diff --git a/api/onnx_web/convert/diffusion/lora.py b/api/onnx_web/convert/diffusion/lora.py
index 69af4db3..7a1d1b54 100644
--- a/api/onnx_web/convert/diffusion/lora.py
+++ b/api/onnx_web/convert/diffusion/lora.py
@@ -1,16 +1,19 @@
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
 from logging import getLogger
+from typing import Dict, List, Literal, Tuple
 from os import path
-from typing import Dict, Literal
 
 import numpy as np
 import torch
-from onnx import TensorProto, load, numpy_helper
+from onnx import ModelProto, load, numpy_helper
 from onnx.checker import check_model
 from onnx.external_data_helper import (
+    ExternalDataInfo,
     convert_model_to_external_data,
+    set_external_data,
     write_external_data_tensors,
 )
+from onnxruntime import OrtValue, InferenceSession, SessionOptions
 from safetensors.torch import load_file
 
 from onnx_web.convert.utils import ConversionContext
@@ -23,6 +26,24 @@ logger = getLogger(__name__)
 ###
 
 
+def buffer_external_data_tensors(model: ModelProto) -> Tuple[ModelProto, List[Tuple[str, OrtValue]]]:
+    external_data = []
+    for tensor in model.graph.initializer:
+        name = tensor.name
+
+        logger.info("externalizing tensor: %s", name)
+        if tensor.HasField("raw_data"):
+            npt = numpy_helper.to_array(tensor)
+            orv = OrtValue.ortvalue_from_numpy(npt)
+            external_data.append((name, orv))
+            # mimic set_external_data
+            set_external_data(tensor, location="foo.bin")
+            tensor.name = name
+            tensor.ClearField("raw_data")
+
+    return (model, external_data)
+
+
 def fix_initializer_name(key: str):
     # lora_unet_up_blocks_3_attentions_2_transformer_blocks_0_attn2_to_out_0.lora_down.weight
     # lora, unet, up_block.3.attentions.2.transformer_blocks.0.attn2.to_out.0
@@ -186,23 +207,25 @@ def merge_lora(
 
     logger.info("node counts: %s -> %s, %s -> %s", len(fixed_initializer_names), len(base_model.graph.initializer), len(fixed_node_names), len(base_model.graph.node))
 
-    # save it back to disk
-    # TODO: save to memory instead
-    convert_model_to_external_data(
-        base_model,
-        all_tensors_to_one_file=True,
-        location=f"lora-{dest_type}-external.pb",
-    )
-    bare_model = write_external_data_tensors(base_model, dest_path)
+    if dest_path is None or dest_path == "" or dest_path == "ort":
+        # convert to external data and save to memory
+        (bare_model, external_data) = buffer_external_data_tensors(base_model)
+        logger.info("saved external data for %s nodes", len(external_data))
 
-    dest_file = path.join(dest_path, f"lora-{dest_type}.onnx")
-    with open(dest_file, "wb") as model_file:
-        model_file.write(bare_model.SerializeToString())
+        external_names, external_values = zip(*external_data)
+        opts = SessionOptions()
+        opts.add_external_initializers(list(external_names), list(external_values))
+        sess = InferenceSession(bare_model.SerializeToString(), sess_options=opts, providers=["CPUExecutionProvider"])
+        logger.info("successfully loaded model: %s", [i.name for i in sess.get_inputs()])
+    else:
+        convert_model_to_external_data(base_model, all_tensors_to_one_file=True, location=f"lora-{dest_type}.pb")
+        bare_model = write_external_data_tensors(base_model, dest_path)
+        dest_file = path.join(dest_path, f"lora-{dest_type}.onnx")
 
-    logger.info("model saved, checking...")
-    check_model(dest_file)
+        with open(dest_file, "w+b") as model_file:
+            model_file.write(bare_model.SerializeToString())
 
-    logger.info("model successfully exported")
+        logger.info("successfully saved model: %s", dest_file)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":