diff --git a/llmfoundry/models/mpt/modeling_mpt.py b/llmfoundry/models/mpt/modeling_mpt.py
index f7039c8444..d76dcc20ae 100644
--- a/llmfoundry/models/mpt/modeling_mpt.py
+++ b/llmfoundry/models/mpt/modeling_mpt.py
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ def _construct_blocks_with_overrides(
                 module_name,
                 self._get_overrides_for_logging(override_config),
             ],)
-            new_block_args = self._override_block_args(
+            new_block_args = MPTModel._override_block_args(
                 block_args,
                 override_config,
                 config.allowed_block_overrides,
@@ -570,8 +570,8 @@ def _get_overrides_for_logging(
                 overrides_list.append({k: v})
         return overrides_list
 
+    @staticmethod
     def _override_block_args(
-        self,
         block_args: Dict[str, Any],
         override_config: Dict[str, Any],
         allowed_block_overrides: set,
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ def _override_block_args(
                     f'Override config should have same value types as the original config. Found override_config[{k}]={override_config[k]} vs block_args[{k}]={block_args[k]}.',
                 )
             if isinstance(override_config[k], dict):
-                new_block_args[k] = self._override_block_args(
+                new_block_args[k] = MPTModel._override_block_args(
                     block_args[k],
                     override_config[k],
                     allowed_block_overrides,
diff --git a/tests/models/test_model.py b/tests/models/test_model.py
index 5cd0880565..63ce070af7 100644
--- a/tests/models/test_model.py
+++ b/tests/models/test_model.py
@@ -2776,3 +2776,18 @@ def test_reuse_prev_layer_kv_cache(
         assert torch.all(
             outputs.past_key_values[0][1] == outputs.past_key_values[1][1],
         )
+
+
+def test_override_block_args():
+    block_args = {'a': 1, 'b': {'c': 3}, 'd': 4}
+    override_config = {'a': 2, 'b': {'c': 5}, 'e': 6}
+    allowed_block_overrides = {'a', 'c', 'e'}
+    new_config = MPTModel._override_block_args(
+        block_args,
+        override_config,
+        allowed_block_overrides,
+    )
+    assert new_config['a'] == 2
+    assert new_config['d'] == 4
+    assert new_config['e'] == 6
+    assert new_config['b']['c'] == 5