda self: LOG.debug(
-                    "Weight sync skipped (NeMo Gym mode)"
+            elif transport == "http_full":
+                # Full-parameter HTTP sync — implementation lands in step 3.
+                # For now, fail loudly so users know the path is detected but
+                # not yet wired up, instead of silently no-oping like before.
+                raise NotImplementedError(
+                    "NeMo Gym + full fine-tune + HTTP weight sync is detected "
+                    "but the client-side sync helper is not yet implemented "
+                    "(planned). Use `adapter: lora|qlora` for now, or use a "
+                    "vLLM serve module that exposes /init_communicator/ for "
+                    "NCCL sync."
                 )
-                # Also patch the async trainer's internal sync method
-                if hasattr(trainer, "_maybe_sync_vllm_weights"):
-                    trainer._maybe_sync_vllm_weights = lambda: LOG.debug(
-                        "Async weight sync skipped (NeMo Gym mode)"
+            else:  # transport == "none"
+                # No viable sync path. Build a precise error so the user knows
+                # exactly what's missing and how to fix it.
+                if not caps.probed:
+                    msg = (
+                        "could not probe the vLLM server's "
+                        f"/openapi.json: {caps.probe_error}. "
+                        "Verify that vLLM is reachable at "
+                        f"{getattr(trl_cfg, 'vllm_server_host', '?')}:"
+                        f"{getattr(trl_cfg, 'vllm_server_port', '?')}."
                     )
-                LOG.info("Disabled weight sync (NeMo Gym mode, no LoRA sync)")
+                elif has_lora:
+                    msg = (
+                        "the vLLM server has neither NCCL routes "
+                        "(/init_communicator/) nor a LoRA-loading route "
+                        "(/v1/load_lora_adapter or /set_lora_adapter/). "
+                        "Restart vLLM with `--enable-lora --max-lora-rank N "
+                        "VLLM_ALLOW_RUNTIME_LORA_UPDATING=1` for the stock "
+                        "server, or use `axolotl vllm-serve` for the "
+                        "NCCL-capable serve module."
+                    )
+                else:
+                    msg = (
+                        "the vLLM server exposes no full-parameter sync route "
+                        "(/init_communicator/ for NCCL or /http_update_weights/ "
+                        "for HTTP). Use `axolotl vllm-serve` (which has both) "
+                        "or set `adapter: lora|qlora`."
+                    )
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"NeMo Gym: no usable weight-sync transport — {msg} Without "
+                    "weight sync the trainer's gradient updates never reach the "
+                    "rollout policy (functionally a no-op trainer)."
+                )
 
         if multi_turn:
             self._wire_multi_turn(cfg, trainer, model_name, verify_timeout)

src/axolotl/integrations/nemo_gym/server.py

@@ -130,21 +130,41 @@ def start_servers(
     )
 
 
-def get_server_configs(head_port: int = 11000) -> dict:
+def get_server_configs(head_port: int = 11000, timeout: float = 30.0) -> dict:
     """Fetch the global config from the NeMo Gym head server.
 
+    Retries up to 3 times with exponential backoff. The default per-attempt
+    timeout is 30s (raised from the original 5s) because head servers can
+    be slow to respond when they're concurrently serving rollouts from a
+    prior training run. A 5s timeout was empirically too tight to survive
+    a kill-and-relaunch cycle.
+
     Returns:
         Dict mapping server_name -> server config.
     """
-    response = requests.get(
-        f"http://127.0.0.1:{head_port}/global_config_dict_yaml", timeout=5
+    url = f"http://127.0.0.1:{head_port}/global_config_dict_yaml"
+    last_exc: Exception | None = None
+    for attempt in (1, 2, 3):
+        try:
+            response = requests.get(url, timeout=timeout)
+            response.raise_for_status()
+            result = yaml.safe_load(response.text)
+            # NeMo Gym head server double-encodes: YAML string inside a YAML string
+            if isinstance(result, str):
+                result = yaml.safe_load(result)
+            return result
+        except (requests.exceptions.RequestException, OSError) as exc:
+            last_exc = exc
+            LOG.warning(
+                "NeMo Gym head probe attempt %d/3 failed: %s. Retrying...",
+                attempt,
+                type(exc).__name__,
+            )
+            if attempt < 3:
+                time.sleep(2.0 * attempt)
+    raise RuntimeError(
+        f"NeMo Gym head server at {url} did not respond after 3 attempts: {last_exc}"
     )
-    response.raise_for_status()
-    result = yaml.safe_load(response.text)
-    # NeMo Gym head server double-encodes: YAML string inside a YAML string
-    if isinstance(result, str):
-        result = yaml.safe_load(result)
-    return result
 
 
 def get_agent_servers(

src/axolotl/kernels/gemma4_fused_rope.py

@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ def _rms_norm_rope_forward_kernel(
     RSTD_ptr,
     RSTD_row_stride,
     n_cols,
+    n_rot,
     n_heads,
     eps,
     HAS_WEIGHT: tl.constexpr,
@@ -60,28 +61,35 @@ def _rms_norm_rope_forward_kernel(
 ):
     """
     Fused forward:
-      x_norm = x / rms(x) [* weight]   (RMSNorm)
-      y = x_norm * cos + rotate_half(x_norm) * sin  (RoPE)
+      x_norm = x / rms(x) [* weight]   (RMSNorm, full n_cols)
+      y[..., :n_rot]  = rope(x_norm[..., :n_rot])
+      y[..., n_rot:]  = x_norm[..., n_rot:]   (pass-through for partial rotary)
 
-    rotate_half swaps first/second halves and negates the first:
-      rotate_half([a, b]) = [-b, a]
+    rotate_half swaps first/second halves and negates the first, restricted
+    to the rotary span [0, n_rot):
+      rotate_half([a, b]) = [-b, a]   where len(a) = len(b) = n_rot/2
+
+    For the partial-rotary pass-through region we load cos with default 1.0
+    and sin with default 0.0 outside [0, n_rot), so the same formula
+    `Y = X_norm * cos + X_rot_norm * sin` collapses to `Y = X_norm`.
 
     cos/sin are indexed by row_idx // n_heads to handle per-head broadcast
-    (cos/sin have shape (B*S, D) while X has shape (B*S*H, D)).
+    (cos/sin have shape (B*S, n_rot) while X has shape (B*S*H, n_cols)).
     """
     row_idx = tl.program_id(0).to(tl.int64)
-    # cos/sin row: divide by n_heads since cos/sin are (B*S, D)
+    # cos/sin row: divide by n_heads since cos/sin are (B*S, n_rot)
     cs_row_idx = row_idx // n_heads
     col_offsets = tl.arange(0, BLOCK_SIZE)
     mask = col_offsets < n_cols
-    half_dim = n_cols // 2
+    rot_mask_col = col_offsets < n_rot
+    half_rot = n_rot // 2
 
     # Load input row
     X_row = tl.load(X_ptr + row_idx * X_row_stride + col_offsets, mask=mask, other=0)
     X_dtype = X_row.dtype
     X_fp32 = X_row.to(tl.float32)
 
-    # RMSNorm: compute 1/rms
+    # RMSNorm: compute 1/rms over the full row (rotary + pass-through)
     mean_sq = tl.sum(X_fp32 * X_fp32, axis=0) / n_cols
     rstd = rsqrt(mean_sq + eps)
     tl.store(RSTD_ptr + row_idx * RSTD_row_stride, rstd)
@@ -94,33 +102,38 @@ def _rms_norm_rope_forward_kernel(
         W_row = tl.load(W_ptr + col_offsets, mask=mask, other=0).to(tl.float32)
         X_norm = X_norm * W_row
 
-    # RoPE: load cos/sin (broadcast across heads)
+    # RoPE: load cos/sin (broadcast across heads). For col >= n_rot we get
+    # cos=1, sin=0 so the formula leaves X_norm untouched.
     cos_row = tl.load(
-        COS_ptr + cs_row_idx * COS_row_stride + col_offsets, mask=mask, other=0
+        COS_ptr + cs_row_idx * COS_row_stride + col_offsets,
+        mask=rot_mask_col,
+        other=1.0,
     ).to(tl.float32)
     sin_row = tl.load(
-        SIN_ptr + cs_row_idx * SIN_row_stride + col_offsets, mask=mask, other=0
+        SIN_ptr + cs_row_idx * SIN_row_stride + col_offsets,
+        mask=rot_mask_col,
+        other=0.0,
     ).to(tl.float32)
 
-    # rotate_half: for col < half_dim, take -X_norm[col + half_dim]
-    #              for col >= half_dim, take  X_norm[col - half_dim]
+    # rotate_half within [0, n_rot):
+    #   for col < half_rot:  take -X_norm[col + half_rot]
+    #   for col in [half_rot, n_rot): take  X_norm[col - half_rot]
+    # For col >= n_rot the rotation is irrelevant (sin = 0 zeros it out).
     rot_offsets = tl.where(
-        col_offsets < half_dim, col_offsets + half_dim, col_offsets - half_dim
+        col_offsets < half_rot, col_offsets + half_rot, col_offsets - half_rot
     )
-    rot_mask = rot_offsets < n_cols
+    rot_load_mask = (rot_offsets < n_cols) & rot_mask_col
     X_rot = tl.load(
-        X_ptr + row_idx * X_row_stride + rot_offsets, mask=rot_mask & mask, other=0
+        X_ptr + row_idx * X_row_stride + rot_offsets, mask=rot_load_mask, other=0
     ).to(tl.float32)
     # Re-normalize the rotated values
     X_rot_norm = X_rot * rstd
     if HAS_WEIGHT:
-        W_rot = tl.load(W_ptr + rot_offsets, mask=rot_mask & mask, other=0).to(
-            tl.float32
-        )
+        W_rot = tl.load(W_ptr + rot_offsets, mask=rot_load_mask, other=0).to(tl.float32)
         X_rot_norm = X_rot_norm * W_rot
 
     # Negate the first half (rotate_half negates x2, which becomes the first half)
-    sign = tl.where(col_offsets < half_dim, -1.0, 1.0)
+    sign = tl.where(col_offsets < half_rot, -1.0, 1.0)
     X_rot_norm = X_rot_norm * sign
 
     # Final RoPE: y = x_norm * cos + rotate_half(x_norm) * sin
@@ -153,13 +166,21 @@ def _rms_norm_rope_backward_kernel(
     dW_row_stride,
     n_rows,
     n_cols,
+    n_rot,
     n_heads,
     rows_per_program,
     HAS_WEIGHT: tl.constexpr,
     BLOCK_SIZE: tl.constexpr,
 ):
     """
-    Backward for Y = RoPE(RMSNorm(X, W))
+    Backward for Y = RoPE(RMSNorm(X, W)) with optional partial rotary
+    (`n_rot <= n_cols`).
+
+    For col < n_rot the standard RoPE adjoint applies. For col >= n_rot the
+    output is just the normalized row, so dN[col] = dY[col] (achieved by
+    loading cos with default 1.0 and forcing the rotate-half contribution
+    to zero outside the rotary span).
+
     cos/sin indexed by row_idx // n_heads for per-head broadcast.
     """
     row_block_id = tl.program_id(0).to(tl.int64)
@@ -167,7 +188,8 @@ def _rms_norm_rope_backward_kernel(
     row_end = min((row_block_id + 1) * rows_per_program, n_rows)
     col_offsets = tl.arange(0, BLOCK_SIZE)
     mask = col_offsets < n_cols
-    half_dim = n_cols // 2
+    rot_mask_col = col_offsets < n_rot
+    half_rot = n_rot // 2
 
     dW_acc = tl.zeros((BLOCK_SIZE,), dtype=tl.float32)
 
@@ -186,33 +208,37 @@ def _rms_norm_rope_backward_kernel(
         rstd = tl.load(RSTD_ptr + row_idx * RSTD_row_stride)
 
         cos_row = tl.load(
-            COS_ptr + cs_row_idx * COS_row_stride + col_offsets, mask=mask, other=0
+            COS_ptr + cs_row_idx * COS_row_stride + col_offsets,
+            mask=rot_mask_col,
+            other=1.0,
         ).to(tl.float32)
 
-        # dN = dY * cos + rotate_half^T(dY * sin)
+        # dN = dY * cos + rotate_half^T(dY * sin)   (within the rotary span)
         # rotate_half^T([a, b]) = [b, -a]  (adjoint of rotate_half)
         #
-        # Compute rotate_half_transpose(dY * sin) by loading dY and sin at
-        # rotated offsets directly:  dY[rot] * sin[rot] * adj_sign
-        # This is equivalent to rotating (dY * sin) because the rotation
-        # just permutes which elements are multiplied.
+        # For col >= n_rot the formula must collapse to dN = dY (since the
+        # forward is just a pass-through). cos defaults to 1.0 above; the
+        # rotate-half contribution is masked to zero below.
         rot_offsets = tl.where(
-            col_offsets < half_dim, col_offsets + half_dim, col_offsets - half_dim
+            col_offsets < half_rot, col_offsets + half_rot, col_offsets - half_rot
         )
-        rot_mask = rot_offsets < n_cols
+        rot_load_mask = (rot_offsets < n_cols) & rot_mask_col
         dY_rot = tl.load(
             dY_ptr + row_idx * dY_row_stride + rot_offsets,
-            mask=rot_mask & mask,
+            mask=rot_load_mask,
             other=0,
         ).to(tl.float32)
         sin_rot = tl.load(
             SIN_ptr + cs_row_idx * SIN_row_stride + rot_offsets,
-            mask=rot_mask & mask,
+            mask=rot_load_mask,
             other=0,
         ).to(tl.float32)
 
-        adj_sign = tl.where(col_offsets < half_dim, 1.0, -1.0)
-        dN = dY_row * cos_row + dY_rot * sin_rot * adj_sign
+        adj_sign = tl.where(col_offsets < half_rot, 1.0, -1.0)
+        rotate_term = dY_rot * sin_rot * adj_sign
+        # Zero out rotate-half contribution outside the rotary span.
+        rotate_term = tl.where(rot_mask_col, rotate_term, 0.0)
+        dN = dY_row * cos_row + rotate_term
 
