diff --git a/torchft/checkpointing.py b/torchft/checkpointing.py
index 48a5d51..16c62cd 100644
--- a/torchft/checkpointing.py
+++ b/torchft/checkpointing.py
@@ -172,7 +172,9 @@ def load_from_address(cls, address: str, timeout: timedelta) -> T:
             data = f.read()
 
         reader = io.BytesIO(data)
-        return torch.load(reader, weights_only=True)
+        # We have to set weights_only to False as there are some non-tensor
+        # states like lr_scheduler.
+        return torch.load(reader, weights_only=False)
 
     def address(self) -> str:
         """
diff --git a/torchft/manager.py b/torchft/manager.py
index dc5ab30..99ad410 100644
--- a/torchft/manager.py
+++ b/torchft/manager.py
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ class Manager:
     def __init__(
         self,
         pg: "ProcessGroup",
-        load_state_dict: Callable[[T], None],
-        state_dict: Callable[[], T],
+        load_state_dict: Optional[Callable[[T], None]],
+        state_dict: Optional[Callable[[], T]],
         min_replica_size: int,
         use_async_quorum: bool = True,
         timeout: timedelta = timedelta(seconds=60),
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ def __init__(
                 transfering checkpoints to recovering replicas
         """
         self._load_state_dict = load_state_dict
-        self._state_dict = state_dict
+        self._user_state_dict = state_dict
         self._pending_state_dict: Optional[Dict[str, object]] = None
         self._use_async_quorum = use_async_quorum
         self._timeout = timeout
@@ -159,8 +159,6 @@ def __init__(
         world_size = world_size or int(os.environ["WORLD_SIZE"])
         self._min_replica_size = min_replica_size
 
-        self._user_state_dict = state_dict
-
         if checkpoint_transport is None:
             checkpoint_transport = CheckpointServer[Dict[str, T]](
                 timeout=timeout,
@@ -226,6 +224,12 @@ def __init__(
         self._participating_rank: Optional[int] = None
         self._participating_world_size: int = 0
 
+    def set_state_dict_fns(
+        self, load_state_dict: Callable[[T], None], state_dict: Callable[[], T]
+    ) -> None:
+        self._load_state_dict = load_state_dict
+        self._user_state_dict = state_dict
+
     def shutdown(self, wait: bool = True) -> None:
         """
         Shutdown the manager and checkpoint server.
@@ -531,8 +535,12 @@ def _apply_pending_state_dict(self) -> None:
         self._logger.info("applying pending state dict")
 
         assert self._pending_state_dict is not None, "checkpoint was not staged"
+        assert (
+            self._load_state_dict is not None
+        ), "user load_state_dict is not initialized."
         self._load_state_dict(self._pending_state_dict["user"])
         self._pending_state_dict = None
+        self._logger.info("Loaded state dict.")
 
     def should_commit(self, timeout: Optional[timedelta] = None) -> bool:
         """
@@ -602,6 +610,7 @@ def load_state_dict(self, state_dict: Dict[str, int]) -> None:
         self._batches_committed = state_dict["batches_committed"]
 
     def _manager_state_dict(self) -> Dict[str, object]:
+        assert self._user_state_dict is not None, "user state_dict is not initialized."
         return {
             "user": self._user_state_dict(),
             "torchft": self.state_dict(),
diff --git a/torchft/manager_test.py b/torchft/manager_test.py
index 01adddf..2e5b293 100644
--- a/torchft/manager_test.py
+++ b/torchft/manager_test.py
@@ -95,6 +95,37 @@ def test_state_dict(self, client_mock: MagicMock) -> None:
         self.assertEqual(manager.current_step(), 1234)
         self.assertEqual(manager.batches_committed(), 2345)
 
+    @patch("torchft.manager.ManagerClient", autospec=True)
+    def test_user_state_dict(self, client_mock: MagicMock) -> None:
+        manager = self._create_manager()
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            manager._manager_state_dict(),
+            {
+                "user": {},
+                "torchft": {
+                    "step": 0,
+                    "batches_committed": 0,
+                },
+            },
+        )
+
+        manager.set_state_dict_fns(
+            self.load_state_dict,
+            lambda: {"new_state": 1},
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            manager._manager_state_dict(),
+            {
+                "user": {"new_state": 1},
+                "torchft": {
+                    "step": 0,
+                    "batches_committed": 0,
+                },
+            },
+        )
+
     @patch("torchft.manager.ManagerClient", autospec=True)
     def test_quorum_happy(self, client_mock: MagicMock) -> None:
         manager = self._create_manager()