diff --git a/guardrails/guard.py b/guardrails/guard.py
index 880e0f0bc..9f95c451d 100644
--- a/guardrails/guard.py
+++ b/guardrails/guard.py
@@ -226,6 +226,8 @@ def __init__(
                     )
             if not _loaded:
                 self._save()
+        else:
+            self.configure()
 
     @field_validator("output_schema")
     @classmethod
diff --git a/guardrails/run/async_runner.py b/guardrails/run/async_runner.py
index 420b2be37..4d9183f83 100644
--- a/guardrails/run/async_runner.py
+++ b/guardrails/run/async_runner.py
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ async def async_call(
         return llm_response
 
     # TODO: Refactor this to use inheritance and overrides
-    @async_trace(name="/validation", origin="AsyncRunner.async_validate")
+    # @async_trace(name="/validation", origin="AsyncRunner.async_validate")
     async def async_validate(
         self,
         iteration: Iteration,
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index a466de4ec..43bd78a7b 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "guardrails-ai"
-version = "0.5.13"
+version = "0.5.14"
 description = "Adding guardrails to large language models."
 authors = ["Guardrails AI <contact@guardrailsai.com>"]
 license = "Apache License 2.0"