         # Pre-weight normalized: n = rstd * x
         n = X_row * rstd
@@ -241,15 +267,17 @@ def _rms_norm_rope_backward_kernel(
         )
 
 
-def rms_norm_rope_forward(X, W, cos, sin, eps, n_heads):
+def rms_norm_rope_forward(X, W, cos, sin, eps, n_heads, n_rot):
     """
     Args:
         X:   (B*S*H, head_dim) — contiguous, flattened from (B, S, H, D)
         W:   (head_dim,) or None — RMSNorm weight
-        cos: (B*S, head_dim) — position embeddings (broadcast across heads)
-        sin: (B*S, head_dim) — position embeddings (broadcast across heads)
+        cos: (B*S, n_rot) — position embeddings (broadcast across heads)
+        sin: (B*S, n_rot) — position embeddings (broadcast across heads)
         eps: float
         n_heads: int — number of attention heads (for cos/sin indexing)
+        n_rot: int — rotary dim (== head_dim for full rotary, < head_dim for
+            partial rotary). Must be even and ``<= head_dim``.
     Returns:
         Y, X_saved, RSTD, BLOCK_SIZE, num_warps
     """
@@ -273,6 +301,7 @@ def rms_norm_rope_forward(X, W, cos, sin, eps, n_heads):
         RSTD,
         RSTD.stride(0),
         n_cols,
+        n_rot,
         n_heads,
         eps,
         HAS_WEIGHT=has_weight,
@@ -282,7 +311,9 @@ def rms_norm_rope_forward(X, W, cos, sin, eps, n_heads):
     return Y, X, RSTD, BLOCK_SIZE, num_warps
 
 
-def rms_norm_rope_backward(dY, X, W, cos, sin, RSTD, n_heads, BLOCK_SIZE, num_warps):
+def rms_norm_rope_backward(
+    dY, X, W, cos, sin, RSTD, n_heads, n_rot, BLOCK_SIZE, num_warps
+):
     n_rows, n_cols = dY.shape
     has_weight = W is not None
 
@@ -315,6 +346,7 @@ def rms_norm_rope_backward(dY, X, W, cos, sin, RSTD, n_heads, BLOCK_SIZE, num_wa
         _dW.stride(0),
         n_rows,
         n_cols,
+        n_rot,
         n_heads,
         rows_per_program,
         HAS_WEIGHT=has_weight,
@@ -329,13 +361,14 @@ def rms_norm_rope_backward(dY, X, W, cos, sin, RSTD, n_heads, BLOCK_SIZE, num_wa
 class FusedRMSNormRoPEFunction(torch.autograd.Function):
     @staticmethod
     @ensure_contiguous
-    def forward(ctx, X, W, cos, sin, eps, n_heads):
+    def forward(ctx, X, W, cos, sin, eps, n_heads, n_rot):
         """
-        X:   (B*S*H, head_dim)
-        W:   (head_dim,) or None
-        cos: (B*S, head_dim) — broadcast across heads
-        sin: (B*S, head_dim) — broadcast across heads
+        X:    (B*S*H, head_dim)
+        W:    (head_dim,) or None
+        cos:  (B*S, n_rot) — broadcast across heads
+        sin:  (B*S, n_rot) — broadcast across heads
         n_heads: int
+        n_rot:   int — rotary dim (<= head_dim)
         """
         Y, X_saved, RSTD, BLOCK_SIZE, num_warps = rms_norm_rope_forward(
             X,
@@ -344,11 +377,13 @@ class FusedRMSNormRoPEFunction(torch.autograd.Function):
             sin,
             eps,
             n_heads,
+            n_rot,
         )
         ctx.eps = eps
         ctx.BLOCK_SIZE = BLOCK_SIZE
         ctx.num_warps = num_warps
         ctx.n_heads = n_heads
+        ctx.n_rot = n_rot
         ctx.has_weight = W is not None
         ctx.save_for_backward(X_saved, W, cos, sin, RSTD)
         return Y
@@ -365,21 +400,26 @@ class FusedRMSNormRoPEFunction(torch.autograd.Function):
             sin,
             RSTD,
             ctx.n_heads,
+            ctx.n_rot,
             ctx.BLOCK_SIZE,
             ctx.num_warps,
         )
-        return dX, dW, None, None, None, None
+        return dX, dW, None, None, None, None, None
 
 
 def fused_rms_norm_rope(x, weight, cos, sin, eps=1e-6):
     """
-    Apply fused RMSNorm + RoPE.
+    Apply fused RMSNorm + (partial) RoPE.
 
     Args:
         x:      (batch, seq_len, num_heads, head_dim) — after projection + view
         weight: (head_dim,) — RMSNorm weight, or None for no-scale norm
-        cos:    (batch, seq_len, head_dim) — from RotaryEmbedding
-        sin:    (batch, seq_len, head_dim) — from RotaryEmbedding
+        cos:    (batch, seq_len, n_rot) — from RotaryEmbedding. ``n_rot``
+                must be even and ``<= head_dim``. When ``n_rot < head_dim``
+                the trailing ``head_dim - n_rot`` columns are RMSNorm-only
+                (partial-rotary pass-through), matching stock Gemma 4 with
+                ``partial_rotary_factor < 1.0``.
+        sin:    (batch, seq_len, n_rot) — same shape as ``cos``
         eps:    float — RMSNorm epsilon
 
     Returns:
@@ -387,14 +427,38 @@ def fused_rms_norm_rope(x, weight, cos, sin, eps=1e-6):
     """
     shape = x.shape  # (B, S, H, D)
     B, S, H, D = shape
+    n_rot = cos.shape[-1]
+    if sin.shape[-1] != n_rot:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"cos and sin must have the same last dim, got cos={cos.shape[-1]} "
+            f"sin={sin.shape[-1]}"
+        )
+    if n_rot > D:
+        raise ValueError(f"rotary dim ({n_rot}) cannot exceed head_dim ({D})")
+    if n_rot % 2 != 0:
+        raise ValueError(f"rotary dim must be even, got {n_rot}")
+
     # Flatten to 2D: (B*S*H, D)
     x_flat = x.reshape(-1, D).contiguous()
-    # Flatten cos/sin to (B*S, D) — the kernel will handle per-head broadcast
-    # by dividing the row_idx by H to get the cos/sin row
-    cos_flat = cos.reshape(B * S, D).contiguous()
-    sin_flat = sin.reshape(B * S, D).contiguous()
+    # cos/sin may broadcast over the batch dim (e.g. (1, S, n_rot) when
+    # all sequences share the same rotary positions). The kernel needs a
+    # dense (B*S, n_rot) buffer so that row_idx // n_heads maps cleanly
+    # onto a single (b, s) pair, so expand-then-contiguous to materialize
+    # the per-batch broadcast. Expand is a no-op when B == cos.shape[0].
+    if cos.shape[0] != B:
+        if cos.shape[0] != 1:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"cos/sin batch dim ({cos.shape[0]}) must be 1 or equal "
+                f"to x batch dim ({B})"
+            )
+        cos = cos.expand(B, S, n_rot)
+        sin = sin.expand(B, S, n_rot)
+    cos_flat = cos.reshape(B * S, n_rot).contiguous()
+    sin_flat = sin.reshape(B * S, n_rot).contiguous()
 
-    y_flat = FusedRMSNormRoPEFunction.apply(x_flat, weight, cos_flat, sin_flat, eps, H)
+    y_flat = FusedRMSNormRoPEFunction.apply(
+        x_flat, weight, cos_flat, sin_flat, eps, H, n_rot
+    )
     return y_flat.view(shape)
 
 

src/axolotl/loaders/patch_manager.py

@@ -156,6 +156,14 @@ class PatchManager:
             # which would clobber any earlier fix.
             self._fix_nemotron_h_conversion_mapping()
 
+        # Gemma 4 hybrid attention runs here in post-build (NOT post-load):
+        # the per-layer ``self_attn.config._attn_implementation="sdpa"``
+        # override needs to walk the raw model tree, which is broken by
+        # the post-load PEFT wrapping. The accompanying
+        # ``patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask`` monkey-patch is module-level and
+        # installation-time-independent, so both halves of the fix live
+        # cleanly in the same call even though one is instance-scoped
+        # and the other is module-scoped.
         self._apply_gemma_hybrid_attention(model)
         self._finalize_moe_expert_quantization(model)
 
@@ -173,12 +181,23 @@ class PatchManager:
         which exceeds flash attention's supported size. This patch loads the model
         with flash_attention_2 for the sliding window layers (head_dim=256), then
         gives each global layer a shallow-copied config with _attn_implementation="sdpa".
+
+        We also install :func:`axolotl.monkeypatch.gemma4_hybrid_mask.patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask`
+        which fixes the corresponding mask construction inside
+        ``Gemma4TextModel.forward``. Without it, the per-layer SDPA config
+        override is not enough — the forward still builds a 2D FA2-format mask
+        at the model level and the SDPA layers crash at long context lengths
+        with ``RuntimeError: The expanded size of the tensor ... must match``.
         """
         if not self.cfg.gemma4_hybrid_attn_impl:
             return
 
         import copy
 
+        from axolotl.monkeypatch.gemma4_hybrid_mask import patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask
+
+        patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask()
+
         # Navigate to the module that has 'layers' - varies by model structure:
         # Gemma4ForConditionalGeneration -> .model (Gemma4Model) -> .language_model (Gemma4TextModel) -> .layers
         # Gemma4ForCausalLM -> .model (Gemma4TextModel) -> .layers
@@ -392,6 +411,14 @@ class PatchManager:
                 patch_qwen3_5_vlm_flash_attention()
 
             if self.cfg.model_config_type in ("gemma4", "gemma4_text"):
+                # The fused attn path is now compatible with
+                # ``gemma4_hybrid_attn_impl``: the kernel handles partial
+                # rotary (cos.shape[-1] < head_dim) and the fused forward
+                # mirrors the current ``Gemma4TextAttention.forward`` API
+                # for shared kv (read from / write to
+                # ``past_key_values.shared_layers``). See
+                # ``src/axolotl/kernels/GEMMA4_FUSED_ROPE_HYBRID_ATTN_BUG.md``
+                # for the history.
                 from axolotl.monkeypatch.models.gemma4.fused_attn import (
                     patch_gemma4_fused_attn,
                 )

src/axolotl/monkeypatch/gemma4_hybrid_mask.py

@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+"""Hybrid attention mask fix for Gemma 4.
+
+Gemma 4 has full-attention (global) layers with ``head_dim=512`` which
+exceeds flash-attention-2's supported size. Axolotl's hybrid-attention
+patch in ``patch_manager._apply_gemma_hybrid_attention`` works around
+this by forcing ``_attn_implementation="sdpa"`` on each global layer's
+``self_attn.config``, leaving sliding-window layers on FA2.
+
+The per-layer config override alone is insufficient, however:
+``Gemma4TextModel.forward`` builds a single ``causal_mask_mapping`` dict
+using the **model-level** config and passes the mapped mask to each
+decoder layer. With FA2 still set at the model level, the ``full_attention``
+entry in that mapping is a 2D mask (FA2 format), but SDPA needs a 4D mask.
+The global layers then fail with::
+
+    RuntimeError: The expanded size of the tensor (S) must match the existing
+    size (B) at non-singleton dimension 2. Target sizes: [B, H, S, S]. Tensor
+    sizes: [B, S]
+
+...when the sequence length grows past roughly 7k tokens.
+
+This module fixes the symptom by monkey-patching ``create_causal_mask`` in
+``transformers.models.gemma4.modeling_gemma4``'s module namespace — NOT
+the original in ``masking_utils``. The wrapper forces
+``_attn_implementation="sdpa"`` on a shallow-copied config before calling
+through, so the ``full_attention`` mask built inside ``Gemma4TextModel.forward``
+is always 4D/SDPA-compatible. ``create_sliding_window_causal_mask`` is left
+alone, so sliding-window layers continue to receive FA2-format masks.
+
+The patch is idempotent. Install once per process, before any Gemma 4
+forward pass runs.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import copy
+from typing import Any
+
+from axolotl.utils.logging import get_logger
+
+LOG = get_logger(__name__)
+
+_PATCH_APPLIED = False
+
+
+def patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask() -> bool:
+    """Install the Gemma 4 hybrid-attention mask fix.
+
+    Returns ``True`` if the patch was installed (or was already installed),
+    ``False`` if the target module could not be imported (e.g. transformers
+    version predates Gemma 4) — in which case nothing is done and the
+    caller can continue unaffected.
+    """
+    global _PATCH_APPLIED
+    if _PATCH_APPLIED:
+        return True
+
+    try:
+        from transformers.models.gemma4 import modeling_gemma4
+    except ImportError:
+        LOG.debug(
+            "gemma4_hybrid_mask: transformers.models.gemma4 not importable, "
+            "skipping. This is fine for non-Gemma4 training."
+        )
+        return False
+
+    if not hasattr(modeling_gemma4, "create_causal_mask"):
+        LOG.warning(
+            "gemma4_hybrid_mask: modeling_gemma4 has no 'create_causal_mask' "
+            "binding, skipping. Transformers API may have changed."
+        )
+        return False
+
+    original = modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask
+
+    def hybrid_create_causal_mask(config: Any, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any):
+        """Wrapper that forces SDPA format for the full-attention mask.
+
+        The global layers were patched to SDPA by
+        ``_apply_gemma_hybrid_attention``, so their mask must be 4D. The
+        original ``create_causal_mask`` dispatches on
+        ``config._attn_implementation``; we shadow that with a local
+        override.
+        """
+        sdpa_config = copy.copy(config)
+        sdpa_config._attn_implementation = "sdpa"
+        return original(sdpa_config, *args, **kwargs)
+
+    # Preserve the original reference on the wrapper for tests / teardown.
+    hybrid_create_causal_mask._axolotl_original = original  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+
+    modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask = hybrid_create_causal_mask
+    _PATCH_APPLIED = True
+    LOG.info(
+        "gemma4_hybrid_mask: patched modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask to "
+        "force SDPA-format masks for full-attention layers"
+    )
+    return True
+
+
+def unpatch_gemma4_hybrid_mask() -> None:
+    """Restore the original ``create_causal_mask``. Useful for tests."""
+    global _PATCH_APPLIED
+    if not _PATCH_APPLIED:
+        return
+    try:
+        from transformers.models.gemma4 import modeling_gemma4
+    except ImportError:
+        _PATCH_APPLIED = False
+        return
+    current = modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask
+    original = getattr(current, "_axolotl_original", None)
+    if original is not None:
+        modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask = original
+    _PATCH_APPLIED = False

src/axolotl/monkeypatch/tiled_mlp/patch.py

@@ -24,7 +24,15 @@ def patch_tiled_mlp(model_type, use_original_mlp=True, cfg_num_shards=None):
         module_path = f"transformers.models.{model_type}.modeling_{model_type}"
         model_cls_prefix, _ = get_causal_lm_model_cls_prefix(model_type)
         module = __import__(module_path, fromlist=[f"{model_cls_prefix}MLP"])
-        mlp_cls = getattr(module, f"{model_cls_prefix}MLP")
+        # Some multimodal wrappers (e.g. Gemma 4) name the MLP class
+        # ``{prefix}TextMLP`` rather than ``{prefix}MLP`` because the
+        # language-side module is separated from the vision tower. Try
+        # both names before giving up.
+        mlp_cls = getattr(
+            module,
+            f"{model_cls_prefix}MLP",
+            None,
+        ) or getattr(module, f"{model_cls_prefix}TextMLP")
 
         if use_original_mlp:
             mlp_forward = mlp_cls.forward

src/axolotl/scripts/vllm_serve_lora.py

@@ -320,6 +320,15 @@ def main(script_args: ScriptArguments):
     # --- Active LoRA state (shared across endpoints via closure) ---
     active_lora: dict = {"request": None}
 
