diff --git a/openfl/federated/plan/plan.py b/openfl/federated/plan/plan.py
index 13d446e145..953425f90c 100644
--- a/openfl/federated/plan/plan.py
+++ b/openfl/federated/plan/plan.py
@@ -777,3 +777,46 @@ def restore_object(self, filename):
             return None
         obj = serializer_plugin.restore_object(filename)
         return obj
+
+    def save_model_to_state_file(self, tensor_dict, round_number, output_path):
+        """Save model weights to a protobuf state file."""
+        from openfl.protocols import utils  # Import here to avoid circular imports
+
+        # Get tensor pipe to properly serialize the weights
+        tensor_pipe = self.get_tensor_pipe()
+
+        # Create and save the protobuf message
+        try:
+            model_proto = utils.construct_model_proto(
+                tensor_dict=tensor_dict, round_number=round_number, tensor_pipe=tensor_pipe
+            )
+            utils.dump_proto(model_proto=model_proto, fpath=output_path)
+        except Exception as e:
+            self.logger.error(f"Failed to create or save model proto: {e}")
+            raise
+
+    def load_model_proto_from_file(self, path: str, force_clean: bool = False):
+        """Load model protobuf from file.
+
+        Args:
+            path: Path to protobuf file
+            force_clean: If True, reset round numbers to 0
+
+        Returns:
+            ModelProto: Loaded model protobuf message
+        """
+        from openfl.protocols import utils  # Import here to avoid circular imports
+
+        # Load the protobuf model
+        model_proto = utils.load_proto(path)
+
+        # If force_clean, clear round_number from protobuf before conversion
+        if force_clean:
+            for tensor in model_proto.tensors:
+                Plan.logger.info("Resetting tensor %s", tensor)
+                # For scalar fields like round_number, just check if it's set to non-default
+                if tensor.round_number != 0:
+                    Plan.logger.info("Resetting round_number %d to 0", tensor.round_number)
+                    tensor.round_number = 0
+
+        return model_proto
diff --git a/openfl/interface/plan.py b/openfl/interface/plan.py
index 503693e581..78624c081e 100644
--- a/openfl/interface/plan.py
+++ b/openfl/interface/plan.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 from shutil import copyfile, rmtree
 from subprocess import check_call  # nosec
 
+pass
+
 from click import Path as ClickPath
 from click import echo, group, option, pass_context
 from yaml import FullLoader, dump, load
@@ -95,6 +97,19 @@ def plan(context):
     help="Install packages listed under 'requirements.txt'. True/False [Default: True]",
     default=True,
 )
+@option(
+    "-i",
+    "--init_model_path",
+    required=False,
+    help="Path to initialization model protobuf file",
+    type=ClickPath(exists=False),
+)
+@option(
+    "--clean_round",
+    is_flag=True,
+    default=False,
+    help="Clean round information when initializing from model",
+)
 def initialize(
     context,
     plan_config,
@@ -104,6 +119,8 @@ def initialize(
     input_shape,
     gandlf_config,
     install_reqs,
+    init_model_path,
+    clean_round,
 ):
     """Initialize Data Science plan.
 
@@ -119,6 +136,8 @@ def initialize(
         feature_shape (str): The input shape to the model.
         gandlf_config (str): GaNDLF Configuration File Path.
         install_reqs (bool): Whether to install packages listed under 'requirements.txt'.
+        init_model_path (str): Optional path to initialization model protobuf file.
+        clean_round (bool): Whether to clean round information when initializing from model.
     """
 
     for p in [plan_config, cols_config, data_config]:
@@ -165,7 +184,6 @@ def initialize(
     )
 
     init_state_path = plan.config["aggregator"]["settings"]["init_state_path"]
-
     # This is needed to bypass data being locally available
     if input_shape is not None:
         logger.info(
@@ -173,13 +191,23 @@ def initialize(
         )
 
