diff --git a/flax/training/checkpoints.py b/flax/training/checkpoints.py
index 958053e405..9623cb7776 100644
--- a/flax/training/checkpoints.py
+++ b/flax/training/checkpoints.py
@@ -962,8 +962,12 @@ def restore_checkpoint(
       restore_kwargs['restore_args'] = orbax_utils.restore_args_from_target(
           target
       )
-    if orbax_transforms is not None:
-      restore_kwargs['transforms'] = orbax_transforms
+      if isinstance(orbax_checkpointer._handler, ocp.PyTreeCheckpointHandler):  # pylint: disable=protected-access
+        restore_kwargs['transforms'] = (
+            orbax_utils.maybe_construct_transformations(
+                target, orbax_transforms
+            )
+        )
     restored = orbax_checkpointer.restore(
         ckpt_path, item=target, **restore_kwargs)
     restored = serialization.to_state_dict(restored)
diff --git a/flax/training/orbax_utils.py b/flax/training/orbax_utils.py
index 113c154fcb..44481a3827 100644
--- a/flax/training/orbax_utils.py
+++ b/flax/training/orbax_utils.py
@@ -40,6 +40,19 @@ def save_args_from_target(target: Any) -> Any:
   )
 
 
+def maybe_construct_transformations(
+    target: Any, transforms: Optional[Any]
+) -> Any:
+  if transforms is not None:
+    return transforms
+  flat_transforms = {}
+  flat_target = ocp.utils.to_flat_dict(target, sep='/', keep_empty_nodes=True)
+  for k, v in flat_target.items():
+    if v is None:
+      flat_transforms[k] = ocp.Transform(use_fallback=True)
+  return flat_transforms
+
+
 def restore_args_from_target(target: Any, mesh: Optional[Mesh] = None) -> Any:
   """Creates Orbax `restore_args` given a target Pytree.