+    # Serializes access to the worker pipe. The underlying
+    # multiprocessing.Connection is a single full-duplex stream shared
+    # across all HTTP handlers; concurrent requests interleave bytes on
+    # the wire and corrupt the pickle framing (seen as
+    # ``UnpicklingError: pickle data was truncated``). Any endpoint that
+    # does ``conn.send(...); conn.recv()`` MUST hold this lock across
+    # the round-trip so only one inflight call at a time per pipe.
+    worker_pipe_lock = asyncio.Lock()
+
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------
     # LoRA-specific endpoints
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -631,6 +640,150 @@ def main(script_args: ScriptArguments):
             },
         }
 
+    @app.post("/v1/completions")
+    async def openai_completions(request_body: dict):
+        """OpenAI-compatible text-completions endpoint.
+
+        Accepts either a string ``prompt`` or a list-of-int
+        ``prompt_token_ids`` (as the text-completions spec allows). Routes
+        to the internal vLLM generate method with the active LoRA adapter
+        and returns an OpenAI /v1/completions-shaped response including
+        per-choice ``prompt_token_ids``, ``generation_token_ids``, and
+        ``generation_log_probs`` for NeMo Gym agents that need raw
+        tokens + logprobs.
+        """
+        import uuid
+
+        prompt_raw = request_body.get("prompt")
+        temperature = request_body.get("temperature", 1.0)
+        max_tokens = request_body.get("max_tokens", 512)
+        top_p = request_body.get("top_p", 1.0)
+        n = request_body.get("n", 1)
+        logprobs = request_body.get("logprobs") or 0
+        stop_token_ids = request_body.get("stop_token_ids") or None
+
+        # Accept either a string or a list[int] token id prompt. Lists
+        # must contain ints only (raise on lists of strings so callers get
+        # a clear error). Also accept [[int, int, ...]] nesting for the
+        # rare case callers pass a single-prompt batch.
+        if (
+            isinstance(prompt_raw, list)
+            and prompt_raw
+            and isinstance(prompt_raw[0], list)
+        ):
+            prompt_raw = prompt_raw[0]
+
+        prompt_dict: dict[str, Any] = {}
+        if isinstance(prompt_raw, list):
+            prompt_dict = {"prompt_token_ids": prompt_raw}
+        elif isinstance(prompt_raw, str):
+            prompt_dict = {"prompt": prompt_raw}
+        else:
+            return {
+                "error": {
+                    "message": ("prompt must be a string or a list of token ids"),
+                    "type": "invalid_request",
+                }
+            }
+
+        generation_kwargs: dict[str, Any] = {
+            "n": n,
+            "temperature": temperature,
+            "top_p": top_p,
+            "max_tokens": max_tokens,
+            "logprobs": logprobs,
+        }
+        if stop_token_ids:
+            generation_kwargs["stop_token_ids"] = stop_token_ids
+        sampling_params = SamplingParams(
+            **{k: v for k, v in generation_kwargs.items() if v is not None}
+        )
+
+        chunked = chunk_list([prompt_dict], script_args.data_parallel_size)
+
+        # Hold the pipe lock across send+recv — concurrent requests would
+        # otherwise interleave pickle frames on the worker connection.
+        async with worker_pipe_lock:
+            for conn, chunk in zip(connections, chunked, strict=True):
+                if not chunk:
+                    chunk = [{"prompt": "<placeholder>"}]
+                kwargs = {
+                    "prompts": chunk,
+                    "sampling_params": sampling_params,
+                    "lora_request": active_lora["request"],
+                }
+                conn.send({"type": "call", "method": "generate", "kwargs": kwargs})
+
+            loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
+            all_outputs = await asyncio.gather(
+                *(loop.run_in_executor(None, safe_recv, conn) for conn in connections)
+            )
+
+        all_outputs = [o for o, c in zip(all_outputs, chunked, strict=True) if c]
+        for o in all_outputs:
+            if isinstance(o, dict) and "error" in o:
+                raise RuntimeError(f"vLLM worker error: {o['error']}")
+        all_outputs = list(chain.from_iterable(all_outputs))
+
+        if not all_outputs:
+            return {"choices": [], "model": script_args.model}
+
+        choices = []
+        for i, output in enumerate(all_outputs):
+            for j, out in enumerate(output.outputs):
+                text = out.text
+                # OpenAI-style `logprobs` block for text-completions:
+                #   { "tokens": [...], "token_logprobs": [...] }
+                lp_block = None
+                if out.logprobs:
+                    tokens_str: list[str] = []
+                    token_lps: list[float] = []
+                    for step in out.logprobs:
+                        chosen = next(iter(step.values()))
+                        tokens_str.append(getattr(chosen, "decoded_token", "") or "")
+                        token_lps.append(float(chosen.logprob))
+                    lp_block = {
+                        "tokens": tokens_str,
+                        "token_logprobs": token_lps,
+                    }
+
+                choice = {
+                    "index": i * n + j,
+                    "text": text,
+                    "finish_reason": "stop"
+                    if out.finish_reason == "stop"
+                    else "length",
+                    "logprobs": lp_block,
+                    # NeMo-Gym / retrace agent extras — preserved on the
+                    # choice so callers with raw-token pipelines don't
+                    # have to re-tokenize.
+                    "prompt_token_ids": output.prompt_token_ids,
+                    "generation_token_ids": list(out.token_ids),
+                    "generation_log_probs": (
+                        [float(next(iter(lp.values())).logprob) for lp in out.logprobs]
+                        if out.logprobs
+                        else []
+                    ),
+                }
+                choices.append(choice)
+
+        prompt_tokens = len(all_outputs[0].prompt_token_ids) if all_outputs else 0
+        completion_tokens = sum(
+            len(out.token_ids) for o in all_outputs for out in o.outputs
+        )
+
+        return {
+            "id": f"cmpl-{uuid.uuid4().hex[:8]}",
+            "object": "text_completion",
+            "model": script_args.model,
+            "choices": choices,
+            "usage": {
+                "prompt_tokens": prompt_tokens,
+                "completion_tokens": completion_tokens,
+                "total_tokens": prompt_tokens + completion_tokens,
+            },
+        }
+
     # --- Weight sync endpoints (legacy fallback, same as TRL) ---
 
     @app.post("/init_communicator/")

src/axolotl/utils/schemas/validation.py

@@ -770,6 +770,88 @@ class RLValidationMixin:
             )
         return data
 
+    @model_validator(mode="before")
+    @classmethod
+    def check_grpo_batch_size_divisibility(cls, data):
+        """Surface GRPO batch-shape mismatches at config-parse time.
+
+        TRL's GRPOTrainer requires that the per-step generation batch size be
+        evenly divisible by ``num_generations`` so that every prompt can be
+        replicated exactly ``num_generations`` times. The runtime check inside
+        ``GRPOTrainer.__init__`` only fires after the model has been loaded —
+        too late and too cryptic for the user. We replicate the check here so
+        the failure is immediate and actionable.
+
+        Also enforces:
+          - ``num_generations >= 2`` (group-relative advantage needs variance)
+          - ``effective_gbs >= num_generations * world_size`` when capabilities
+            indicate multiple ranks (each rank needs at least one full group)
+        """
+        if data.get("rl") != "grpo":
+            return data
+
+        trl_cfg = data.get("trl") or {}
+        num_gen = trl_cfg.get("num_generations")
+        if num_gen is None:
+            # TRL's own default is 8 — but if the user didn't set it, we
+            # don't have enough info to validate anything. Let TRL's own
+            # init handle the default-vs-batch interaction.
+            return data
+        if num_gen < 2:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"GRPO requires `trl.num_generations >= 2` (got {num_gen}). "
+                "With num_generations=1, every group has zero advantage and "
+                "the policy never updates."
+            )
+
+        explicit_gbs = trl_cfg.get("generation_batch_size")
+        if explicit_gbs is not None:
+            effective_gbs = int(explicit_gbs)
+            gbs_source = "trl.generation_batch_size"
+        else:
+            mb = data.get("micro_batch_size") or 1
+            ga = data.get("gradient_accumulation_steps") or 1
+            effective_gbs = int(mb) * int(ga)
+            gbs_source = f"micro_batch_size ({mb}) * gradient_accumulation_steps ({ga})"
+
+        if effective_gbs % num_gen != 0:
+            # Suggest the smallest GA bump that fixes it for the common case
+            # where the user hasn't set generation_batch_size explicitly.
+            hint = ""
+            if explicit_gbs is None:
+                from math import gcd
+
+                mb_val = int(data.get("micro_batch_size") or 1)
+                # smallest GA such that mb*GA is a multiple of num_gen
+                lcm = num_gen * mb_val // gcd(num_gen, mb_val)
+                suggested_ga = lcm // mb_val
+                hint = (
+                    f" Smallest fix: set `gradient_accumulation_steps: "
+                    f"{suggested_ga}` (so micro_batch_size * GA = "
+                    f"{mb_val * suggested_ga} is a multiple of {num_gen})."
+                )
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"GRPO: generation batch size must be divisible by "
+                f"`trl.num_generations`. Got effective_gbs={effective_gbs} "
+                f"(from {gbs_source}) and num_generations={num_gen}.{hint}"
+            )
+
+        # Multi-rank check: each rank must receive at least one full group
+        # per step. Without `capabilities` populated yet (mode='before'), we
+        # fall back to user-set distributed fields.
+        world_size = (
+            (data.get("capabilities") or {}).get("n_gpu") or data.get("world_size") or 1
+        )
+        if world_size and world_size > 1 and effective_gbs < num_gen * world_size:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"GRPO with world_size={world_size} requires effective_gbs "
+                f">= num_generations * world_size = {num_gen * world_size}, "
+                f"got {effective_gbs}. Increase gradient_accumulation_steps "
+                f"or micro_batch_size."
+            )
+
+        return data
+
 
 class OptimizationValidationMixin:
     """Validation methods related to optimization and performance."""

tests/core/test_async_grpo.py

@@ -216,5 +216,197 @@ class TestValidateQuantPatchRestore(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIs(_trainer_module.validate_quantization_for_training, original)
 
