diff --git a/decanlp/train.py b/decanlp/train.py
index 30411b52..7b142b27 100644
--- a/decanlp/train.py
+++ b/decanlp/train.py
@@ -32,30 +32,25 @@
 import os
 import math
 import time
-import random
-import collections
 import sys
 from copy import deepcopy
 
 import logging
 from pprint import pformat
 from logging import handlers
-import ujson as json
 
 import torch
-import numpy as np
 
 from .text import torchtext
 
 from tensorboardX import SummaryWriter
-import string
 
-from decanlp import arguments
+from . import arguments
 from . import models
 from .validate import validate
 from .multiprocess import Multiprocess, DistributedDataParallel
-from .metrics import compute_metrics
 from .util import elapsed_time, get_splits, batch_fn, set_seed, preprocess_examples, get_trainable_params, count_params
+from .utils.saver import Saver
 
 def initialize_logger(args, rank='main'):
     # set up file logger
@@ -185,6 +180,7 @@ def train(args, model, opt, train_iters, train_iterations, field, rank=0, world_
     local_train_metric_dict = {}
 
     train_iters = [(task, iter(train_iter)) for task, train_iter in train_iters]
+    saver = Saver(args.log_dir)
     
     while True:
         # For some number of rounds, we 'jump start' some subset of the tasks
@@ -254,7 +250,7 @@ def train(args, model, opt, train_iters, train_iterations, field, rank=0, world_
                             save_state_dict = {'model_state_dict': {k: v.cpu() for k, v in model.state_dict().items()}, 'field': field,
                                                'best_decascore': best_decascore}
                             
-                            torch.save(save_state_dict, os.path.join(args.log_dir, f'iteration_{iteration}.pth'))
+                            saver.save(save_state_dict, global_step=iteration)
                             if should_save_best:
                                 logger.info(f'{args.timestamp}:{elapsed_time(logger)}:iteration_{iteration}:{round_progress}train_{task}:{task_progress}found new best model')
                                 torch.save(save_state_dict, os.path.join(args.log_dir, 'best.pth'))
diff --git a/decanlp/utils/saver.py b/decanlp/utils/saver.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8224c12e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/decanlp/utils/saver.py
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2018, The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+#
+# * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
+#   list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#
+# * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
+#   this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
+#   and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+#
+# * Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its
+#   contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+#   this software without specific prior written permission.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
+# AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+# IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
+# DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
+# FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
+# DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR
+# SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
+# CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+# OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+# OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+'''
+Created on Mar 3, 2019
+
+@author: gcampagn
+'''
+
+import torch
+import ujson as json
+import os
+import logging
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+class Saver(object):
+    '''
+    Wrap pytorch's save functionality into an interface similar to tensorflow.train.Saver
+    
+    In particular, this class takes care of automatically cleaning up old checkpoints,
+    and creating checkpoint files to keep track of which saves are valid and which are not.
+    '''
+
+    def __init__(self, savedir, max_to_keep=5):
+        self._savedir = savedir
+        self._max_to_keep = max_to_keep
+        assert max_to_keep >= 1
+        
+        self._loaded_last_checkpoints = False
+        self._latest_checkpoint = None
+        self._all_checkpoints = None
+
+    def _maybe_load_last_checkpoints(self):
+        if self._loaded_last_checkpoints:
+            return
+        
+        try:
+            with open(os.path.join(self._savedir, 'checkpoint.json')) as fp:
+                data = json.load(fp)
+                self._loaded_last_checkpoints = True
+                self._all_checkpoints = data['all']
+                self._latest_checkpoint = data['latest']
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            self._loaded_last_checkpoints = True
+            self._all_checkpoints = []
+            self._latest_checkpoint = None
+        
+    def save(self, save_dict, global_step):
+        self._maybe_load_last_checkpoints()
+        
+        filename = 'iteration_' + str(global_step)
+        abspath = os.path.join(self._savedir, filename)
+        
+        self._latest_checkpoint = filename
+        self._all_checkpoints.append(filename)
+        if len(self._all_checkpoints) > self._max_to_keep:
+            try:
+                todelete = self._all_checkpoints.pop(0)
+                os.unlink(os.path.join(self._savedir, todelete))
+            except (OSError, IOError) as e:
+                logging.warn('Failed to delete old checkpoint: %s', e)
+        torch.save(save_dict, abspath)
+        
\ No newline at end of file