diff --git a/deepspeed/runtime/zero/partitioned_param_coordinator.py b/deepspeed/runtime/zero/partitioned_param_coordinator.py
index bdec8a55fcbc..9f7dab077c3c 100644
--- a/deepspeed/runtime/zero/partitioned_param_coordinator.py
+++ b/deepspeed/runtime/zero/partitioned_param_coordinator.py
@@ -205,8 +205,10 @@ def construct_parameter_trace_from_module_trace(self):
     def reset_step(self) -> None:
         """indicate that we have completed one fwd+bwd for the model"""
         if self.__inflight_param_registry:
-            raise RuntimeError(f"still have inflight params "
-                               f"{[p.ds_summary() for p in self.__inflight_param_registry.keys()]}")
+            for param, handle in self.__inflight_param_registry.items():
+                handle.wait()
+                self.__release_param(param)
+            self.__inflight_param_registry.clear()
 
         if not self.is_complete_trace():  # not self.trace_complete:
             # Make sure that recorded submodule orders are identical across ranks
@@ -409,7 +411,7 @@ def release_and_reset_all(self, module: Module) -> None:
         """release all module parameters"""
         for param in iter_params(module, recurse=True):
             if param in self.__inflight_param_registry:
-                raise RuntimeError(f"param {param.ds_summary()} still in flight")
+                self.__inflight_param_registry.pop(param).wait()
 
             # TODO. make this throw if if there are still active submodules. currently
             # there's a hook execution issue