 
+class TestVllmLoraSyncPatch(unittest.TestCase):
+    """The ``_generate_single_turn`` patch wires sync_weights to the right place.
+
+    These tests exercise the patch-installation branch in isolation. They build
+    a stub trainer with just enough attributes to look like
+    ``AsyncGRPOTrainer`` for the duration of the relevant code path.
+
+    Background — there are two correct behaviors and we historically had a bug
+    where both modes used the same one:
+
+      - Async prefetch ON: the BG generation thread can't safely call
+        sync_weights mid-rollout. We no-op the stock hook and drive sync from
+        the main thread via ``_maybe_sync_vllm_weights``.
+      - Async prefetch OFF: TRL's stock ``_generate_single_turn`` already
+        calls ``sync_weights`` once per step boundary on the main thread. We
+        wire that hook directly to ``_sync_lora_adapter`` because
+        ``_maybe_sync_vllm_weights`` short-circuits when async is off.
+
+    Before the fix, both modes installed ``lambda: None``, so sync mode never
+    pushed any LoRA adapter to vLLM and the trainer was a no-op.
+    """
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _make_stub_trainer(*, vllm_lora_sync, async_prefetch):
+        from axolotl.core.trainers.grpo.async_trainer import (
+            AsyncGRPOTrainer,
+        )
+
+        class FakeArgs:
+            pass
+
+        args = FakeArgs()
+        args.vllm_lora_sync = vllm_lora_sync
+        args.async_prefetch = async_prefetch
+
+        class FakeVllmGen:
+            sync_weights = staticmethod(lambda: None)
+            model = MagicMock()
+
+        # Use object.__new__ so we don't run __init__ (which needs a real
+        # model, dataset, etc.). We only need the `_generate_single_turn`
+        # method's patch branch to run, so we set up the minimum state.
+        trainer = object.__new__(AsyncGRPOTrainer)
+        trainer.args = args
+        trainer.use_vllm = True
+        trainer.vllm_generation = FakeVllmGen()
+        trainer._patched_sync_weights = False
+        # Spy on _sync_lora_adapter so we can assert it's the function the
+        # hook delegates to in sync mode.
+        trainer._sync_lora_adapter = MagicMock(name="_sync_lora_adapter_spy")
+        trainer._sync_peft_weights_no_merge = MagicMock(
+            name="_sync_peft_weights_no_merge_spy"
+        )
+        return trainer
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _run_patch_branch(trainer):
+        """Execute just the sync_weights-patching branch in isolation.
+
+        We can't easily call the real ``_generate_single_turn`` because it
+        does a full vLLM generate. Instead we copy the exact branch out of
+        the source so the test verifies the same logic the trainer runs.
+        """
+        if not getattr(trainer, "_patched_sync_weights", False):
+            if trainer.use_vllm and hasattr(trainer, "vllm_generation"):
+                if getattr(trainer.args, "vllm_lora_sync", False):
+                    if getattr(trainer.args, "async_prefetch", False):
+                        trainer.vllm_generation.sync_weights = lambda: None
+                    else:
+                        sync_helper = trainer._sync_lora_adapter
+
+                        def _lora_filesystem_sync():
+                            sync_helper()
+
+                        trainer.vllm_generation.sync_weights = _lora_filesystem_sync
+                    trainer._patched_sync_weights = True
+
+    def test_sync_mode_with_lora_sync_wires_to_sync_lora_adapter(self):
+        trainer = self._make_stub_trainer(vllm_lora_sync=True, async_prefetch=False)
+        self._run_patch_branch(trainer)
+
+        assert trainer._patched_sync_weights is True
+        # Trigger the patched hook — it must call _sync_lora_adapter.
+        trainer.vllm_generation.sync_weights()
+        trainer._sync_lora_adapter.assert_called_once()
+
+    def test_async_mode_with_lora_sync_installs_noop_hook(self):
+        trainer = self._make_stub_trainer(vllm_lora_sync=True, async_prefetch=True)
+        self._run_patch_branch(trainer)
+
+        assert trainer._patched_sync_weights is True
+        # Hook must be a no-op so BG-thread generation doesn't fight the
+        # main-thread optimizer step over the model weights.
+        trainer.vllm_generation.sync_weights()
+        trainer._sync_lora_adapter.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_sync_mode_with_lora_sync_does_not_call_during_install(self):
+        """Installing the patch should not pre-emptively sync."""
+        trainer = self._make_stub_trainer(vllm_lora_sync=True, async_prefetch=False)
+        self._run_patch_branch(trainer)
+        # _sync_lora_adapter should only be called when the patched hook
+        # itself is invoked (e.g., from TRL's _generate_single_turn).
+        trainer._sync_lora_adapter.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_patch_is_idempotent(self):
+        trainer = self._make_stub_trainer(vllm_lora_sync=True, async_prefetch=False)
+        self._run_patch_branch(trainer)
+        first_hook = trainer.vllm_generation.sync_weights
+        # Second call must not re-patch (otherwise we'd lose the original).
+        self._run_patch_branch(trainer)
+        assert trainer.vllm_generation.sync_weights is first_hook
+
+
+class TestMaybeSyncVllmWeightsIntervalDefault(unittest.TestCase):
+    """``_maybe_sync_vllm_weights`` must not crash when interval is unset.
+
+    Before the fix, ``step % self.args.vllm_sync_interval`` would TypeError
+    on the very first call when ``vllm_sync_interval`` was ``None`` (which
+    is the default for any config that doesn't explicitly set it). We now
+    fall back to interval=1 so unset means "sync every step", matching the
+    behavior of TRL's own ``_generate_single_turn``.
+    """
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _make_stub_trainer(interval, async_prefetch):
+        from axolotl.core.trainers.grpo.async_trainer import (
+            AsyncGRPOTrainer,
+        )
+
+        class FakeArgs:
+            pass
+
+        args = FakeArgs()
+        args.async_prefetch = async_prefetch
+        args.vllm_sync_interval = interval
+        args.vllm_lora_sync = True
+
+        class FakeState:
+            global_step = 1
+
+        trainer = object.__new__(AsyncGRPOTrainer)
+        trainer.args = args
+        trainer.use_vllm = True
+        trainer.state = FakeState()
+        trainer._last_synced_step = 0
+        trainer._sync_lora_adapter = MagicMock(name="sync_spy")
+        return trainer
+
+    def test_interval_none_in_async_mode_does_not_crash(self):
+        trainer = self._make_stub_trainer(interval=None, async_prefetch=True)
+        from axolotl.core.trainers.grpo.async_trainer import (
+            AsyncGRPOTrainer,
+        )
+
+        # Should not raise TypeError — defaults to every-step sync
+        AsyncGRPOTrainer._maybe_sync_vllm_weights(trainer)
+        trainer._sync_lora_adapter.assert_called_once()
+
+    def test_sync_mode_drives_sync(self):
+        """Sync mode must fire ``_sync_lora_adapter`` from ``_maybe_sync_vllm_weights``.
+
+        The previous behavior (early return when ``not async_prefetch``)
+        assumed TRL's stock ``_generate_single_turn`` would handle sync.
+        That's true for vanilla GRPO but FALSE for NeMo Gym multi-turn
+        where the data producer bypasses ``_generate_single_turn``
+        entirely. Without this trigger no sync ever happens and the
+        trainer becomes a no-op.
+        """
+        trainer = self._make_stub_trainer(interval=1, async_prefetch=False)
+        from axolotl.core.trainers.grpo.async_trainer import (
+            AsyncGRPOTrainer,
+        )
+
+        AsyncGRPOTrainer._maybe_sync_vllm_weights(trainer)
+        trainer._sync_lora_adapter.assert_called_once()
+
+    def test_async_mode_with_explicit_interval_respects_modulo(self):
+        trainer = self._make_stub_trainer(interval=4, async_prefetch=True)
+        from axolotl.core.trainers.grpo.async_trainer import (
+            AsyncGRPOTrainer,
+        )
+
+        # global_step=1, interval=4 → 1 % 4 != 0 → no sync
+        AsyncGRPOTrainer._maybe_sync_vllm_weights(trainer)
+        trainer._sync_lora_adapter.assert_not_called()
+
+        # global_step=4 → 4 % 4 == 0 → sync
+        trainer.state.global_step = 4
+        AsyncGRPOTrainer._maybe_sync_vllm_weights(trainer)
+        trainer._sync_lora_adapter.assert_called_once()
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()

tests/e2e/integrations/test_scattermoe_lora_olmoe.py

@@ -54,25 +54,7 @@ except (ImportError, ModuleNotFoundError):
         )
 
     def peft_lora_to_scattermoe(peft_A, peft_B, num_experts, rank):
-        peft_B_em = peft_lora_B_to_scattermoe(peft_B, num_experts, rank)
-        K_inter, N_hidden = peft_B.shape[0], peft_A.shape[1]
-        smoe_A = torch.zeros(
-            rank * num_experts,
-            K_inter,
-            device=peft_A.device,
-            dtype=peft_A.dtype,
-        )
-        smoe_B = torch.zeros(
-            N_hidden,
-            rank * num_experts,
-            device=peft_A.device,
-            dtype=peft_A.dtype,
-        )
-        for e in range(num_experts):
-            s = e * rank
-            smoe_A[s : s + rank, :] = peft_B_em[:, s : s + rank].T
-            smoe_B[:, s : s + rank] = peft_A[s : s + rank, :].T
-        return smoe_A, smoe_B
+        return peft_A, peft_lora_B_to_scattermoe(peft_B, num_experts, rank)
 
     def _unwrap_experts_lora(experts_module):
         return experts_module, None, None
@@ -145,11 +127,7 @@ def scattermoe_lora_B_to_peft(smoe_B, num_experts, rank):
 
 
 def peft_gate_up_lora_to_scattermoe(peft_A, peft_B, num_experts, rank):
-    """Convert peft LoRA for gate_up_proj to scattermoe layout.
-
-    Both gate_up_proj and down_proj need the A<->B swap because
-    scattermoe transposes the parameter (W = param.T).
-    """
+    """Convert peft LoRA for gate_up_proj to scattermoe layout."""
     return peft_lora_to_scattermoe(peft_A, peft_B, num_experts, rank)
 
 
@@ -322,14 +300,16 @@ class TestLoRABLayoutConversion:
         hidden, inter = 32, 16
         scaling = 2.0
 
-        peft_A = torch.randn(E * r, hidden)
-        peft_B = torch.randn(inter, E * r)
+        peft_A = torch.randn(E * r, inter)
+        peft_B = torch.randn(hidden, E * r)
 
-        A_r = peft_A.reshape(E, r, hidden)
-        B_r = peft_B.reshape(inter, r, E)
-        delta_peft = torch.einsum("o r e, e r i -> e i o", B_r, A_r) * scaling
+        A_r = peft_A.reshape(E, r, inter)
+        B_r = peft_B.reshape(hidden, r, E)
+        delta_peft = torch.einsum("o r e, e r i -> e o i", B_r, A_r) * scaling
 
         smoe_A, smoe_B = peft_lora_to_scattermoe(peft_A, peft_B, E, r)
+        assert smoe_A.shape == (E * r, inter)
+        assert smoe_B.shape == (hidden, E * r)
         for e in range(E):
             A_e = smoe_A[e * r : (e + 1) * r, :]
             B_e = smoe_B[:, e * r : (e + 1) * r]
@@ -342,27 +322,26 @@ class TestLoRABLayoutConversion:
         """Verify gate_up_proj LoRA conversion with non-square dims (Qwen3-like).
 
         gate_up_proj param: [E, 2*inter, hidden].
-        peft: in_features=2*inter, out_features=hidden.
-        peft lora_A: [r*E, 2*inter], lora_B: [hidden, r*E].
+        peft: in_features=hidden, out_features=2*inter.
+        peft lora_A: [r*E, hidden], lora_B: [2*inter, r*E].
 
         scattermoe W = param.T = [E, hidden, 2*inter], K=hidden, N=2*inter.
         scattermoe needs: lora_A [r*E, K=hidden], lora_B [N=2*inter, r*E].
 
-        Uses non-square dims (hidden=32 != 2*inter=24) to catch A<->B swap bugs.
+        Uses non-square dims (hidden=32 != 2*inter=24) to catch layout bugs.
         """
         E, r = 4, 2
         hidden, inter = 32, 12  # 2*inter=24 != hidden=32
         scaling = 2.0
 
-        # peft assigns: in_features=2*inter, out_features=hidden
-        peft_A = torch.randn(E * r, 2 * inter)  # [r*E, in_features=2*inter]
-        peft_B = torch.randn(hidden, E * r)  # [out_features=hidden, r*E]
+        # peft assigns: in_features=hidden, out_features=2*inter
+        peft_A = torch.randn(E * r, hidden)  # [r*E, in_features=hidden]
+        peft_B = torch.randn(2 * inter, E * r)  # [out_features=2*inter, r*E]
 
-        # peft delta via einsum: "o r e, e r i -> e i o"
-        A_r = peft_A.reshape(E, r, 2 * inter)
-        B_r = peft_B.reshape(hidden, r, E)
-        delta_peft = torch.einsum("o r e, e r i -> e i o", B_r, A_r) * scaling
-        # delta_peft[e] has shape [in_features, out_features] = [2*inter, hidden]
+        A_r = peft_A.reshape(E, r, hidden)
+        B_r = peft_B.reshape(2 * inter, r, E)
+        delta_peft = torch.einsum("o r e, e r i -> e o i", B_r, A_r) * scaling
+        # delta_peft[e] has shape [out_features, in_features] = [2*inter, hidden]
         # = param[e] shape [2*inter, hidden]
 
         smoe_A, smoe_B = peft_gate_up_lora_to_scattermoe(peft_A, peft_B, E, r)
@@ -422,22 +401,22 @@ class TestPeftLoRAWeightExtraction:
         )
 
         # gate_up_proj [E, 2*inter, hidden]
-        # peft: in_features=2*inter (dim 1), out_features=hidden (dim 2)
+        # peft: in_features=hidden (last dim), out_features=2*inter (middle dim)
         assert trainable[
             "base_model.model.moe.experts.base_layer.lora_A.default.weight"
-        ].shape == (E * r, 2 * config.intermediate_size)
-        assert trainable[
-            "base_model.model.moe.experts.base_layer.lora_B.default.weight"
-        ].shape == (config.hidden_size, E * r)
-
-        # down_proj [E, hidden, inter]
-        # peft: in_features=hidden (dim 1), out_features=inter (dim 2)
-        assert trainable[
-            "base_model.model.moe.experts.lora_A.default.weight"
         ].shape == (E * r, config.hidden_size)
+        assert trainable[
+            "base_model.model.moe.experts.base_layer.lora_B.default.weight"
+        ].shape == (2 * config.intermediate_size, E * r)
+
+        # down_proj [E, hidden, inter]
+        # peft: in_features=inter (last dim), out_features=hidden (middle dim)
+        assert trainable[
+            "base_model.model.moe.experts.lora_A.default.weight"
+        ].shape == (E * r, config.intermediate_size)
         assert trainable[
             "base_model.model.moe.experts.lora_B.default.weight"
-        ].shape == (config.intermediate_size, E * r)
+        ].shape == (config.hidden_size, E * r)
 
     @requires_cuda
     def test_peft_forward_runs(self):
@@ -488,27 +467,29 @@ class TestPeftLoRAWeightExtraction:
         assert gup_lora is not None, "gate_up_proj LoRA not detected"
         assert down_lora is not None, "down_proj LoRA not detected"
 
-        # Check shapes (after peft->scattermoe conversion with A<->B swap)
-        # gate_up_proj W = param.T = [E, hidden, 2*inter], K=hidden, N=2*inter
+        # Check shapes after peft->scattermoe conversion.
+        # gate_up_proj: peft A [E*r, hidden] / B [2*inter, E*r]
+        # scattermoe: smoe_A [E*r, hidden], smoe_B [2*inter, E*r]
         E, r = config.num_experts, 4
         gup_A, gup_B, gup_s = gup_lora
         assert gup_A.shape == (E * r, config.hidden_size), (
-            f"gate_up_proj smoe_A: expected [r*E, K=hidden]={(E * r, config.hidden_size)}, "
+            f"gate_up_proj smoe_A: expected [r*E, hidden]={(E * r, config.hidden_size)}, "
             f"got {gup_A.shape}"
         )
         assert gup_B.shape == (2 * config.intermediate_size, E * r), (
-            f"gate_up_proj smoe_B: expected [N=2*inter, r*E]="
+            f"gate_up_proj smoe_B: expected [2*inter, r*E]="
             f"{(2 * config.intermediate_size, E * r)}, got {gup_B.shape}"
         )
 
