diff --git a/mlx_lm/tuner/trainer.py b/mlx_lm/tuner/trainer.py
index 77b7bcdbc..7ed8bbb11 100644
--- a/mlx_lm/tuner/trainer.py
+++ b/mlx_lm/tuner/trainer.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ def iterate_batches(
         idx[i + offset : i + offset + batch_size : step]
         for i in range(0, len(idx) - batch_size + 1, batch_size)
     ]
-    if seed:
+    if seed is not None:
         np.random.seed(seed)
     while True:
         indices = np.random.permutation(len(batch_idx))
diff --git a/tests/test_tuner_trainer.py b/tests/test_tuner_trainer.py
index 09fe57029..a0bd96e26 100644
--- a/tests/test_tuner_trainer.py
+++ b/tests/test_tuner_trainer.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import unittest
 
 import mlx.core as mx
+import numpy as np
 
 from mlx_lm.tuner.trainer import iterate_batches
 
@@ -49,6 +50,26 @@ def run(rank, size, batch):
         run(2, 4, 8)
         run(3, 4, 8)
 
+    def test_iterate_batches_seed(self):
+        # One distinct token id per row so the batch order is observable.
+        data = [([i + 1] * 8, 0) for i in range(64)]
+
+        def order(seed, consume=0):
+            np.random.seed(1)
+            if consume:
+                # Stand-in for anything else drawing from numpy in between.
+                np.random.rand(consume)
+            batches = iterate_batches(data, 4, 8, loop=True, seed=seed)
+            return [b[0].tolist()[0] for b, _ in zip(batches, range(5))]
+
+        # seed=0 must be honored like any other seed. It is also the default
+        # in mlx_lm.lora's CONFIG_DEFAULTS, so `if seed:` silently dropped it.
+        for seed in (0, 42):
+            with self.subTest(seed=seed):
+                self.assertEqual(order(seed), order(seed, consume=3))
+
+        self.assertNotEqual(order(0), order(42))
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()