diff --git a/src/lerobot/policies/pi05_openpi/modeling_pi05openpi.py b/src/lerobot/policies/pi05_openpi/modeling_pi05openpi.py
index 39281204e..d9e86f830 100644
--- a/src/lerobot/policies/pi05_openpi/modeling_pi05openpi.py
+++ b/src/lerobot/policies/pi05_openpi/modeling_pi05openpi.py
@@ -974,14 +974,22 @@ class PI05OpenPIPolicy(PreTrainedPolicy):
                 r"paligemma_with_expert\.gemma_expert\.model\.layers\.\d+\.(input_layernorm|post_attention_layernorm)\.weight",
                 key,
             ):
-                # This key structure suggests old model without adaRMS - keep as is or skip
-                logging.warning(f"Skipping old layer norm key (no adaRMS support): {key}")
-                continue
+                # Check if the model actually has adaRMS enabled for the expert
+                expert_uses_adarms = getattr(
+                    self.model.paligemma_with_expert.gemma_expert.config, "use_adarms", False
+                )
+                if expert_uses_adarms:
+                    logging.warning(f"Skipping layer norm key (adaRMS mismatch): {key}")
+                    continue
 
             if re.match(r"paligemma_with_expert\.gemma_expert\.model\.norm\.weight", key):
-                # Skip old norm structure
-                logging.warning(f"Skipping old norm key (no adaRMS support): {key}")
-                continue
+                # Check if the model actually has adaRMS enabled for the expert
+                expert_uses_adarms = getattr(
+                    self.model.paligemma_with_expert.gemma_expert.config, "use_adarms", False
+                )
+                if expert_uses_adarms:
+                    logging.warning(f"Skipping norm key (adaRMS mismatch): {key}")
+                    continue
 
             # Handle MLP naming changes for pi05
             # pi05 model expects time_mlp_*, but checkpoint might have action_time_mlp_*