-        # down_proj W = param.T = [E, inter, hidden], K=inter, N=hidden
+        # down_proj: peft A [E*r, inter] / B [hidden, E*r]
+        # scattermoe: smoe_A [E*r, inter], smoe_B [hidden, E*r]
         down_A, down_B, down_s = down_lora
         assert down_A.shape == (E * r, config.intermediate_size), (
-            f"down_proj smoe_A: expected [r*E, K=inter]={(E * r, config.intermediate_size)}, "
+            f"down_proj smoe_A: expected [r*E, inter]={(E * r, config.intermediate_size)}, "
             f"got {down_A.shape}"
         )
         assert down_B.shape == (config.hidden_size, E * r), (
-            f"down_proj smoe_B: expected [N=hidden, r*E]={(config.hidden_size, E * r)}, "
+            f"down_proj smoe_B: expected [hidden, r*E]={(config.hidden_size, E * r)}, "
             f"got {down_B.shape}"
         )
 

tests/integrations/test_nemo_gym.py

@@ -361,6 +361,329 @@ class TestPluginDefaults(unittest.TestCase):
         assert cfg.dataloader_num_workers == 0
 
 
+class TestSelectWeightSyncTransport(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Pure-logic table tests for ``select_weight_sync_transport``."""
+
+    def _caps(self, **kwargs):
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import VLLMWeightSyncCapabilities
+
+        c = VLLMWeightSyncCapabilities(probed=True)
+        for k, v in kwargs.items():
+            setattr(c, k, v)
+        return c
+
+    def test_lora_with_native_endpoint(self):
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import select_weight_sync_transport
+
+        caps = self._caps(lora_filesystem=True)
+        assert (
+            select_weight_sync_transport(caps, has_lora=True, vllm_lora_sync_pref=True)
+            == "lora_filesystem"
+        )
+
+    def test_lora_with_axolotl_endpoint(self):
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import select_weight_sync_transport
+
+        caps = self._caps(lora_axolotl=True)
+        assert (
+            select_weight_sync_transport(caps, has_lora=True, vllm_lora_sync_pref=False)
+            == "lora_filesystem"
+        )
+
+    def test_lora_falls_back_to_nccl_when_no_lora_endpoint(self):
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import select_weight_sync_transport
+
+        caps = self._caps(nccl=True)
+        assert (
+            select_weight_sync_transport(caps, has_lora=True, vllm_lora_sync_pref=False)
+            == "nccl"
+        )
+
+    def test_full_param_prefers_nccl(self):
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import select_weight_sync_transport
+
+        caps = self._caps(nccl=True, http_full=True)
+        assert (
+            select_weight_sync_transport(
+                caps, has_lora=False, vllm_lora_sync_pref=False
+            )
+            == "nccl"
+        )
+
+    def test_full_param_falls_back_to_http(self):
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import select_weight_sync_transport
+
+        caps = self._caps(http_full=True)
+        assert (
+            select_weight_sync_transport(
+                caps, has_lora=False, vllm_lora_sync_pref=False
+            )
+            == "http_full"
+        )
+
+    def test_full_param_no_routes_returns_none(self):
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import select_weight_sync_transport
+
+        caps = self._caps()  # all False
+        assert (
+            select_weight_sync_transport(
+                caps, has_lora=False, vllm_lora_sync_pref=False
+            )
+            == "none"
+        )
+
+    def test_lora_no_routes_returns_none(self):
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import select_weight_sync_transport
+
+        caps = self._caps()
+        assert (
+            select_weight_sync_transport(caps, has_lora=True, vllm_lora_sync_pref=True)
+            == "none"
+        )
+
+
+class TestProbeVllmWeightSync(unittest.TestCase):
+    """``probe_vllm_weight_sync`` reads a vLLM ``/openapi.json`` and reports caps."""
+
+    def test_stock_vllm_with_lora_enabled(self):
+        """Stock ``vllm serve --enable-lora`` exposes only LoRA endpoints."""
+        from unittest.mock import patch
+
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import probe_vllm_weight_sync
+
+        spec = {
+            "paths": {
+                "/v1/models": {"get": {}},
+                "/v1/load_lora_adapter": {"post": {}},
+                "/v1/unload_lora_adapter": {"post": {}},
+                "/v1/completions": {"post": {}},
+            }
+        }
+        with patch("requests.get") as mock_get:
+            mock_get.return_value.raise_for_status = lambda: None
+            mock_get.return_value.json = lambda: spec
+            caps = probe_vllm_weight_sync("http://localhost:8000")
+
+        assert caps.probed is True
+        assert caps.lora_filesystem is True
+        assert caps.lora_axolotl is False
+        assert caps.nccl is False
+        assert caps.http_full is False
+
+    def test_axolotl_serve_lora_full_capabilities(self):
+        """``axolotl vllm-serve`` exposes NCCL + LoRA + HTTP full sync."""
+        from unittest.mock import patch
+
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import probe_vllm_weight_sync
+
+        spec = {
+            "paths": {
+                "/init_communicator/": {"post": {}},
+                "/update_named_param/": {"post": {}},
+                "/batch_update_named_params/": {"post": {}},
+                "/set_lora_adapter/": {"post": {}},
+                "/clear_lora_adapter/": {"post": {}},
+                "/http_update_weights/": {"post": {}},
+                "/v1/load_lora_adapter": {"post": {}},
+            }
+        }
+        with patch("requests.get") as mock_get:
+            mock_get.return_value.raise_for_status = lambda: None
+            mock_get.return_value.json = lambda: spec
+            caps = probe_vllm_weight_sync("http://localhost:8000")
+
+        assert caps.probed is True
+        assert caps.nccl is True
+        assert caps.lora_axolotl is True
+        assert caps.lora_filesystem is True
+        assert caps.http_full is True
+
+    def test_trl_vllm_serve_nccl_only(self):
+        """``trl vllm-serve`` exposes NCCL routes but not LoRA filesystem."""
+        from unittest.mock import patch
+
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import probe_vllm_weight_sync
+
+        spec = {
+            "paths": {
+                "/init_communicator/": {"post": {}},
+                "/update_named_param/": {"post": {}},
+                "/batch_update_named_params/": {"post": {}},
+                "/close_communicator/": {"post": {}},
+                "/generate/": {"post": {}},
+            }
+        }
+        with patch("requests.get") as mock_get:
+            mock_get.return_value.raise_for_status = lambda: None
+            mock_get.return_value.json = lambda: spec
+            caps = probe_vllm_weight_sync("http://localhost:8000")
+
+        assert caps.probed is True
+        assert caps.nccl is True
+        assert caps.lora_filesystem is False
+        assert caps.lora_axolotl is False
+        assert caps.http_full is False
+
+    def test_unreachable_server_records_error(self):
+        from unittest.mock import patch
+
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import probe_vllm_weight_sync
+
+        with patch("requests.get") as mock_get:
+            mock_get.side_effect = ConnectionError("Connection refused")
+            caps = probe_vllm_weight_sync("http://localhost:9999")
+
+        assert caps.probed is False
+        assert caps.probe_error is not None
+        assert "ConnectionError" in caps.probe_error
+        assert caps.nccl is False
+        assert caps.lora_filesystem is False
+
+
+class TestPluginWeightSyncEnforcement(unittest.TestCase):
+    """End-to-end test of post_trainer_create's transport-selection branch.
+
+    The plugin used to silently no-op weight sync when ``vllm_lora_sync: false``,
+    leaving the trainer learning in isolation while vLLM kept serving the
+    unmodified base model. After the fix:
+
+      - LoRA + LoRA-loading endpoint   → installs filesystem LoRA sync
+      - LoRA + only NCCL endpoint      → uses NCCL broadcast
+      - Full FT + NCCL endpoint        → uses NCCL broadcast (standard TRL flow)
+      - Full FT + HTTP endpoint        → raises NotImplementedError (step 3)
+      - No usable transport            → raises ValueError with a precise diagnosis
+    """
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _fake_cfg(adapter, vllm_lora_sync):
+        class FakeTRL:
+            pass
+
+        class FakeCfg:
+            pass
+
+        trl = FakeTRL()
+        trl.vllm_lora_sync = vllm_lora_sync
+        trl.vllm_server_host = "127.0.0.1"
+        trl.vllm_server_port = 8000
+
+        cfg = FakeCfg()
+        cfg.nemo_gym_enabled = True
+        cfg.nemo_gym_model_name = None
+        cfg.base_model = "test/model"
+        cfg.nemo_gym_verify_timeout = 30
+        cfg.nemo_gym_multi_turn = True
+        cfg.adapter = adapter
+        cfg.trl = trl
+        return cfg
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _fake_trainer():
+        class FakeVLLMGen:
+            sync_weights = staticmethod(lambda: None)
+
+        class FakeTrainer:
+            vllm_generation = FakeVLLMGen()
+
+        return FakeTrainer()
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _caps(**kwargs):
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import VLLMWeightSyncCapabilities
+
+        c = VLLMWeightSyncCapabilities(probed=True)
+        for k, v in kwargs.items():
+            setattr(c, k, v)
+        return c
+
+    def test_lora_with_lora_endpoint_installs_filesystem_sync(self):
+        from unittest.mock import patch
+
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import NemoGymPlugin
+
+        plugin = NemoGymPlugin()
+        plugin._vllm_caps = self._caps(lora_filesystem=True)
+        cfg = self._fake_cfg(adapter="lora", vllm_lora_sync=True)
+        trainer = self._fake_trainer()
+
+        with (
+            patch.object(plugin, "_setup_lora_sync") as setup,
+            patch.object(plugin, "_check_lora_endpoint") as check,
+            patch.object(plugin, "_wire_multi_turn") as wire,
+        ):
+            plugin.post_trainer_create(cfg, trainer)
+            setup.assert_called_once()
+            check.assert_called_once()
+            wire.assert_called_once()
+
+    def test_lora_with_no_routes_raises_with_lora_specific_message(self):
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import NemoGymPlugin
+
+        plugin = NemoGymPlugin()
+        plugin._vllm_caps = self._caps()  # all False, but probed
+        cfg = self._fake_cfg(adapter="lora", vllm_lora_sync=False)
+        trainer = self._fake_trainer()
+
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError) as ctx:
+            plugin.post_trainer_create(cfg, trainer)
+        msg = str(ctx.exception)
+        assert "no-op trainer" in msg
+        assert "load_lora_adapter" in msg
+        assert "VLLM_ALLOW_RUNTIME_LORA_UPDATING" in msg
+
+    def test_full_finetune_with_nccl_endpoint_uses_nccl(self):
+        from unittest.mock import patch
+
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import NemoGymPlugin
+
+        plugin = NemoGymPlugin()
+        plugin._vllm_caps = self._caps(nccl=True)
+        cfg = self._fake_cfg(adapter=None, vllm_lora_sync=False)
+        trainer = self._fake_trainer()
+
+        with patch.object(plugin, "_wire_multi_turn") as wire:
+            plugin.post_trainer_create(cfg, trainer)
+            wire.assert_called_once()
+
+    def test_full_finetune_with_http_endpoint_not_implemented_yet(self):
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import NemoGymPlugin
+
+        plugin = NemoGymPlugin()
+        plugin._vllm_caps = self._caps(http_full=True)
+        cfg = self._fake_cfg(adapter=None, vllm_lora_sync=False)
+        trainer = self._fake_trainer()
+        with self.assertRaises(NotImplementedError) as ctx:
+            plugin.post_trainer_create(cfg, trainer)
+        assert "HTTP weight sync" in str(ctx.exception)
+
+    def test_full_finetune_with_no_routes_raises_with_full_param_message(self):
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import NemoGymPlugin
+
+        plugin = NemoGymPlugin()
+        plugin._vllm_caps = self._caps()
+        cfg = self._fake_cfg(adapter=None, vllm_lora_sync=False)
+        trainer = self._fake_trainer()
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError) as ctx:
+            plugin.post_trainer_create(cfg, trainer)
+        msg = str(ctx.exception)
+        assert "no-op trainer" in msg
+        assert "init_communicator" in msg
+        assert "http_update_weights" in msg
+
+    def test_unprobed_caps_raises_with_probe_failure_message(self):
+        from axolotl.integrations.nemo_gym.plugin import NemoGymPlugin
+
+        plugin = NemoGymPlugin()
+        # Plugin._vllm_caps left as default-None: the post_trainer_create
+        # branch falls back to a fresh VLLMWeightSyncCapabilities() with
+        # probed=False, so the error path should mention probing.
+        cfg = self._fake_cfg(adapter="lora", vllm_lora_sync=True)
+        trainer = self._fake_trainer()
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError) as ctx:
+            plugin.post_trainer_create(cfg, trainer)
+        assert "could not probe" in str(ctx.exception)
+
+
 class TestNemoGymE2E(unittest.TestCase):
     """End-to-end test: data producer → agent (mocked) → parse → tensors → rewards.
 
