diff --git a/python/turbine_models/custom_models/stateless_llama.py b/python/turbine_models/custom_models/stateless_llama.py
index 337390bb5..332e8a857 100644
--- a/python/turbine_models/custom_models/stateless_llama.py
+++ b/python/turbine_models/custom_models/stateless_llama.py
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@
 from iree.compiler.ir import Context
 from iree import runtime as ireert
 
+from turbine_models.custom_models import remap_gguf
+import safetensors
+
 BATCH_SIZE = 1
 MAX_STEP_SEQ = 4095
 
@@ -37,8 +40,9 @@
 parser.add_argument("--vmfb_path", type=str, default="")
 parser.add_argument(
     "--external_weights",
-    action="store_true",
-    help="saves ir/vmfb without global weights for size and readability",
+    type=str,
+    default=None,
+    help="saves ir/vmfb without global weights for size and readability, options [gguf, safetensors]",
 )
 
 prompt = """<s>[INST] <<SYS>>
@@ -65,7 +69,7 @@ def slice_up_to_step(global_pkv, seq_step, heads, hidden_dim):
 
 
 def export_transformer_model(
-    hf_model_name, hf_auth_token, compile_to, external_weights=False, quantization=None
+    hf_model_name, hf_auth_token, compile_to, external_weights=None, external_weight_file=None, quantization=None, 
 ):
     state_schema = pytree.treespec_loads(json_schema)
 
@@ -88,11 +92,18 @@ def export_transformer_model(
         dtype=torch.float32,
     )
 
-    if external_weights:
-        from turbine_models.custom_models import remap_gguf
+    mapper = {}
+    if external_weights is not None:
+        if external_weights == "safetensors":
+            mod_params = dict(mod.named_parameters())
+            for name in mod_params:
+                mapper["params."+name]=name
+            if external_weight_file:
+                safetensors.torch.save_file(mod_params, external_weight_file)
 
-        tensor_mapper = remap_gguf.TensorNameMap(remap_gguf.MODEL_ARCH.LLAMA, HEADS)
-        mapper = tensor_mapper.mapping
+        elif external_weights=="gguf":
+            tensor_mapper = remap_gguf.TensorNameMap(remap_gguf.MODEL_ARCH.LLAMA, HEADS)
+            mapper = tensor_mapper.mapping
 
     class StateUpdateModule(CompiledModule):
         if external_weights:
@@ -216,6 +227,7 @@ def forward(token0: torch.Tensor, *state0_flat):
 
 def run_vmfb_comparison(args):
     config = ireert.Config("local-task")
+    print(args.external_weight_file)
 
     if args.external_weight_file:
         from pathlib import Path
@@ -237,7 +249,7 @@ def run_vmfb_comparison(args):
         param_module = ireert.create_io_parameters_module(
             config.vm_instance, index.create_provider(scope="model")
         )
-        vm_modules.append(param_module)
+        vm_modules.insert(0, param_module)
     ctx = ireert.SystemContext(
         vm_modules=vm_modules,
         config=config,
@@ -303,5 +315,6 @@ def get_token_from_logits(logits):
             args.hf_auth_token,
             args.compile_to,
             args.external_weights,
+            args.external_weight_file,
             args.quantization,
         )