diff --git a/examples/mlperf/model_train.py b/examples/mlperf/model_train.py
index 309485b8df..09ca95cd31 100644
--- a/examples/mlperf/model_train.py
+++ b/examples/mlperf/model_train.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def train_resnet():
 
   target, achieved  = getenv("TARGET", 0.759), False
   eval_start_epoch  = getenv("EVAL_START_EPOCH", 0)
-  eval_epochs       = getenv("EVAL_EPOCHS", 1)
+  eval_freq         = getenv("EVAL_FREQ", 1)
 
   steps_in_train_epoch  = config["steps_in_train_epoch"]  = (len(get_train_files()) // BS)
   steps_in_val_epoch    = config["steps_in_val_epoch"]    = (round_up(len(get_val_files()), EVAL_BS) // EVAL_BS)
@@ -237,7 +237,8 @@ def train_resnet():
       MLLOGGER.event(key=mllog_constants.EPOCH_STOP, value=e+1, metadata=dict(epoch_num=e+1))
 
     # ** eval loop **
-    if (e + 1 - eval_start_epoch) % eval_epochs == 0 and steps_in_val_epoch > 0:
+    # always eval for epoch >= 33 to stop the clock as soon as eval target hits, it can converge in epoch in [33, 37]
+    if steps_in_val_epoch > 0 and ((e + 1 - eval_start_epoch) % eval_freq == 0 or e + 1 >= 33):
       if MLLOGGER and RUNMLPERF:
         MLLOGGER.start(key=mllog_constants.EVAL_START, value=e+1, metadata=dict(epoch_num=e+1))
       if getenv("RESET_STEP", 1): train_step.reset()  # free the train step memory :(
diff --git a/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_green/dev_run.sh b/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_green/dev_run.sh
index b34f9c446e..6ff6846e2e 100755
--- a/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_green/dev_run.sh
+++ b/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_green/dev_run.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ export SPLIT_REDUCEOP=1 LAZYCACHE=0 RESET_STEP=0
 
 export TRAIN_BEAM=3 IGNORE_JIT_FIRST_BEAM=1 BEAM_UOPS_MAX=1500 BEAM_UPCAST_MAX=128 BEAM_LOCAL_MAX=1024 BEAM_MIN_PROGRESS=50
 
+export EVAL_START_EPOCH=3 EVAL_FREQ=4
+
 export WANDB=1 PARALLEL=0
 
 python3 examples/mlperf/model_train.py
diff --git a/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_green/run_and_time.sh b/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_green/run_and_time.sh
index 99b99112bd..2c60088e96 100755
--- a/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_green/run_and_time.sh
+++ b/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_green/run_and_time.sh
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ LOGFILE="resnet_green_${DATETIME}_${SEED}.log"
 BENCHMARK=10 INITMLPERF=1 python3 examples/mlperf/model_train.py | tee $LOGFILE
 
 # run
-WANDB=1 PARALLEL=0 RUNMLPERF=1 python3 examples/mlperf/model_train.py | tee -a $LOGFILE
\ No newline at end of file
+WANDB=1 PARALLEL=0 RUNMLPERF=1 EVAL_START_EPOCH=3 EVAL_FREQ=4 python3 examples/mlperf/model_train.py | tee -a $LOGFILE
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_red/dev_run.sh b/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_red/dev_run.sh
index ddd7152b34..c4c2ec5907 100755
--- a/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_red/dev_run.sh
+++ b/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_red/dev_run.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ export SPLIT_REDUCEOP=1 LAZYCACHE=0 RESET_STEP=0
 
 export TRAIN_BEAM=4 IGNORE_JIT_FIRST_BEAM=1 BEAM_UOPS_MAX=1500 BEAM_UPCAST_MAX=128 BEAM_LOCAL_MAX=1024 BEAM_MIN_PROGRESS=25
 
+export EVAL_START_EPOCH=3 EVAL_FREQ=4
+
 export WANDB=1 PARALLEL=0
 
 python3 examples/mlperf/model_train.py
diff --git a/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_red/run_and_time.sh b/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_red/run_and_time.sh
index be97e0549c..990f60496c 100755
--- a/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_red/run_and_time.sh
+++ b/examples/mlperf/training_submission_v4.0/tinycorp/benchmarks/resnet/implementations/tinybox_red/run_and_time.sh
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ LOGFILE="resnet_red_${DATETIME}_${SEED}.log"
 BENCHMARK=10 INITMLPERF=1 python3 examples/mlperf/model_train.py | tee $LOGFILE
 
 # run
-WANDB=1 PARALLEL=0 RUNMLPERF=1 python3 examples/mlperf/model_train.py | tee -a $LOGFILE
\ No newline at end of file
+WANDB=1 PARALLEL=0 RUNMLPERF=1 EVAL_START_EPOCH=3 EVAL_FREQ=4 python3 examples/mlperf/model_train.py | tee -a $LOGFILE
\ No newline at end of file