diff --git a/colossalai/booster/plugin/gemini_plugin.py b/colossalai/booster/plugin/gemini_plugin.py
index 46714fe1c679..4a7efc165cbd 100644
--- a/colossalai/booster/plugin/gemini_plugin.py
+++ b/colossalai/booster/plugin/gemini_plugin.py
@@ -99,8 +99,11 @@ def save_sharded_model(self,
             save_state_dict(shard, checkpoint_file_path, use_safetensors)
 
         index_file.append_meta_data("total_size", total_size)
-        index_file.write_index_file(save_index_file)
-        logging.info(f"The model is going to be split to checkpoint shards. "
+
+        # only save the index file on the master rank
+        if self.coordinator.is_master():
+            index_file.write_index_file(save_index_file)
+        logging.info(f"The model is split into checkpoint shards. "
                      f"You can find where each parameters has been saved in the "
                      f"index located at {save_index_file}.")
 
diff --git a/colossalai/checkpoint_io/index_file.py b/colossalai/checkpoint_io/index_file.py
index 334ecbc04738..a41cc482e054 100644
--- a/colossalai/checkpoint_io/index_file.py
+++ b/colossalai/checkpoint_io/index_file.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import json
-from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Any, List, Union
 import os
-import json
+from collections import OrderedDict
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Union
 
 from .utils import is_dtensor_checkpoint
 
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@ class CheckpointIndexFile:
 
     def __init__(self, root_path=None) -> None:
         self.root_path = root_path
-        self.metadata: dict = dict()
-        self.weight_map: dict = dict()
+
+        # use ordered dict to preserve the tensor checkpoint order
+        self.metadata: Dict = OrderedDict()
+        self.weight_map: Dict = OrderedDict()
 
     @staticmethod
     def from_file(index_path: Union[str, Path]):
@@ -150,13 +152,13 @@ def get_checkpoint_file(self, param_name: str) -> str:
         """
         ckpt_path = self.weight_map[param_name]
         return ckpt_path
-    
+
     def get_all_param_names(self):
         """
         Get all the weight keys.
         """
         return list(self.weight_map.keys())
-    
+
     def write_index_file(self, save_index_file):
         """
         Write index file.
@@ -164,5 +166,5 @@ def write_index_file(self, save_index_file):
         save_index_file = os.path.join(self.root_path, save_index_file)
         index = {"metadata": self.metadata, "weight_map": self.weight_map}
         with open(save_index_file, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
-            content = json.dumps(index, indent=2, sort_keys=True) + "\n"
+            content = json.dumps(index, indent=2) + "\n"
             f.write(content)
diff --git a/colossalai/zero/gemini/gemini_ddp.py b/colossalai/zero/gemini/gemini_ddp.py
index 7e23fdb425f8..094320c4aff4 100644
--- a/colossalai/zero/gemini/gemini_ddp.py
+++ b/colossalai/zero/gemini/gemini_ddp.py
@@ -716,7 +716,10 @@ def append(self, name: str, tensor: torch.Tensor) -> Tuple[Optional[OrderedDict]
         tensor_size = calculate_tensor_size(tensor)
         ret_block = None
         ret_block_size = 0
-        if self.current_block_size + tensor_size > self.max_shard_size:
+
+        # before we return the current block and create a new block,
+        # we need to ensure that the current block is not empty
+        if self.current_block_size + tensor_size > self.max_shard_size and self.current_block_size > 0:
             ret_block = self.current_block
             ret_block_size = self.current_block_size
             self.current_block = OrderedDict()