diff --git a/crates/ml/examples/hyperopt_baseline_rl.rs b/crates/ml/examples/hyperopt_baseline_rl.rs
index a73ba6091..a347c4f0d 100644
--- a/crates/ml/examples/hyperopt_baseline_rl.rs
+++ b/crates/ml/examples/hyperopt_baseline_rl.rs
@@ -509,19 +509,15 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
         );
     }
 
-    // Enforce minimum 5 trials for meaningful hyperopt
-    if args.trials < 5 {
-        info!("Trials {} below minimum — bumping to 5", args.trials);
-        args.trials = 5;
-    }
-
-    // Verify trials > n_initial (ArgminOptimizer requirement)
-    if args.trials <= args.n_initial {
-        anyhow::bail!(
-            "trials ({}) must be greater than n_initial ({})",
-            args.trials,
-            args.n_initial
+    // Enforce trials > n_initial (ArgminOptimizer needs at least n_initial
+    // LHS exploration rounds + 1 TPE-guided trial to be meaningful)
+    let min_trials = args.n_initial + 1;
+    if args.trials < min_trials {
+        info!(
+            "Trials {} below minimum (n_initial {} + 1) — bumping to {}",
+            args.trials, args.n_initial, min_trials
         );
+        args.trials = min_trials;
     }
 
     // Create output directory
diff --git a/crates/ml/examples/hyperopt_baseline_supervised.rs b/crates/ml/examples/hyperopt_baseline_supervised.rs
index f40ea97fa..f003eb8d6 100644
--- a/crates/ml/examples/hyperopt_baseline_supervised.rs
+++ b/crates/ml/examples/hyperopt_baseline_supervised.rs
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
     metrics_server::start_metrics_server(9094);
     training_metrics::set_active_workers(1.0);
 
-    let args = Args::parse();
+    let mut args = Args::parse();
 
     // Signal hyperopt mode active — will be cleared at exit
     let hyperopt_model_label = args.model.clone();
@@ -654,12 +654,14 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
 
     info!("Models to optimize: {:?}", models);
 
-    if args.trials <= args.n_initial {
-        anyhow::bail!(
-            "trials ({}) must be greater than n_initial ({})",
-            args.trials,
-            args.n_initial
+    // Enforce trials > n_initial (ArgminOptimizer needs LHS exploration + ≥1 TPE trial)
+    let min_trials = args.n_initial + 1;
+    if args.trials < min_trials {
+        info!(
+            "Trials {} below minimum (n_initial {} + 1) — bumping to {}",
+            args.trials, args.n_initial, min_trials
         );
+        args.trials = min_trials;
     }
 
     if let Some(parent) = args.output.parent() {