@@ -452,19 +775,15 @@ class TestNemoGymE2E(unittest.TestCase):
         trainer = self._make_mock_trainer()
         producer._trainer = trainer
 
-        # Mock the prompt iterator (returns a batch of 1 input)
-        producer._prompt_iter = iter(
-            [
-                [
-                    {
-                        "prompt": [{"role": "user", "content": "Play Wordle!"}],
-                    }
-                ]
-            ]
-        )
-        producer._prompt_dl = [
-            [{"prompt": [{"role": "user", "content": "Play Wordle!"}]}]
+        # Mock the prompt iterator. RepeatSampler(mini_repeat_count=num_generations)
+        # pre-expands prompts, so the iterator yields num_generations=2 consecutive
+        # copies of each unique prompt — one entry per rollout.
+        _prompt_batch = [
+            {"prompt": [{"role": "user", "content": "Play Wordle!"}]},
+            {"prompt": [{"role": "user", "content": "Play Wordle!"}]},
         ]
+        producer._prompt_iter = iter([_prompt_batch])
+        producer._prompt_dl = [_prompt_batch]
 
         # Call produce
         result = producer.produce(model=MagicMock(), global_step=1)
@@ -530,10 +849,13 @@ class TestNemoGymE2E(unittest.TestCase):
         producer._request_timeout = 30
         producer._num_generations = 2
         producer._trainer = self._make_mock_trainer()
-        producer._prompt_iter = iter(
-            [[{"prompt": [{"role": "user", "content": "Play!"}]}]]
-        )
-        producer._prompt_dl = [[{"prompt": [{"role": "user", "content": "Play!"}]}]]
+        # RepeatSampler pre-expands by num_generations=2.
+        _prompt_batch = [
+            {"prompt": [{"role": "user", "content": "Play!"}]},
+            {"prompt": [{"role": "user", "content": "Play!"}]},
+        ]
+        producer._prompt_iter = iter([_prompt_batch])
+        producer._prompt_dl = [_prompt_batch]
 
         result = producer.produce(model=MagicMock(), global_step=1)
 

tests/integrations/test_scattermoe_lora.py

@@ -21,6 +21,51 @@ from unittest.mock import patch
 import pytest
 import torch
 
+
+class TestPeftScatterMoELoRALayout:
+    """CPU-only guards for PEFT target_parameters layout conversion."""
+
+    def test_peft_layout_keeps_a_and_reorders_b(self):
+        from axolotl.integrations.kernels.libs.scattermoe_lora.lora_layout import (
+            peft_lora_to_scattermoe,
+        )
+
+        E, r, K, N = 3, 2, 5, 7
+        scaling = 2.0
+        peft_A = torch.randn(E * r, K)
+        peft_B = torch.randn(N, E * r)
+
+        smoe_A, smoe_B = peft_lora_to_scattermoe(peft_A, peft_B, E, r)
+
+        assert smoe_A is peft_A
+        assert smoe_A.shape == (E * r, K)
+        assert smoe_B.shape == (N, E * r)
+
+        A_r = peft_A.reshape(E, r, K)
+        B_r = peft_B.reshape(N, r, E)
+        delta_peft = torch.einsum("o r e, e r i -> e o i", B_r, A_r) * scaling
+
+        for e in range(E):
+            A_e = smoe_A[e * r : (e + 1) * r, :]
+            B_e = smoe_B[:, e * r : (e + 1) * r]
+            torch.testing.assert_close(scaling * (B_e @ A_e), delta_peft[e])
+
+    def test_swapped_layout_fails_before_kernel_dispatch(self):
+        from axolotl.integrations.kernels.libs.scattermoe_lora.lora_layout import (
+            validate_scattermoe_lora_shapes,
+        )
+
+        E, r, K, N = 3, 2, 5, 7
+        expert_weights = torch.empty(E, K, N)
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Invalid ScatterMoE LoRA layout"):
+            validate_scattermoe_lora_shapes(
+                expert_weights=expert_weights,
+                lora_A=torch.empty(E * r, N),
+                lora_B=torch.empty(K, E * r),
+            )
+
+
 # ============================================================================
 # 1. KernelsArgs: disable_mlp_kernel validator
 # ============================================================================

tests/kernels/test_gemma4_fused_rope.py

@@ -38,6 +38,30 @@ def _reference_norm_noscale(x, eps):
     return norm(x)
 
 
+def _reference_partial_norm_rope(x, weight, cos, sin, eps):
+    """Reference: Gemma4RMSNorm over the full head_dim, then stock
+    ``apply_rotary_pos_emb`` over the first ``cos.shape[-1]`` columns, with
+    the trailing columns passed through unchanged. Mirrors how Llama-style
+    partial rotary is layered on top of the stock RMSNorm + RoPE primitives.
+    """
+    from transformers.models.gemma4.modeling_gemma4 import (
+        Gemma4RMSNorm,
+        apply_rotary_pos_emb,
+    )
+
+    D = x.shape[-1]
+    n_rot = cos.shape[-1]
+    norm = Gemma4RMSNorm(D, eps=eps).to(x.device, x.dtype)
+    norm.weight.data.copy_(weight)
+    normed = norm(x)
+    if n_rot == D:
+        return apply_rotary_pos_emb(normed, cos, sin, unsqueeze_dim=2)
+    x_rot = normed[..., :n_rot]
+    x_pass = normed[..., n_rot:]
+    rotated = apply_rotary_pos_emb(x_rot, cos, sin, unsqueeze_dim=2)
+    return torch.cat([rotated, x_pass], dim=-1)
+
+
 @pytest.fixture(
     params=[
         (2, 64, 32, 256),  # sliding window layer shape
@@ -194,6 +218,172 @@ class TestFusedRMSNormRoPEBackward:
         assert w.grad.abs().sum() > 0, "w.grad is all zeros"
 
 
+class TestFusedRMSNormRoPEPartialRotary:
+    """Partial-rotary: cos/sin last dim is smaller than head_dim.
+
+    Compares against the original primitives (`Gemma4RMSNorm` +
+    `apply_rotary_pos_emb`) applied to the rotated slice with the trailing
+    columns passed through. Without the kernel fix this used to crash with
+    `RuntimeError: shape '[..., D]' is invalid for input of size B*S*n_rot`.
+    """
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        "B,S,H,D,n_rot",
+        [
+            (2, 16, 4, 64, 32),  # half rotary (Llama-style 0.5)
+            (2, 16, 4, 64, 16),  # quarter rotary
+            (2, 32, 8, 128, 64),  # half rotary, larger heads
+            (1, 8, 2, 256, 64),  # 26B sliding-shape, 0.25 partial
+            (1, 8, 2, 64, 64),  # n_rot == D: must still match full-rotary path
+        ],
+        ids=["half_64", "quarter_64", "half_128", "quarter_256", "full_64"],
+    )
+    def test_forward_matches_reference(self, B, S, H, D, n_rot):
+        from axolotl.kernels.gemma4_fused_rope import fused_rms_norm_rope
+
+        eps = 1e-6
+        x = torch.randn(B, S, H, D, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        weight = torch.randn(D, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        cos = torch.randn(B, S, n_rot, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        sin = torch.randn(B, S, n_rot, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+
+        y_ref = _reference_partial_norm_rope(x.clone(), weight, cos, sin, eps)
+        y_fused = fused_rms_norm_rope(x.clone(), weight, cos, sin, eps=eps)
+
+        assert y_fused.shape == y_ref.shape == (B, S, H, D)
+        cos_sim = torch.nn.functional.cosine_similarity(
+            y_ref.flatten().float(), y_fused.flatten().float(), dim=0
+        )
+        assert cos_sim > 0.999, (
+            f"partial rotary forward cosine_sim={cos_sim:.6f} "
+            f"(B={B},S={S},H={H},D={D},n_rot={n_rot})"
+        )
+
+        # The pass-through tail must equal the reference RMSNorm output bit-
+        # for-bit (any deviation would mean the kernel is touching it with a
+        # spurious rotation, which is the original bug class).
+        torch.testing.assert_close(
+            y_fused[..., n_rot:], y_ref[..., n_rot:], rtol=1e-2, atol=1e-2
+        )
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        "B,S,H,D,n_rot",
+        [(2, 16, 4, 64, 32), (1, 8, 2, 256, 64)],
+        ids=["half_64", "quarter_256"],
+    )
+    def test_x_grad_matches_reference(self, B, S, H, D, n_rot):
+        from axolotl.kernels.gemma4_fused_rope import fused_rms_norm_rope
+
+        eps = 1e-6
+        cos = torch.randn(B, S, n_rot, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        sin = torch.randn(B, S, n_rot, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        weight_init = torch.randn(D, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        x_data = torch.randn(B, S, H, D, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+
+        # Reference backward via the original primitives
+        x_ref = x_data.clone().requires_grad_(True)
+        w_ref = weight_init.clone()
+        y_ref = _reference_partial_norm_rope(x_ref, w_ref, cos, sin, eps)
+        y_ref.sum().backward()
+
+        # Fused backward
+        x_fused = x_data.clone().requires_grad_(True)
+        w_fused = weight_init.clone().requires_grad_(True)
+        y_fused = fused_rms_norm_rope(x_fused, w_fused, cos, sin, eps=eps)
+        y_fused.sum().backward()
+
+        cos_sim_x = torch.nn.functional.cosine_similarity(
+            x_fused.grad.flatten().float(), x_ref.grad.flatten().float(), dim=0
+        )
+        assert cos_sim_x > 0.999, f"partial rotary x grad cosine_sim={cos_sim_x:.6f}"
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        "B,S,H,D,n_rot",
+        [(2, 16, 4, 64, 32), (1, 8, 2, 256, 64)],
+        ids=["half_64", "quarter_256"],
+    )
+    def test_weight_grad_matches_reference(self, B, S, H, D, n_rot):
+        from transformers.models.gemma4.modeling_gemma4 import Gemma4RMSNorm
+
+        from axolotl.kernels.gemma4_fused_rope import fused_rms_norm_rope
+
+        eps = 1e-6
+        cos = torch.randn(B, S, n_rot, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        sin = torch.randn(B, S, n_rot, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        weight_init = torch.randn(D, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        x_data = torch.randn(B, S, H, D, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+
+        # Reference: Gemma4RMSNorm whose .weight collects grads, then partial
+        # rotary applied to the rotated slice.
+        norm_ref = Gemma4RMSNorm(D, eps=eps).cuda().to(torch.bfloat16)
+        norm_ref.weight = torch.nn.Parameter(weight_init.clone())
+        normed = norm_ref(x_data)
+        from transformers.models.gemma4.modeling_gemma4 import apply_rotary_pos_emb
+
+        rotated = apply_rotary_pos_emb(normed[..., :n_rot], cos, sin, unsqueeze_dim=2)
+        y_ref = torch.cat([rotated, normed[..., n_rot:]], dim=-1)
+        y_ref.sum().backward()
+
+        w_fused = weight_init.clone().requires_grad_(True)
+        fused_rms_norm_rope(x_data.clone(), w_fused, cos, sin, eps=eps).sum().backward()
+
+        cos_sim_w = torch.nn.functional.cosine_similarity(
+            w_fused.grad.flatten().float(),
+            norm_ref.weight.grad.flatten().float(),
+            dim=0,
+        )
+        assert cos_sim_w > 0.995, (
+            f"partial rotary weight grad cosine_sim={cos_sim_w:.6f}"
+        )
+
+    def test_full_rotary_unchanged_when_n_rot_equals_d(self):
+        """Regression: passing cos/sin with shape == head_dim must still
+        match the full-rotary reference (the partial-rotary code path must
+        not perturb the existing full-rotary output)."""
+        from axolotl.kernels.gemma4_fused_rope import fused_rms_norm_rope
+
+        B, S, H, D = 2, 16, 4, 64
+        eps = 1e-6
+        x = torch.randn(B, S, H, D, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        weight = torch.randn(D, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        cos = torch.randn(B, S, D, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        sin = torch.randn(B, S, D, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+
+        y_ref = _reference_norm_rope(x.clone(), weight, cos, sin, eps)
+        y_fused = fused_rms_norm_rope(x.clone(), weight, cos, sin, eps=eps)
+        cos_sim = torch.nn.functional.cosine_similarity(
+            y_ref.flatten().float(), y_fused.flatten().float(), dim=0
+        )
+        assert cos_sim > 0.999, f"full-rotary regression cos_sim={cos_sim:.6f}"
+
+    def test_validation_errors(self):
+        """Wrapper rejects misshaped inputs cleanly (instead of a cryptic
+        Triton crash deeper in the kernel)."""
+        from axolotl.kernels.gemma4_fused_rope import fused_rms_norm_rope
+
+        B, S, H, D = 1, 4, 2, 64
+        x = torch.randn(B, S, H, D, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        w = torch.randn(D, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+
+        # n_rot > head_dim
+        cos_big = torch.randn(B, S, D + 16, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        sin_big = torch.randn(B, S, D + 16, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="cannot exceed head_dim"):
+            fused_rms_norm_rope(x, w, cos_big, sin_big)
+
+        # cos/sin last-dim mismatch
+        cos = torch.randn(B, S, 32, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        sin = torch.randn(B, S, 16, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="same last dim"):
+            fused_rms_norm_rope(x, w, cos, sin)
+
+        # odd rotary dim
+        cos_odd = torch.randn(B, S, 31, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        sin_odd = torch.randn(B, S, 31, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="must be even"):
+            fused_rms_norm_rope(x, w, cos_odd, sin_odd)
+
+
 class TestFusedRMSNormNoScale:
     """Tests for v_norm (RMSNorm without learnable scale)."""
 

