diff --git a/torchao/utils.py b/torchao/utils.py
index 2a5857460f..d75dfd22fc 100644
--- a/torchao/utils.py
+++ b/torchao/utils.py
@@ -525,6 +525,8 @@ def _(func, types, args, kwargs):
         )
 
     def _same_metadata(self: TorchAOBaseTensor, src: TorchAOBaseTensor) -> bool:
+        if not (hasattr(self, "tensor_data_names") and hasattr(src, "tensor_data_names")):
+            return False
         _tensor_shape_match = all(
             getattr(self, t_name).shape == getattr(src, t_name).shape
             for t_name in self.tensor_data_names
@@ -564,11 +566,16 @@ def _same_metadata(self: TorchAOBaseTensor, src: TorchAOBaseTensor) -> bool:
     def _(func, types, args, kwargs):
         self = args[0]
         src = args[1]
-        if _same_metadata(self, src):
+        has_self_meta = hasattr(self, "tensor_data_names")
+        has_src_meta = hasattr(src, "tensor_data_names")
+        if has_self_meta and has_src_meta and _same_metadata(self, src):
             self_tensors = self.__tensor_flatten__()[0]
             for tensor_name in self_tensors:
                 getattr(self, tensor_name).copy_(getattr(src, tensor_name))
             return
+        if not (has_self_meta and has_src_meta):
+            with torch._C._DisableTorchDispatch():
+                return func(*args, **kwargs)
         raise ValueError(
             f"Not supported args for copy_ due to metadata mismatch: {args[0], args[1]}"
         )