diff --git a/evaluate.py b/evaluate.py
index 6ddb026..f8f35c7 100644
--- a/evaluate.py
+++ b/evaluate.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import transform, numpy as np, vgg, pdb, os
 import scipy.misc
 import tensorflow as tf
-from utils import save_img, get_img, exists, list_files
+from utils import save_img, get_img, exists, list_files, load_checkpoint
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
 from collections import defaultdict
 import time
@@ -35,15 +35,8 @@ def ffwd_video(path_in, path_out, checkpoint_dir, device_t='/gpu:0', batch_size=
                                          name='img_placeholder')
 
         preds = transform.net(img_placeholder)
-        saver = tf.train.Saver()
-        if os.path.isdir(checkpoint_dir):
-            ckpt = tf.train.get_checkpoint_state(checkpoint_dir)
-            if ckpt and ckpt.model_checkpoint_path:
-                saver.restore(sess, ckpt.model_checkpoint_path)
-            else:
-                raise Exception("No checkpoint found...")
-        else:
-            saver.restore(sess, checkpoint_dir)
+        if not load_checkpoint(sess, checkpoint_dir):
+            raise Exception("No checkpoint found...")
 
         X = np.zeros(batch_shape, dtype=np.float32)
 
@@ -91,15 +84,8 @@ def ffwd(data_in, paths_out, checkpoint_dir, device_t='/gpu:0', batch_size=4):
                                          name='img_placeholder')
 
         preds = transform.net(img_placeholder)
-        saver = tf.train.Saver()
-        if os.path.isdir(checkpoint_dir):
-            ckpt = tf.train.get_checkpoint_state(checkpoint_dir)
-            if ckpt and ckpt.model_checkpoint_path:
-                saver.restore(sess, ckpt.model_checkpoint_path)
-            else:
-                raise Exception("No checkpoint found...")
-        else:
-            saver.restore(sess, checkpoint_dir)
+        if not load_checkpoint(sess, checkpoint_dir):
+            raise Exception("No checkpoint found...")
 
         num_iters = int(len(paths_out)/batch_size)
         for i in range(num_iters):
diff --git a/src/optimize.py b/src/optimize.py
index a1cd174..7e836df 100644
--- a/src/optimize.py
+++ b/src/optimize.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import vgg, pdb, time
 import tensorflow as tf, numpy as np, os
 import transform
-from utils import get_img
+from utils import get_img, load_checkpoint
 
 STYLE_LAYERS = ('relu1_1', 'relu2_1', 'relu3_1', 'relu4_1', 'relu5_1')
 CONTENT_LAYER = 'relu4_2'
@@ -89,7 +89,12 @@ def optimize(content_targets, style_target, content_weight, style_weight,
 
         # overall loss
         train_step = tf.train.AdamOptimizer(learning_rate).minimize(loss)
-        sess.run(tf.global_variables_initializer())
+
+        # Load an existing checkpoint, if one exists
+        checkpoint_dir = "/".join(save_path.split("/")[:-1])
+        if not load_checkpoint(sess, checkpoint_dir):
+            sess.run(tf.global_variables_initializer())
+
         import random
         uid = random.randint(1, 100)
         print("UID: %s" % uid)
diff --git a/src/utils.py b/src/utils.py
index 36080f2..c197ec4 100644
--- a/src/utils.py
+++ b/src/utils.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import scipy.misc, numpy as np, os, sys
+import tensorflow as tf
 
 def save_img(out_path, img):
     img = np.clip(img, 0, 255).astype(np.uint8)
@@ -31,3 +32,15 @@ def list_files(in_path):
 
     return files
 
+def load_checkpoint(sess, checkpoint_dir):
+    saver = tf.train.Saver()
+    if os.path.isdir(checkpoint_dir):
+        ckpt = tf.train.get_checkpoint_state(checkpoint_dir)
+        if ckpt and ckpt.model_checkpoint_path:
+            saver.restore(sess, ckpt.model_checkpoint_path)
+            return True
+        else:
+            return False
+    else:
+        saver.restore(sess, checkpoint_dir)
+        return True