tests/monkeypatch/test_gemma4_fused_attn.py

@@ -0,0 +1,219 @@
+"""Tests for the Gemma 4 fused-attention monkey-patch.
+
+These tests exercise the patched ``Gemma4TextAttention.forward`` against
+the stock implementation it replaces. The hybrid Gemma 4 model intentionally
+mixes a sliding (`head_dim=32`) layer with a full-attention proportional-rope
+layer (`global_head_dim=64`, `partial_rotary_factor=0.25`) so that the
+partial-rotary RMSNorm+RoPE path through the fused Triton kernel is
+exercised end-to-end (this is the bug originally documented in
+``GEMMA4_FUSED_ROPE_HYBRID_ATTN_BUG.md``).
+
+The full-model forward also pins that the fused forward keeps accepting
+whatever call shape ``Gemma4TextDecoderLayer.forward`` produces in the
+installed transformers version — so any future signature drift on
+upstream's side trips a clear failure here instead of a confusing
+TypeError deep in a training run.
+"""
+
+import pytest
+import torch
+
+pytestmark = [
+    pytest.mark.skipif(not torch.cuda.is_available(), reason="CUDA required"),
+]
+
+pytest.importorskip(
+    "transformers.models.gemma4",
+    reason="fused_attn patch only matters when Gemma 4 is available",
+)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def restore_gemma4_attention():
+    """Snapshot ``Gemma4TextAttention.forward`` and restore after the test
+    so the monkey-patch does not leak across the suite."""
+    from transformers.models.gemma4.modeling_gemma4 import Gemma4TextAttention
+
+    saved = Gemma4TextAttention.forward
+    yield Gemma4TextAttention
+    Gemma4TextAttention.forward = saved
+
+
+def _build_hybrid_config():
+    """Tiny hybrid Gemma 4 config: one sliding layer + one full-attention
+    layer with proportional rope and partial_rotary_factor=0.25. This is
+    the same shape pattern as ``google/gemma-4-26B-A4B-it`` but small
+    enough to fit on any GPU."""
+    from transformers.models.gemma4.configuration_gemma4 import Gemma4TextConfig
+
+    cfg = Gemma4TextConfig(
+        vocab_size=128,
+        hidden_size=64,
+        intermediate_size=128,
+        num_hidden_layers=2,
+        num_attention_heads=2,
+        num_key_value_heads=2,
+        head_dim=32,
+        global_head_dim=64,
+        layer_types=["sliding_attention", "full_attention"],
+        sliding_window=64,
+        max_position_embeddings=2048,
+        hidden_size_per_layer_input=16,
+        vocab_size_per_layer_input=128,
+        rope_parameters={
+            "sliding_attention": {
+                "rope_type": "default",
+                "rope_theta": 10000.0,
+            },
+            "full_attention": {
+                "rope_type": "proportional",
+                "rope_theta": 1000000.0,
+                "partial_rotary_factor": 0.25,
+            },
+        },
+    )
+    cfg._attn_implementation = "sdpa"
+    return cfg
+
+
+def _build_model(seed=0):
+    from transformers.models.gemma4.modeling_gemma4 import Gemma4TextModel
+
+    torch.manual_seed(seed)
+    cfg = _build_hybrid_config()
+    return Gemma4TextModel(cfg).cuda().to(torch.bfloat16).eval()
+
+
+class TestFusedAttnSignature:
+    """The fused forward must accept the same call shape as
+    ``Gemma4TextDecoderLayer`` produces in the installed transformers
+    version. Any signature drift surfaces here as a TypeError."""
+
+    def test_decoder_layer_can_call_fused_forward(self, restore_gemma4_attention):
+        """Run a model forward that exercises the real
+        ``Gemma4TextDecoderLayer -> Gemma4TextAttention`` call path with
+        the fused patch installed."""
+        from axolotl.monkeypatch.models.gemma4.fused_attn import (
+            patch_gemma4_fused_attn,
+        )
+
+        m = _build_model()
+        ids = torch.randint(0, 128, (2, 16), device="cuda")
+        mask = torch.ones(2, 16, dtype=torch.long, device="cuda")
+
+        patch_gemma4_fused_attn()
+        with torch.no_grad():
+            out = m(input_ids=ids, attention_mask=mask).last_hidden_state
+
+        assert out.shape == (2, 16, 64)
+        assert torch.isfinite(out).all()
+
+
+class TestFusedAttnPerLayerCorrectness:
+    """Compare the patched attention layer to the stock implementation
+    on a single forward call. This isolates the fused kernel correctness
+    from cross-layer numerical drift."""
+
+    def _run_attention(self, model, layer_idx, hidden_states, position_ids):
+        """Call ``Gemma4TextAttention.forward`` (whatever is currently
+        installed) for one layer and return the output."""
+        attn = model.layers[layer_idx].self_attn
+        layer_type = model.config.layer_types[layer_idx]
+        cos, sin = model.rotary_emb(hidden_states, position_ids, layer_type)
+        out, _ = attn(
+            hidden_states=hidden_states,
+            position_embeddings=(cos, sin),
+            attention_mask=None,
+            shared_kv_states={},
+        )
+        return out
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        "layer_idx",
+        [0, 1],
+        ids=["sliding_head32", "global_head64_proportional"],
+    )
+    def test_forward_matches_stock(self, restore_gemma4_attention, layer_idx):
+        from axolotl.monkeypatch.models.gemma4.fused_attn import (
+            patch_gemma4_fused_attn,
+        )
+
+        m = _build_model(seed=1)
+        hs = torch.randn(2, 16, 64, device="cuda", dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+        pos = torch.arange(16, device="cuda").unsqueeze(0).expand(2, -1)
+
+        with torch.no_grad():
+            ref = self._run_attention(m, layer_idx, hs, pos)
+
+        patch_gemma4_fused_attn()
+        with torch.no_grad():
+            got = self._run_attention(m, layer_idx, hs, pos)
+
+        assert got.shape == ref.shape
+        assert torch.isfinite(got).all()
+        cos_sim = torch.nn.functional.cosine_similarity(
+            ref.flatten().float(), got.flatten().float(), dim=0
+        )
+        assert cos_sim > 0.999, (
+            f"layer {layer_idx} fused vs stock cosine_sim={cos_sim:.6f}"
+        )
+        # bf16 precision: a few millis of absolute drift per element is
+        # acceptable for a Q/K/V projection pipeline. Anything larger is
+        # a real bug.
+        torch.testing.assert_close(got, ref, rtol=5e-2, atol=5e-2)
+
+
+class TestFusedAttnFullModel:
+    """End-to-end model forward + backward through both layer types."""
+
+    def test_full_forward_matches_stock(self, restore_gemma4_attention):
+        from axolotl.monkeypatch.models.gemma4.fused_attn import (
+            patch_gemma4_fused_attn,
+        )
+
+        m = _build_model(seed=2)
+        ids = torch.randint(0, 128, (2, 32), device="cuda")
+        mask = torch.ones(2, 32, dtype=torch.long, device="cuda")
+
+        with torch.no_grad():
+            ref = m(input_ids=ids, attention_mask=mask).last_hidden_state.clone()
+
+        patch_gemma4_fused_attn()
+        with torch.no_grad():
+            got = m(input_ids=ids, attention_mask=mask).last_hidden_state.clone()
+
+        assert got.shape == ref.shape
+        assert torch.isfinite(got).all()
+        cos_sim = torch.nn.functional.cosine_similarity(
+            ref.flatten().float(), got.flatten().float(), dim=0
+        )
+        # End-to-end through 2 layers (RMSNorm, attention, MLP/MoE) in bf16
+        # accumulates a small amount of numerical drift; we just want to
+        # pin that the two paths are computing the same function.
+        assert cos_sim > 0.999, f"end-to-end cosine_sim={cos_sim:.6f}"
+
+    def test_backward_grad_flows_through_fused_path(self, restore_gemma4_attention):
+        """Gradients must propagate through the fused RMSNorm+RoPE kernels
+        for both the sliding and proportional-rope layers."""
+        from axolotl.monkeypatch.models.gemma4.fused_attn import (
+            patch_gemma4_fused_attn,
+        )
+
+        m = _build_model(seed=3).train()
+        patch_gemma4_fused_attn()
+
+        ids = torch.randint(0, 128, (2, 16), device="cuda")
+        mask = torch.ones(2, 16, dtype=torch.long, device="cuda")
+        out = m(input_ids=ids, attention_mask=mask).last_hidden_state
+        out.sum().backward()
+
+        # Both layers must accumulate gradients on q_norm.weight and
+        # k_norm.weight — that proves the fused kernel ran the backward.
+        for i, layer in enumerate(m.layers[:2]):
+            attn = layer.self_attn
+            assert attn.q_norm.weight.grad is not None, f"layer {i} q_norm no grad"
+            assert attn.k_norm.weight.grad is not None, f"layer {i} k_norm no grad"
+            assert attn.q_norm.weight.grad.isfinite().all()
+            assert attn.k_norm.weight.grad.isfinite().all()
+            assert attn.q_norm.weight.grad.abs().sum() > 0
+            assert attn.k_norm.weight.grad.abs().sum() > 0

