diff --git a/src/nvidia_resiliency_ext/checkpointing/async_ckpt/torch_ckpt.py b/src/nvidia_resiliency_ext/checkpointing/async_ckpt/torch_ckpt.py
index e06ea618..620f7114 100644
--- a/src/nvidia_resiliency_ext/checkpointing/async_ckpt/torch_ckpt.py
+++ b/src/nvidia_resiliency_ext/checkpointing/async_ckpt/torch_ckpt.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def async_save(self, state_dict, *args, **kwargs):
         preloaded_sd = preload_tensors(state_dict)
         torch.cuda.synchronize()
         async_request = AsyncRequest(
-            TorchAsyncCheckpoint.async_fn, (preloaded_sd, *args), [], kwargs
+            TorchAsyncCheckpoint.async_fn, (preloaded_sd, *args), [], kwargs or {}
         )
         self._async_calls_queue.schedule_async_request(async_request)
 
diff --git a/src/nvidia_resiliency_ext/checkpointing/local/ckpt_managers/base_manager.py b/src/nvidia_resiliency_ext/checkpointing/local/ckpt_managers/base_manager.py
index a203704a..1694c488 100644
--- a/src/nvidia_resiliency_ext/checkpointing/local/ckpt_managers/base_manager.py
+++ b/src/nvidia_resiliency_ext/checkpointing/local/ckpt_managers/base_manager.py
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ def finalize_fn():
             # we must wait for D2H to complete before returning control to the training
             with debug_time("ckpt_D2H_synchronize", logger):
                 torch.cuda.synchronize()
-            return AsyncRequest(save_fn, save_args, [finalize_fn])
+            return AsyncRequest(save_fn, save_args, [finalize_fn], async_fn_kwargs={})
 
         assert not is_async
         save_fn(*save_args)
diff --git a/tests/checkpointing/unit/test_async_writer.py b/tests/checkpointing/unit/test_async_writer.py
index 28fb924e..53853f79 100644
--- a/tests/checkpointing/unit/test_async_writer.py
+++ b/tests/checkpointing/unit/test_async_writer.py
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ def finalize_fn():
             """Finalizes async checkpointing and synchronizes processes."""
             save_state_dict_async_finalize(*save_state_dict_ret)
 
-        return AsyncRequest(save_fn, save_args, [finalize_fn], preload_fn=preload_fn)
+        return AsyncRequest(
+            save_fn, save_args, [finalize_fn], preload_fn=preload_fn, async_fn_kwargs={}
+        )
 
     def async_save_checkpoint(
         self,
diff --git a/tests/checkpointing/unit/test_async_writer_msc.py b/tests/checkpointing/unit/test_async_writer_msc.py
index 54ae3fe8..0143d63f 100644
--- a/tests/checkpointing/unit/test_async_writer_msc.py
+++ b/tests/checkpointing/unit/test_async_writer_msc.py
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ def finalize_fn():
             save_state_dict_async_finalize(*save_state_dict_ret)
             torch.distributed.barrier()
 
-        return AsyncRequest(save_fn, save_args, [finalize_fn], preload_fn=preload_fn)
+        return AsyncRequest(
+            save_fn, save_args, [finalize_fn], preload_fn=preload_fn, async_fn_kwargs={}
+        )
 
     def async_save_checkpoint(
         self, checkpoint_dir, state_dict, planner, async_queue, thread_count=1