diff --git a/torchtnt/framework/auto_unit.py b/torchtnt/framework/auto_unit.py
index 4f9261175e..1c3b614698 100644
--- a/torchtnt/framework/auto_unit.py
+++ b/torchtnt/framework/auto_unit.py
@@ -186,29 +186,13 @@ def __init__(
             dtype=self.precision,
             enabled=self.precision is not None,
         )
-        if strategy:
-            if isinstance(strategy, str):
-                strategy = _convert_str_to_strategy(strategy)
-            if isinstance(strategy, DDPStrategy):
-                if torch_compile_params and strategy.static_graph is True:
-                    # https://dev-discuss.pytorch.org/t/torchdynamo-update-9-making-ddp-work-with-torchdynamo/860
-                    raise RuntimeError(
-                        "Torch compile requires DDPStrategy's static_graph to be False"
-                    )
-                module = prepare_ddp(module, self.device, strategy)
-            elif isinstance(strategy, FSDPStrategy):
-                if torch_compile_params and strategy.use_orig_params is False:
-                    # as stated here https://pytorch.org/get-started/pytorch-2.0/
-                    rank_zero_warn(
-                        "We recommend setting FSDPStrategy's use_orig_params to True when using torch compile."
-                    )
-                module = prepare_fsdp(
-                    module,
-                    self.device,
-                    strategy,
-                )
-        else:
-            module = module.to(self.device)
+        module = _apply_strategy_and_check(
+            module,
+            self.device,
+            strategy,
+            swa_params=None,
+            torch_compile_params=torch_compile_params,
+        )
         if torch_compile_params:
             try:
                 # use in-place compile to avoid altering the state_dict keys
@@ -426,28 +410,9 @@ def __init__(
             else precision
         )
 
-        if strategy:
-            if isinstance(strategy, str):
-                strategy = _convert_str_to_strategy(strategy)
-            if isinstance(strategy, DDPStrategy):
-                if torch_compile_params and strategy.static_graph is True:
-                    # https://dev-discuss.pytorch.org/t/torchdynamo-update-9-making-ddp-work-with-torchdynamo/860
-                    raise RuntimeError(
-                        "Torch compile requires DDPStrategy's static_graph to be False"
-                    )
-                module = prepare_ddp(module, self.device, strategy)
-            elif isinstance(strategy, FSDPStrategy):
-                if swa_params:
-                    raise RuntimeError(
-                        "Stochastic Weight Averaging is currently not supported with the FSDP strategy"
-                    )
-                # as stated here https://pytorch.org/get-started/pytorch-2.0/
-                rank_zero_warn(
-                    "We recommend setting FSDPStrategy's use_original_params to True when using torch compile."
-                )
-                module = prepare_fsdp(module, self.device, strategy)
-        else:
-            module = module.to(self.device)
+        module = _apply_strategy_and_check(
+            module, self.device, strategy, swa_params, torch_compile_params
+        )
 
         if activation_checkpoint_params:
             checkpoint_impl = activation_checkpoint_params.checkpoint_impl
@@ -850,6 +815,42 @@ def _validate_torch_compile_available() -> None:
         )
 
 
+def _apply_strategy_and_check(
+    module: torch.nn.Module,
+    device: torch.device,
+    strategy: Optional[Union[Strategy, str]],
+    swa_params: Optional[SWAParams],
+    torch_compile_params: Optional[TorchCompileParams],
+) -> torch.nn.Module:
+    """
+    Applies the given strategy on the module, and checks for any
+    incompatibilies between the chosen strategy and swa / torch compile params.
+    """
+    if strategy:
+        if isinstance(strategy, str):
+            strategy = _convert_str_to_strategy(strategy)
+        if isinstance(strategy, DDPStrategy):
+            if torch_compile_params and strategy.static_graph is True:
+                # https://dev-discuss.pytorch.org/t/torchdynamo-update-9-making-ddp-work-with-torchdynamo/860
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    "Torch compile requires DDPStrategy's static_graph to be False"
+                )
+            module = prepare_ddp(module, device, strategy)
+        elif isinstance(strategy, FSDPStrategy):
+            if swa_params:
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    "Stochastic Weight Averaging is currently not supported with the FSDP strategy"
+                )
+            # as stated here https://pytorch.org/get-started/pytorch-2.0/
+            rank_zero_warn(
+                "We recommend setting FSDPStrategy's use_original_params to True when using torch compile."
+            )
+            module = prepare_fsdp(module, device, strategy)
+    else:
+        module = module.to(device)
+    return module
+
+
 def _convert_str_to_strategy(strategy: str) -> Union[DDPStrategy, FSDPStrategy]:
     """
     Converts strategy as a string to a default instance of the Strategy dataclass.