tests/monkeypatch/test_gemma4_hybrid_mask.py

@@ -0,0 +1,343 @@
+"""Tests for the Gemma 4 hybrid-attention mask fix.
+
+These tests pin the single critical behavior: after installing the patch,
+``modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask`` passes an SDPA-overridden config to
+the underlying mask builder regardless of what the caller's config says.
+This is what keeps full-attention (head_dim=512) global layers from
+crashing at long sequence lengths — they need a 4D SDPA-format mask, not
+the 2D FA2 mask that would be built from the model-level config.
+
+The tests use a mocked ``create_causal_mask`` so they don't have to load
+a real 26B Gemma 4 model or even have access to its weights. What matters
+for the bug fix is which config is handed to the mask factory, not the
+factory's actual output.
+"""
+
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+pytest.importorskip(
+    "transformers.models.gemma4",
+    reason="gemma4_hybrid_mask patch only matters when Gemma 4 is available",
+)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def restore_gemma4_module():
+    """Snapshot ``modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask`` and restore after
+    each test so patch state doesn't leak across the suite."""
+    from transformers.models.gemma4 import modeling_gemma4
+
+    saved = modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask
+    yield modeling_gemma4
+    modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask = saved
+    # Reset the module-level flag so the next test can re-install cleanly.
+    from axolotl.monkeypatch import gemma4_hybrid_mask
+
+    gemma4_hybrid_mask._PATCH_APPLIED = False
+
+
+def test_patch_replaces_create_causal_mask(restore_gemma4_module):
+    modeling_gemma4 = restore_gemma4_module
+    from axolotl.monkeypatch.gemma4_hybrid_mask import patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask
+
+    original = modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask
+    assert patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask() is True
+
+    assert modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask is not original
+    assert modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask._axolotl_original is original, (
+        "patched wrapper must expose the original reference for teardown"
+    )
+
+
+def test_patch_is_idempotent(restore_gemma4_module):
+    modeling_gemma4 = restore_gemma4_module
+    from axolotl.monkeypatch.gemma4_hybrid_mask import patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask
+
+    patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask()
+    wrapper_first = modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask
+
+    # Second call must not re-wrap the already-wrapped function (which
+    # would leak the original reference through a chain of wrappers).
+    patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask()
+    wrapper_second = modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask
+
+    assert wrapper_first is wrapper_second
+
+
+def test_patched_mask_forces_sdpa_config(restore_gemma4_module):
+    """Core invariant: when the patched wrapper is called with a config
+    that says ``flash_attention_2``, the underlying mask factory receives
+    a shallow-copied config whose ``_attn_implementation`` is ``"sdpa"``.
+
+    Without this, the full-attention global layers get a 2D FA2 mask and
+    crash at long seq lens with the [B, H, S, S] / [B, S] expand error.
+    """
+    modeling_gemma4 = restore_gemma4_module
+    from axolotl.monkeypatch.gemma4_hybrid_mask import patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask
+
+    # Swap in a mock BEFORE installing the patch so the wrapper captures
+    # it as the "original". The mock records every call so we can inspect
+    # what config got passed through.
+    mock_factory = MagicMock(name="create_causal_mask", return_value="mask_4d")
+    modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask = mock_factory
+    patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask()
+
+    # Caller-supplied config says FA2 (that's the model-level setting).
+    caller_config = SimpleNamespace(
+        _attn_implementation="flash_attention_2",
+        head_dim=512,
+        some_other_attr="preserved",
+    )
+    result = modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask(
+        caller_config,
+        inputs_embeds=None,
+        attention_mask=None,
+        past_key_values=None,
+        position_ids=None,
+    )
+
+    # Wrapper returned whatever the mock returned — no transformation of
+    # the result itself.
+    assert result == "mask_4d"
+
+    # The mock was called exactly once with a config whose
+    # ``_attn_implementation`` is sdpa, NOT the caller's fa2.
+    assert mock_factory.call_count == 1
+    (passed_config, *_), passed_kwargs = mock_factory.call_args
+    assert passed_config._attn_implementation == "sdpa"
+
+    # The wrapper must NOT mutate the caller's config in place — other
+    # mask builders (e.g. create_sliding_window_causal_mask) read from
+    # the same config and must still see fa2.
+    assert caller_config._attn_implementation == "flash_attention_2"
+
+    # Other attributes on the config must be preserved so the underlying
+    # factory has everything it needs (head_dim, rope_theta, vocab_size, ...).
+    assert passed_config.head_dim == 512
+    assert passed_config.some_other_attr == "preserved"
+
+
+def test_patched_wrapper_passes_through_all_kwargs(restore_gemma4_module):
+    """The wrapper must forward positional + keyword args to the original
+    unchanged, so transformers' own call-site in Gemma4TextModel.forward
+    keeps working across minor transformers-version signature drift."""
+    modeling_gemma4 = restore_gemma4_module
+    from axolotl.monkeypatch.gemma4_hybrid_mask import patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask
+
+    mock_factory = MagicMock(return_value="mask")
+    modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask = mock_factory
+    patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask()
+
+    caller_config = SimpleNamespace(_attn_implementation="flash_attention_2")
+    modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask(
+        caller_config,
+        "positional_arg",
+        inputs_embeds="embeds",
+        attention_mask="mask_2d",
+        past_key_values="cache",
+        position_ids="positions",
+        or_mask_function="or_fn",
+    )
+
+    args, kwargs = mock_factory.call_args
+    # First positional (after config override) is preserved.
+    assert args[1] == "positional_arg"
+    # All kwargs are forwarded untouched.
+    assert kwargs["inputs_embeds"] == "embeds"
+    assert kwargs["attention_mask"] == "mask_2d"
+    assert kwargs["past_key_values"] == "cache"
+    assert kwargs["position_ids"] == "positions"
+    assert kwargs["or_mask_function"] == "or_fn"
+
+
+def test_unpatch_restores_original(restore_gemma4_module):
+    modeling_gemma4 = restore_gemma4_module
+    from axolotl.monkeypatch.gemma4_hybrid_mask import (
+        patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask,
+        unpatch_gemma4_hybrid_mask,
+    )
+
+    sentinel = MagicMock(name="original")
+    modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask = sentinel
+    patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask()
+    assert modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask is not sentinel
+
+    unpatch_gemma4_hybrid_mask()
+    assert modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask is sentinel
+
+
+def test_unpatch_is_safe_without_prior_patch(restore_gemma4_module):
+    from axolotl.monkeypatch.gemma4_hybrid_mask import unpatch_gemma4_hybrid_mask
+
+    # Should be a no-op, no exception.
+    unpatch_gemma4_hybrid_mask()
+
+
+def test_sliding_window_mask_builder_is_not_patched(restore_gemma4_module):
+    """Only ``create_causal_mask`` is overridden — the sliding-window
+    factory must remain bound to its original to preserve FA2 masks for
+    the sliding-attention layers. If we accidentally patch both, the
+    sliding layers get SDPA format and lose the FA2 speedup."""
+    modeling_gemma4 = restore_gemma4_module
+    from axolotl.monkeypatch.gemma4_hybrid_mask import patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask
+
+    if not hasattr(modeling_gemma4, "create_sliding_window_causal_mask"):
+        pytest.skip("transformers version has no create_sliding_window_causal_mask")
+
+    sliding_before = modeling_gemma4.create_sliding_window_causal_mask
+    patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask()
+    sliding_after = modeling_gemma4.create_sliding_window_causal_mask
+    assert sliding_after is sliding_before
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Integration tests with a tiny randomly-initialized Gemma4TextModel.
+#
+# These do NOT load real 26B weights. They build a ~350k-param Gemma 4 text
+# model with 2 layers (one sliding, one full_attention), apply the hybrid
+# attention path end-to-end, and run a forward pass with a padded
+# attention_mask at a long-ish seq len. The invariant we're pinning is that
+# the full_attention layer does not crash with the
+#   "Target sizes: [B, H, S, S]. Tensor sizes: [B, S]"
+# error — the exact failure that blew up the Gemma 4 MoE 26B pilot at ~7k
+# tokens in the FSDP2 training run.
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def _build_tiny_gemma4_text_model():
+    """Return a tiny randomly-initialized Gemma4TextModel with mixed layers."""
+    import torch
+    from transformers.models.gemma4.configuration_gemma4 import Gemma4TextConfig
+    from transformers.models.gemma4.modeling_gemma4 import Gemma4TextModel
+
+    cfg = Gemma4TextConfig(
+        vocab_size=128,
+        hidden_size=64,
+        intermediate_size=128,
+        num_hidden_layers=2,
+        num_attention_heads=2,
+        num_key_value_heads=2,
+        head_dim=32,
+        layer_types=["sliding_attention", "full_attention"],
+        sliding_window=64,
+        max_position_embeddings=2048,
+        hidden_size_per_layer_input=16,
+        vocab_size_per_layer_input=128,
+    )
+    # Caller-supplied attn impl simulates the pilot config (fa2 at model
+    # level). The hybrid patch is what makes this survive long context.
+    cfg._attn_implementation = "sdpa"  # start safe; the test toggles fa2 later
+    torch.manual_seed(42)
+    model = Gemma4TextModel(cfg).eval()
+    return model, cfg
+
+
+def _apply_hybrid_attn_inline(model, cfg):
+    """Replicate what ``patch_manager._apply_gemma_hybrid_attention`` does
+    to a model, without needing a full PatchManager / pydantic cfg."""
+    import copy
+
+    from axolotl.monkeypatch.gemma4_hybrid_mask import patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask
+
+    for layer_idx, layer in enumerate(model.layers):
+        if cfg.layer_types[layer_idx] != "sliding_attention":
+            attn = getattr(layer, "self_attn", None)
+            if attn is not None and hasattr(attn, "config"):
+                sdpa_cfg = copy.copy(attn.config)
+                sdpa_cfg._attn_implementation = "sdpa"
+                attn.config = sdpa_cfg
+    patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask()
+
+
+def test_tiny_gemma4_long_context_forward_does_not_crash(restore_gemma4_module):
+    """End-to-end invariant: with the hybrid attn patch applied, a tiny
+    Gemma4TextModel runs a forward at long context (1024 tokens) with
+    real padding in the attention mask, producing the expected output
+    shape. This exercises the actual code path that crashed the pilot
+    without needing a real 26B checkpoint or CUDA."""
+    import torch
+
+    model, cfg = _build_tiny_gemma4_text_model()
+    _apply_hybrid_attn_inline(model, cfg)
+
+    B, S = 2, 1024
+    input_ids = torch.randint(0, cfg.vocab_size, (B, S))
+    attn_mask = torch.ones(B, S, dtype=torch.long)
+    # Pad positions in the second row. Without padding, SDPA falls back to
+    # ``is_causal=True`` with ``mask=None`` — we need a materialized 4D
+    # mask to exercise the actual bug site.
+    attn_mask[1, S // 2 :] = 0
+
+    with torch.no_grad():
+        out = model(input_ids=input_ids, attention_mask=attn_mask)
+
+    assert out.last_hidden_state.shape == (B, S, cfg.hidden_size)
+    assert torch.isfinite(out.last_hidden_state).all()
+
+
+def test_patched_create_causal_mask_returns_4d_for_real_config(
+    restore_gemma4_module,
+):
+    """Hit the REAL ``create_causal_mask`` (not a mock) via the wrapper
+    and verify the returned mask is a 4D tensor — which is the shape the
+    SDPA-patched global layers need. Without the patch and with a
+    caller-supplied FA2 config this would return a 2D mask and the layer
+    would crash at long context."""
+    import torch
+    from transformers.cache_utils import DynamicCache
+    from transformers.models.gemma4.configuration_gemma4 import Gemma4TextConfig
+
+    from axolotl.monkeypatch.gemma4_hybrid_mask import patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask
+
+    patch_gemma4_hybrid_mask()
+    modeling_gemma4 = restore_gemma4_module
+
+    cfg = Gemma4TextConfig(
+        vocab_size=128,
+        hidden_size=64,
+        num_hidden_layers=2,
+        num_attention_heads=2,
+        num_key_value_heads=2,
+        head_dim=32,
+        layer_types=["sliding_attention", "full_attention"],
+        sliding_window=64,
+        max_position_embeddings=2048,
+        hidden_size_per_layer_input=16,
+        vocab_size_per_layer_input=128,
+    )
+    # Simulate the pilot: caller says flash_attention_2, but global layers
+    # were switched to SDPA per-layer. Without the patch, create_causal_mask
+    # would return an FA2 2D mask here and the SDPA layer would crash.
+    cfg._attn_implementation = "flash_attention_2"
+
+    B, S = 2, 1024
+    inputs_embeds = torch.zeros((B, S, cfg.hidden_size), dtype=torch.float32)
+    attention_mask = torch.ones((B, S), dtype=torch.long)
+    attention_mask[1, S // 2 :] = 0  # force the 4D materialized path
+    position_ids = torch.arange(S).unsqueeze(0).expand(B, -1)
+    past_key_values = DynamicCache(config=cfg)
+
+    mask = modeling_gemma4.create_causal_mask(
+        config=cfg,
+        inputs_embeds=inputs_embeds,
+        attention_mask=attention_mask,
+        past_key_values=past_key_values,
+        position_ids=position_ids,
+    )
+
+    assert mask is not None
+    assert isinstance(mask, torch.Tensor)
+    assert mask.dim() == 4, (
+        f"expected a 4D SDPA-format mask, got {mask.dim()}D "
+        f"shape={tuple(mask.shape)}. The full_attention global layers need "
+        "this shape or they crash at long context."
+    )
+    assert mask.shape[0] == B
+    assert mask.shape[-1] == S
+    assert mask.shape[-2] == S
+
+    # Caller's config must be untouched — other code paths still read it.
+    assert cfg._attn_implementation == "flash_attention_2"

tests/utils/lora/test_merge_lora.py

@@ -491,7 +491,8 @@ class TestEfficientMerge:
         out_features = 4
         alpha = 4
 
-        base = torch.randn(num_experts, in_features, out_features)
+        # PEFT ParamWrapper treats non-transposed 3D weights as (experts, out, in)
+        base = torch.randn(num_experts, out_features, in_features)
         lora_a = torch.randn(r * num_experts, in_features)
         lora_b = torch.randn(out_features, r * num_experts)
 
@@ -507,7 +508,7 @@ class TestEfficientMerge:
         scale = alpha / r
         wa = lora_a.reshape(num_experts, r, in_features)
         wb = lora_b.reshape(out_features, r, num_experts)
-        manual_delta = torch.einsum("o r e, e r i -> e i o", wb, wa) * scale
+        manual_delta = torch.einsum("o r e, e r i -> e o i", wb, wa) * scale
         for e in range(num_experts):
             assert torch.allclose(merged[e], base[e] + manual_delta[e], atol=1e-5), (
                 f"Expert {e} mismatch"

tests/utils/schemas/validation/test_config_validators.py

@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ Covers:
   - save_strategy: 'best' requires metric_for_best_model
   - streaming=True with val_set_size > 0 is rejected
   - lora_target_modules with invalid regex patterns is rejected
+  - GRPO: generation batch size must be divisible by num_generations,
+    num_generations >= 2, and effective_gbs >= num_generations * world_size
 """
 
 import pytest
@@ -117,3 +119,136 @@ class TestLoraTargetModulesRegexValidator:
         )
         with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="invalid regex pattern"):
             validate_config(cfg)
+
+
+class TestGRPOBatchSizeValidator:
+    """GRPO requires (mb*GA) % num_generations == 0 and num_generations >= 2.
+
+    These call the @model_validator(mode="before") classmethod directly on a
+    plain dict — same input shape it receives during full Pydantic validation,
+    just without dragging in unrelated fields (datasets / model loading / etc.)
+    that aren't relevant to what's under test. The validator is registered on
+    ``RLValidationMixin`` (which ``AxolotlInputConfig`` inherits) so this is the
+    same code path ``axolotl train`` exercises.
+    """
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _check(data):
+        from axolotl.utils.schemas.validation import RLValidationMixin
+
+        return RLValidationMixin.check_grpo_batch_size_divisibility(data)
+
+    def test_divisible_passes(self):
+        data = {
+            "rl": "grpo",
+            "micro_batch_size": 1,
+            "gradient_accumulation_steps": 4,
+            "trl": {"num_generations": 4},
+        }
+        # Should return data unchanged (no exception)
+        out = self._check(data)
+        assert out["trl"]["num_generations"] == 4
+
+    def test_non_divisible_raises(self):
+        data = {
+            "rl": "grpo",
+            "micro_batch_size": 1,
+            "gradient_accumulation_steps": 2,
+            "trl": {"num_generations": 4},
+        }
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="num_generations"):
+            self._check(data)
+
+    def test_non_divisible_error_includes_fix_hint(self):
+        data = {
+            "rl": "grpo",
+            "micro_batch_size": 1,
+            "gradient_accumulation_steps": 3,
+            "trl": {"num_generations": 4},
+        }
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="gradient_accumulation_steps: 4"):
+            self._check(data)
+
+    def test_num_generations_one_raises(self):
+        data = {
+            "rl": "grpo",
+            "micro_batch_size": 1,
+            "gradient_accumulation_steps": 4,
+            "trl": {"num_generations": 1},
+        }
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=r"num_generations >= 2"):
+            self._check(data)
+
+    def test_explicit_generation_batch_size_divisible_passes(self):
+        data = {
+            "rl": "grpo",
+            "micro_batch_size": 1,
+            "gradient_accumulation_steps": 1,
+            "trl": {"num_generations": 4, "generation_batch_size": 8},
+        }
+        out = self._check(data)
+        assert out["trl"]["generation_batch_size"] == 8
+
+    def test_explicit_generation_batch_size_non_divisible_raises(self):
+        data = {
+            "rl": "grpo",
+            "micro_batch_size": 1,
+            "gradient_accumulation_steps": 1,
+            "trl": {"num_generations": 4, "generation_batch_size": 6},
+        }
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="trl.generation_batch_size"):
+            self._check(data)
+
+    def test_non_grpo_skips_check(self):
+        # Anything other than rl=grpo should pass through untouched, even
+        # with non-divisible batch sizes — they're irrelevant to other RL
+        # methods that don't use group-relative advantages.
+        data = {
+            "rl": "dpo",
+            "micro_batch_size": 1,
+            "gradient_accumulation_steps": 3,
+            "trl": {"num_generations": 4},
+        }
+        assert self._check(data) is data
+
+    def test_no_rl_set_skips_check(self):
+        data = {
+            "micro_batch_size": 1,
+            "gradient_accumulation_steps": 3,
+        }
+        assert self._check(data) is data
+
+    def test_grpo_without_num_generations_skips_check(self):
+        # If num_generations isn't set, TRL uses its own default — we don't
+        # have enough info to validate, so the validator must short-circuit
+        # rather than guess.
+        data = {
+            "rl": "grpo",
+            "micro_batch_size": 1,
+            "gradient_accumulation_steps": 3,
+            "trl": {},
+        }
+        out = self._check(data)
+        assert out["rl"] == "grpo"
+
+    def test_multi_rank_group_size_check(self):
+        data = {
+            "rl": "grpo",
+            "micro_batch_size": 1,
+            "gradient_accumulation_steps": 4,  # gbs=4
+            "world_size": 2,  # need gbs >= 4*2 = 8
+            "trl": {"num_generations": 4},
+        }
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=r"world_size=2"):
+            self._check(data)
+
+    def test_multi_rank_group_size_satisfied(self):
+        data = {
+            "rl": "grpo",
+            "micro_batch_size": 1,
+            "gradient_accumulation_steps": 8,  # gbs=8 >= 4*2
+            "world_size": 2,
+            "trl": {"num_generations": 4},
+        }
+        out = self._check(data)
+        assert out["gradient_accumulation_steps"] == 8