     data_loader = get_dataloader(plan, prefer_minimal=True, input_shape=input_shape)
-
     task_runner = plan.get_task_runner(data_loader)
     tensor_pipe = plan.get_tensor_pipe()
+    round_number = 0
+
+    if init_model_path and isfile(init_model_path):
+        logger.info(f"Loading initialization model from {init_model_path}")
+        if clean_round:
+            round_number = 0
+            logger.info("Cleaning round information as requested")
+        model_proto = plan.load_model_proto_from_file(init_model_path, force_clean=clean_round)
+        init_tensor_dict, round_number = utils.deconstruct_model_proto(model_proto, tensor_pipe)
+    else:
+        init_tensor_dict = task_runner.get_tensor_dict(False)
 
     tensor_dict, holdout_params = split_tensor_dict_for_holdouts(
         logger,
-        task_runner.get_tensor_dict(False),
+        init_tensor_dict,
         **task_runner.tensor_dict_split_fn_kwargs,
     )
 
@@ -189,13 +217,15 @@ def initialize(
         f" values: {list(holdout_params.keys())}"
     )
 
-    model_snap = utils.construct_model_proto(
-        tensor_dict=tensor_dict, round_number=0, tensor_pipe=tensor_pipe
-    )
-
-    logger.info("Creating Initial Weights File    🠆 %s", init_state_path)
-
-    utils.dump_proto(model_proto=model_snap, fpath=init_state_path)
+    # Save the model state
+    try:
+        logger.info(f"Saving model state to {init_state_path}")
+        plan.save_model_to_state_file(
+            tensor_dict=tensor_dict, round_number=round_number, output_path=init_state_path
+        )
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"Failed to save model state: {e}")
+        raise
 
     plan_origin = Plan.parse(
         plan_config_path=plan_config,
diff --git a/openfl/protocols/utils.py b/openfl/protocols/utils.py
index e1d3da888a..3ccdd0ab05 100644
--- a/openfl/protocols/utils.py
+++ b/openfl/protocols/utils.py
@@ -4,9 +4,13 @@
 
 """Proto utils."""
 
+import logging
+
 from openfl.protocols import base_pb2
 from openfl.utilities import TensorKey
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 def model_proto_to_bytes_and_metadata(model_proto):
     """Convert the model protobuf to bytes and metadata.
@@ -356,3 +360,43 @@ def get_headers(context) -> dict:
             values are the corresponding header values.
     """
     return {header[0]: header[1] for header in context.invocation_metadata()}
+
+
+def construct_tensor_dict_from_proto(model_proto, tensor_pipe):
+    """Convert a model protobuf message to a tensor dictionary."""
+    tensor_dict = {}
+    logger.info("\n=== Processing Proto Message ===")
+    logger.info(f"Number of tensors in proto: {len(model_proto.tensors)}")
+
+    for tensor in model_proto.tensors:
+        logger.info(f"\nProcessing proto tensor: {tensor.name}")
+        logger.info("-" * 50)
+        try:
+            # Extract metadata from the tensor proto
+            transformer_metadata = [
+                {
+                    "int_to_float": proto.int_to_float,
+                    "int_list": proto.int_list,
+                    "bool_list": proto.bool_list,
+                }
+                for proto in tensor.transformer_metadata
+            ]
+
+            # Decompress the tensor value using the compression pipeline
+            logger.info("Decompressing tensor...")
+            decompressed_tensor = tensor_pipe.backward(
+                data=tensor.data_bytes, transformer_metadata=transformer_metadata
+            )
+
+            # Store in dictionary
+            tensor_dict[tensor.name] = decompressed_tensor
+
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.error(f"Failed to process tensor {tensor.name}")
+            logger.error(f"Error: {str(e)}")
+            raise
+
+    logger.info("\n=== Finished Processing Proto Message ===")
+    logger.info(f"Successfully processed {len(tensor_dict)} tensors")
+
+    return tensor_dict
diff --git a/torch_cnn_mnist_init.pbuf b/torch_cnn_mnist_init.pbuf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..36a3bdb969
Binary files /dev/null and b/torch_cnn_mnist_init.pbuf differ