diff --git a/dacapo/experiments/starts/start.py b/dacapo/experiments/starts/start.py
index 70f77e316..68dcc0a28 100644
--- a/dacapo/experiments/starts/start.py
+++ b/dacapo/experiments/starts/start.py
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ def initialize_weights(self, model):
             model_dict = model.state_dict()
             common_layers = set(model_dict.keys()) & set(weights.model.keys())
             for layer in common_layers:
-                model_dict[layer] = weights.model[layer]
+                if model_dict[layer].shape == weights.model[layer].shape:
+                    model_dict[layer] = weights.model[layer]
+                else:
+                    logger.warning(f"layer {layer} has different shape, not loading")
             model.load_state_dict(model_dict)
             logger.warning(f"loaded only common layers from weights")