diff --git a/src/llmcompressor/modifiers/awq/base.py b/src/llmcompressor/modifiers/awq/base.py
index 1bec18e2a..0d678135b 100644
--- a/src/llmcompressor/modifiers/awq/base.py
+++ b/src/llmcompressor/modifiers/awq/base.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Tuple, Union
 
 import torch
+import torch.nn.functional as F
 from compressed_tensors.quantization import (
     disable_quantization,
     find_name_or_class_matches,
@@ -474,8 +475,8 @@ def _apply_smoothing(self, model: Module) -> None:
             with calibration_forward_context(model), HooksMixin.disable_hooks():
                 # [STEP 3]: Compute output of module
                 # could cache from hook, rather than recomputing here
-                fp16_outputs = self._run_samples(parent_module)
-                if len(fp16_outputs) == 0 or all(f.numel() == 0 for f in fp16_outputs):
+                fp16_output = self._get_flattened_output(parent_module)
+                if fp16_output.numel() == 0:
                     logger.info(
                         f"Skipping smooth_layer {mapping.smooth_name}, no activations "
                         "found to scale. This can occasionally occur in MoE models "
@@ -488,7 +489,7 @@ def _apply_smoothing(self, model: Module) -> None:
 
                 # [STEP 4]: Compute loss
                 best_scales = self._compute_best_scale(
-                    x_mean, w_mean, parent_module, balance_layers, fp16_outputs
+                    x_mean, w_mean, parent_module, balance_layers, fp16_output
                 )
 
             @torch.no_grad()
@@ -541,17 +542,28 @@ def smooth(module):
             v.batch_intermediates.clear()
         self._assert_all_activations_consumed()
 
-    def _run_samples(self, module: Module) -> List[torch.Tensor]:
+    def _get_flattened_output(self, module: Module) -> torch.Tensor:
+        """
+        Returns output of running cached batch inputs through module.
+        Outputs from all batches are concatenated and flattened into a 1D tensor,
+        as shapes aren't necessary for calculating loss.
+        """
         with align_module_device(module):
             outputs = [
                 module(**batch_kwargs)
                 for batch_kwargs in self._parent_args_cache[module]
             ]
-            return [
-                # If Tuple, assume that first argument is the input
-                output[0] if isinstance(output, Tuple) else output
-                for output in outputs
-            ]
+            return torch.cat(
+                [
+                    # If Tuple, assume that first argument is the input
+                    (
+                        output[0].reshape(-1)
+                        if isinstance(output, Tuple)
+                        else output.reshape(-1)
+                    )
+                    for output in outputs
+                ]
+            )
 
     def _compute_best_scale(
         self,
@@ -559,7 +571,7 @@ def _compute_best_scale(
         w_mean: torch.Tensor,
         parent_module: torch.nn.Module,
         linears2scale: List[torch.nn.Linear],
-        fp16_outputs: List[torch.Tensor],
+        fp16_output: torch.Tensor,
     ) -> torch.Tensor:
         """
         Compute loss and select best scales
@@ -582,9 +594,9 @@ def _compute_best_scale(
         x_mean = x_mean.view(-1).to(device)
         w_mean = w_mean.view(-1).to(device)
 
-        for ratio in range(n_grid):
+        for grid_idx in range(n_grid):
             # create new scales
-            ratio = ratio / n_grid
+            ratio = grid_idx / n_grid
 
             # NOTE: s^-1 * x is fused here, according to paper
             if self.duo_scaling:
@@ -618,10 +630,10 @@ def _compute_best_scale(
 
             # W * X
             with HooksMixin.disable_hooks():
-                int_w_outputs = self._run_samples(parent_module)
+                int_w_output = self._get_flattened_output(parent_module)
 
             # compute mean squared error (L2 norm)
-            loss = self._compute_loss(fp16_outputs, int_w_outputs, device)
+            loss = F.mse_loss(int_w_output, fp16_output).item()
 
             history.append(loss)
             if loss < best_error:
@@ -631,8 +643,9 @@ def _compute_best_scale(
             parent_module.load_state_dict(org_sd)
 
         if best_ratio == -1:
-            logger.debug(history)
-            raise Exception
+            raise Exception(
+                f"Loss during best scale computation never less than inf: {history}"
+            )
 
         assert (
             torch.isnan(best_scales).sum() == 0
@@ -640,34 +653,6 @@ def _compute_best_scale(
 
         return best_scales.detach().cpu()
 
-    @torch.no_grad()
-    def _compute_loss(
-        self,
-        fp16_outputs: List[torch.Tensor],
-        int_w_outputs: List[torch.Tensor],
-        device: torch.device,
-    ) -> torch.Tensor:
-        loss = 0.0
-        num_elements = 0
-
-        # Compute the MSE loss for each batch
-        for fp16_batch, int_w_batch in zip(fp16_outputs, int_w_outputs):
-            batch_loss = (
-                (fp16_batch.to(device) - int_w_batch.to(device))
-                .view(-1)
-                .float()
-                .pow(2)
-                .sum()
-                .item()
-            )
-            loss += batch_loss
-            num_elements += fp16_batch.numel()
-
-        # Normalize the loss by the total number of elements
-        loss /= num_elements
-
-        return loss
-
     def _assert_all_activations_consumed(self):
         """
         Confirm all activations have been consumed
@@ -677,6 +662,7 @@ def _assert_all_activations_consumed(self):
             raise RuntimeError("Some cached activations were not used")
 
 
+@torch.compile()
 def _pseudo_quantize_tensor(
     w: torch.Tensor, symmetric: bool = False, bit_width: int = 8, group_size: int = -1
 ):