diff --git a/pytorch_lightning/models/trainer.py b/pytorch_lightning/models/trainer.py
index 44cafb0c56..9c4b7d5fe2 100644
--- a/pytorch_lightning/models/trainer.py
+++ b/pytorch_lightning/models/trainer.py
@@ -161,7 +161,6 @@ class Trainer(TrainerIO):
         self.nb_tng_batches = None
         self.nb_test_batches = None
 
-
         # gpus come in as a string.
         # if gpus = -1 then use all available devices
         # otherwise, split the string using commas
diff --git a/tests/test_models.py b/tests/test_models.py
index 2977f46073..5cee2e5ef6 100644
--- a/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/tests/test_models.py
@@ -75,9 +75,16 @@ def test_cpu_slurm_save_load():
     assert os.path.exists(saved_filepath)
 
     # wipe-out trainer and model
+    # retrain with not much data... this simulates picking training back up after slurm
     # we want to see if the weights come back correctly
+    continue_tng_hparams = get_hparams(continue_training=True)
+    trainer_options = dict(
+        max_nb_epochs=1,
+        cluster=SlurmCluster(continue_tng_hparams),
+        experiment=exp,
+        checkpoint_callback=ModelCheckpoint(save_dir)
+    )
     trainer = Trainer(**trainer_options)
-    trainer.model = LightningTestModel(hparams)
 
     # test HPC loading
     trainer.hpc_load(save_dir, on_gpu=False)
@@ -568,16 +575,23 @@ def run_gpu_model_test(trainer_options, model, hparams, on_gpu=True):
     clear_save_dir()
 
 
-def get_hparams():
+def get_hparams(continue_training=False):
     root_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
-    hparams = Namespace(**{'drop_prob': 0.2,
-                           'batch_size': 32,
-                           'in_features': 28*28,
-                           'learning_rate': 0.001*8,
-                           'optimizer_name': 'adam',
-                           'data_root': os.path.join(root_dir, 'mnist'),
-                           'out_features': 10,
-                           'hidden_dim': 1000})
+
+    args = {
+        'drop_prob': 0.2,
+        'batch_size': 32,
+        'in_features': 28*28,
+        'learning_rate': 0.001*8,
+        'optimizer_name': 'adam',
+        'data_root': os.path.join(root_dir, 'mnist'),
+        'out_features': 10,
+        'hidden_dim': 1000}
+
+    if continue_training:
+        args['test_tube_do_checkpoint_load'] = True
+
+    hparams = Namespace(**args)
     return hparams