diff --git a/openfold3/core/model/primitives/initialization.py b/openfold3/core/model/primitives/initialization.py
index 3c28d788..51e143fa 100644
--- a/openfold3/core/model/primitives/initialization.py
+++ b/openfold3/core/model/primitives/initialization.py
@@ -16,20 +16,13 @@
 """Initialization functions for network parameters."""
 
 import math
+from functools import lru_cache
 
-import numpy as np
 import torch
 from scipy.stats import truncnorm
 from torch import nn
 
 
-def _prod(nums):
-    out = 1
-    for n in nums:
-        out = out * n
-    return out
-
-
 def _calculate_fan(linear_weight_shape, fan="fan_in"):
     fan_out, fan_in = linear_weight_shape
 
@@ -45,18 +38,26 @@ def _calculate_fan(linear_weight_shape, fan="fan_in"):
     return f
 
 
+@lru_cache
+def _cached_truncnorm_std(a, b, loc, scale):
+    return truncnorm.std(a, b, loc, scale)
+
+
 def trunc_normal_init_(weights, scale=1.0, fan="fan_in"):
-    shape = weights.shape
-    f = _calculate_fan(shape, fan)
+    f = _calculate_fan(weights.shape, fan)
+
     scale = scale / max(1, f)
-    a = -2
-    b = 2
-    std = math.sqrt(scale) / truncnorm.std(a=a, b=b, loc=0, scale=1)
-    size = _prod(shape)
-    samples = truncnorm.rvs(a=a, b=b, loc=0, scale=std, size=size)
-    samples = np.reshape(samples, shape)
+    # truncnorm.std is always 0.8796256610342398
+    std = float(math.sqrt(scale) / _cached_truncnorm_std(a=-2, b=2, loc=0, scale=1))
+
     with torch.no_grad():
-        weights.copy_(torch.tensor(samples, device=weights.device))
+        nn.init.trunc_normal_(
+            weights,
+            mean=0.0,
+            std=std,
+            a=-2.0 * std,
+            b=2.0 * std,
+        )
 
 
 def lecun_normal_init_(weights):
diff --git a/openfold3/tests/test_model_checkpoint.py b/openfold3/tests/test_model_checkpoint.py
index 8df7f2d4..3450580a 100644
--- a/openfold3/tests/test_model_checkpoint.py
+++ b/openfold3/tests/test_model_checkpoint.py
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@
 import torch
 
 from openfold3.core.config import config_utils
-from openfold3.core.utils.checkpoint_loading_utils import load_checkpoint
+from openfold3.core.utils.checkpoint_loading_utils import (
+    get_state_dict_from_checkpoint,
+    load_checkpoint,
+)
 from openfold3.entry_points.experiment_runner import (
     InferenceExperimentRunner,
     TrainingExperimentRunner,
@@ -73,24 +76,24 @@ def test_make_model_ckpt(
                         loss_module:
                             diffusion:
                                 chunk_size: 16
-            
+
             dataset_configs:
                 train:
                     weighted-pdb:
-                        dataset_class: WeightedPDBDataset 
-                        weight: 1 
-                                        
+                        dataset_class: WeightedPDBDataset
+                        weight: 1
+
             dataset_paths:
                 weighted-pdb:
                     alignments_directory: null
                     alignment_db_directory: null
-                    alignment_array_directory: {tmp_path} 
-                    target_structures_directory: {tmp_path} 
+                    alignment_array_directory: {tmp_path}
+                    target_structures_directory: {tmp_path}
                     target_structure_file_format: npz
-                    dataset_cache_file: {test_dummy_file} 
-                    reference_molecule_directory: {tmp_path} 
-                    template_cache_directory: {tmp_path} 
-                    template_structure_array_directory: {tmp_path} 
+                    dataset_cache_file: {test_dummy_file}
+                    reference_molecule_directory: {tmp_path}
+                    template_cache_directory: {tmp_path}
+                    template_structure_array_directory: {tmp_path}
                     template_structures_directory: null
                     template_file_format: pkl
                     ccd_file: null
@@ -169,3 +172,32 @@ def test_load_model_ckpt_with_missing_fields_fails(
         inference_runner = InferenceExperimentRunner(inference_config)
         with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
             inference_runner.setup()
+
+    def test_inference_load_state_dict_benchmark_under_ten_seconds(
+        self, benchmark, default_ckpt_path
+    ):
+        """Guard against regressions in load_state_dict latency during setup."""
+        ckpt = load_checkpoint(default_ckpt_path)
+        state_dict, _ = get_state_dict_from_checkpoint(ckpt, init_from_ema_weights=True)
+        inference_config = InferenceExperimentConfig.model_validate(
+            {"inference_ckpt_path": default_ckpt_path}
+        )
+        inference_runner = InferenceExperimentRunner(inference_config)
+
+        def _load_state_dict():
+            inference_runner._warn_on_missing_version_tensor_in_load_statedict(
+                state_dict
+            )
+
+        benchmark.pedantic(
+            _load_state_dict,
+            rounds=1,
+            iterations=1,
+            warmup_rounds=0,
+        )
+        setup_seconds = benchmark.stats.stats.mean
+
+        assert setup_seconds < 10.0, (
+            f"InferenceExperimentRunner.lightning_module.load_state_dict path took {setup_seconds:.2f}s; "
+            "expected < 10.0s"
+        )