diff --git a/osl_dynamics/inference/initializers.py b/osl_dynamics/inference/initializers.py
index 0e81b84a..d0aed723 100644
--- a/osl_dynamics/inference/initializers.py
+++ b/osl_dynamics/inference/initializers.py
@@ -193,7 +193,8 @@ def reinitialize_layer_weights(layer):
             var = getattr(init_container, key.replace("_initializer", ""))
 
         # Assign new random values to the variable
-        var.assign(new_initializer(var.shape, var.dtype))
+        if var is not None:
+            var.assign(new_initializer(var.shape, var.dtype))
 
 
 def reinitialize_model_weights(model, keep=None):
diff --git a/osl_dynamics/models/sedynemo.py b/osl_dynamics/models/sedynemo.py
index c7fe59a5..8ef03471 100644
--- a/osl_dynamics/models/sedynemo.py
+++ b/osl_dynamics/models/sedynemo.py
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@ def _model_structure(config):
         means_dev_map_layer = layers.Dense(config.n_channels, name="means_dev_map")
 
         norm_means_dev_map_layer = layers.LayerNormalization(
-            axis=-1, name="norm_means_dev_map"
+            axis=-1, scale=False, name="norm_means_dev_map"
         )
 
         means_dev_mag_inf_alpha_input_layer = LearnableTensorLayer(
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ def _model_structure(config):
         means_dev_mag_inf_beta_input_layer = LearnableTensorLayer(
             shape=(config.n_subjects, config.n_modes, 1),
             learn=config.learn_means,
-            initializer=initializers.TruncatedNormal(mean=0, stddev=0.02),
+            initializer=initializers.TruncatedNormal(mean=10, stddev=0.02),
             name="means_dev_mag_inf_beta_input",
         )
         means_dev_mag_inf_beta_layer = layers.Activation(
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ def _model_structure(config):
             config.n_channels * (config.n_channels + 1) // 2, name="covs_dev_map"
         )
         norm_covs_dev_map_layer = layers.LayerNormalization(
-            axis=-1, name="norm_covs_dev_map"
+            axis=-1, scale=False, name="norm_covs_dev_map"
         )
 
         covs_dev_mag_inf_alpha_input_layer = LearnableTensorLayer(
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ def _model_structure(config):
         covs_dev_mag_inf_beta_input_layer = LearnableTensorLayer(
             shape=(config.n_subjects, config.n_modes, 1),
             learn=config.learn_covariances,
-            initializer=initializers.TruncatedNormal(mean=0, stddev=0.02),
+            initializer=initializers.TruncatedNormal(mean=10, stddev=0.02),
             name="covs_dev_mag_inf_beta_input",
         )
         covs_dev_mag_inf_beta_layer = layers.Activation(