diff --git a/examples/mlperf/model_train.py b/examples/mlperf/model_train.py
index 0c705edc65..6b4f9b4c87 100644
--- a/examples/mlperf/model_train.py
+++ b/examples/mlperf/model_train.py
@@ -497,6 +497,10 @@ def train_retinanet():
       cl = time.perf_counter()
       if BENCHMARK: step_times.append(cl - st)
 
+      if not math.isfinite(loss):
+        print("loss is nan")
+        return
+
       tqdm.write(
         f"{i:5} {((cl - st)) * 1000.0:7.2f} ms run, {(pt - st) * 1000.0:7.2f} ms python, {(dt - pt) * 1000.0:6.2f} ms fetch data, "
         f"{(cl - dt) * 1000.0:7.2f} ms {device_str}, {loss:5.2f} loss, {losses['classification_loss'].item():5.4f} classification loss, {losses['regression_loss'].item():5.4f} regression loss, "