diff --git a/examples/pytorch-image-models/train_hpu_graph.py b/examples/pytorch-image-models/train_hpu_graph.py
index 767142e469..0bcfbe7295 100755
--- a/examples/pytorch-image-models/train_hpu_graph.py
+++ b/examples/pytorch-image-models/train_hpu_graph.py
@@ -635,10 +635,6 @@ def _parse_args():
     return args, args_text
 
 
-def setup():
-    dist.init_process_group(backend="hccl")
-
-
 def cleanup():
     dist.destroy_process_group()
 
@@ -663,8 +659,6 @@ def main():
         device = torch.device("hpu")
 
     if args.distributed:
-        setup()
-
         _logger.info(
             "Training in distributed mode with multiple processes, 1 device per process."
             f"Process {args.rank}, total {args.world_size}, device {args.device}."
diff --git a/examples/pytorch-image-models/train_hpu_lazy.py b/examples/pytorch-image-models/train_hpu_lazy.py
index 834f9ce043..bca523c9b4 100755
--- a/examples/pytorch-image-models/train_hpu_lazy.py
+++ b/examples/pytorch-image-models/train_hpu_lazy.py
@@ -637,10 +637,6 @@ def _parse_args():
     return args, args_text
 
 
-def setup():
-    dist.init_process_group(backend="hccl")
-
-
 def cleanup():
     dist.destroy_process_group()
 
@@ -665,8 +661,6 @@ def main():
         device = torch.device("hpu")
 
     if args.distributed:
-        setup()
-
         _logger.info(
             "Training in distributed mode with multiple processes, 1 device per process."
             f"Process {args.rank}, total {args.world_size}, device {args.device}."