diff --git a/benchmarks/float8/profile_linear_float8.py b/benchmarks/float8/profile_linear_float8.py
index f4f2813a3..e545ea466 100644
--- a/benchmarks/float8/profile_linear_float8.py
+++ b/benchmarks/float8/profile_linear_float8.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 import copy
 import io
+import functools
 import os
 import random
 from contextlib import nullcontext, redirect_stdout
@@ -22,6 +23,11 @@
 import torch
 import torch.nn as nn
 import torch.nn.functional as F
+from torch.utils.checkpoint import (
+    checkpoint, 
+    create_selective_checkpoint_contexts, 
+    CheckpointPolicy,
+)
 from torchao.float8.config import (
     CastConfig, 
     Float8LinearConfig, 
@@ -254,6 +260,22 @@ def profile_function(
     return prof
 
 
+# set up AC for max(abs(tensor))
+# context: https://pytorch.org/docs/stable/checkpoint.html#torch.utils.checkpoint.create_selective_checkpoint_contexts
+ops_to_save = [
+    torch.ops.aten.abs.default,
+    torch.ops.aten.max.default,
+]
+
+def policy_fn(ctx, op, *args, **kwargs):
+    if op in ops_to_save:
+        return CheckpointPolicy.MUST_SAVE
+    else:
+        return CheckpointPolicy.PREFER_RECOMPUTE
+
+context_fn = functools.partial(create_selective_checkpoint_contexts, policy_fn)
+
+
 def main(
     profile_path_prefix: pathlib.Path,
     compile: bool = True,
@@ -265,6 +287,7 @@ def main(
     dtype_filter: str = "both",
     add_inductor_metadata_to_trace: bool = True,
     enable_sync_amax_history: bool = True,
+    enable_activation_checkpointing: bool = False,
 ):
     assert model_type in ("linear", "ln_linear", "norm_ffn_norm", "norm_ffn_norm_small"), "unsupported"
     assert dtype_filter in ("both", "float8", "bfloat16")
@@ -294,6 +317,7 @@ def main(
     print(f"Compile is set to       | {compile}")
     print(f"model_type is set to    | {model_type}")
     print(f"scaling_repr is set to  | {scaling_repr}")
+    print(f"enable_activation_checkpointing is set to {enable_activation_checkpointing}")
 
     device = "cuda"
     ref_dtype = torch.bfloat16
@@ -338,11 +362,17 @@ def main(
     convert_to_float8_training(m_float8, config=config)
 
     def ref_forw_backward(x):
-        out = m_ref(x)
+        if enable_activation_checkpointing:
+            out = checkpoint(m_ref, x, use_reentrant=False, context_fn=context_fn)
+        else:
+            out = m_ref(x)
         out.sum().backward()
 
     def float8_forw(x):
-        out = m_float8(x)
+        if enable_activation_checkpointing:
+            out = checkpoint(m_float8, x, use_reentrant=False, context_fn=context_fn)
+        else:
+            out = m_float8(x)
         return out
 
     sync_amax_history = sync_float8_amax_and_scale_history