diff --git a/mmdet/apis/train.py b/mmdet/apis/train.py
index 7f2f1f95c0a8e7c9232f7aa490e8104f8e37c4f5..6465ab328e3bc559da33e1d55b1a58bca61c6b13 100644
--- a/mmdet/apis/train.py
+++ b/mmdet/apis/train.py
@@ -76,7 +76,12 @@ def train_detector(model,
     ]
 
     # build optimizer
-    optimizer = build_optimizer(model, cfg.optimizer)
+    distiller_cfg = cfg.get('distiller',None)
+    if distiller_cfg is None:
+        optimizer = build_optimizer(model, cfg.optimizer)
+    else:
+        #optimizer = build_optimizer(model.module.base_parameters(), cfg.optimizer)
+        optimizer = build_optimizer(model.base_parameters(), cfg.optimizer)
 
     # use apex fp16 optimizer
     if cfg.optimizer_config.get("type", None) and cfg.optimizer_config["type"] == "DistOptimizerHook":