diff --git a/bin/predict.py b/bin/predict.py
index 18b1b4828..169e07bb6 100644
--- a/bin/predict.py
+++ b/bin/predict.py
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ def _init_state(config):
 
 
 def load_model(config, ckpt_filename):
-    if config.deterministic:
+    deterministic = "deterministic" in config and config.deterministic
+    if deterministic:
         sde = None
         sampling_eps = 0
     else:
diff --git a/src/ml_downscaling_emulator/score_sde_pytorch/run_lib.py b/src/ml_downscaling_emulator/score_sde_pytorch/run_lib.py
index e185a675d..14c398cba 100644
--- a/src/ml_downscaling_emulator/score_sde_pytorch/run_lib.py
+++ b/src/ml_downscaling_emulator/score_sde_pytorch/run_lib.py
@@ -140,7 +140,8 @@ def train(config, workdir):
     initial_epoch = int(state['epoch'])+1 # start from the epoch after the one currently reached
 
     # Setup SDEs
-    if config.deterministic:
+    deterministic = "deterministic" in config and config.deterministic
+    if deterministic:
       sde = None
     else:
       if config.training.sde.lower() == 'vpsde':
@@ -163,11 +164,11 @@ def train(config, workdir):
     train_step_fn = losses.get_step_fn(sde, train=True, optimize_fn=optimize_fn,
                                       reduce_mean=reduce_mean, continuous=continuous,
                                       likelihood_weighting=likelihood_weighting,
-                                      deterministic=config.deterministic,)
+                                      deterministic=deterministic,)
     eval_step_fn = losses.get_step_fn(sde, train=False, optimize_fn=optimize_fn,
                                       reduce_mean=reduce_mean, continuous=continuous,
                                       likelihood_weighting=likelihood_weighting,
-                                      deterministic=config.deterministic,)
+                                      deterministic=deterministic,)
 
     num_train_epochs = config.training.n_epochs
 
diff --git a/src/ml_downscaling_emulator/score_sde_pytorch/sampling.py b/src/ml_downscaling_emulator/score_sde_pytorch/sampling.py
index 8ee38c919..556f0328f 100644
--- a/src/ml_downscaling_emulator/score_sde_pytorch/sampling.py
+++ b/src/ml_downscaling_emulator/score_sde_pytorch/sampling.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ def get_sampling_fn(config, sde, shape, eps):
       trailing dimensions matching `shape`.
   """
 
-  if config.deterministic:
+  if "deterministic" in config and config.deterministic:
     sampling_fn = get_deterministic_sampler(shape, device=config.device)
   else:
     sampler_name = config.sampling.method