diff --git a/megatron/training.py b/megatron/training.py
index 5adef3c11..a9debff30 100644
--- a/megatron/training.py
+++ b/megatron/training.py
@@ -838,7 +838,10 @@ def build_train_valid_test_data_iterators(
         assert args.train_samples is None, \
             'only backward compatiblity support for iteration-based training'
         args.consumed_train_samples = args.iteration * args.global_batch_size
-    if args.iteration > 0 and args.consumed_valid_samples == 0:
+    # it's possible that train was run, but not eval and it's valid if
+    # args.consumed_valid_samples == 0
+    # TODO: eval_interval could have changed between runs, so this might still be wrong
+    if args.iteration // args.eval_interval > 0 and args.consumed_valid_samples == 0:
         assert args.train_samples is None, \
             'only backward compatiblity support for iteration-based training'
         args.consumed_valid_samples = (args.iteration // args.eval_interval) * \