diff --git a/mmcv/runner/epoch_based_runner.py b/mmcv/runner/epoch_based_runner.py
index 1e1de295ed..f2c57f7aa8 100644
--- a/mmcv/runner/epoch_based_runner.py
+++ b/mmcv/runner/epoch_based_runner.py
@@ -42,10 +42,13 @@ def train(self, data_loader, **kwargs):
         self.mode = 'train'
         self.data_loader = data_loader
         self._max_iters = self._max_epochs * len(self.data_loader)
+        setattr(self.model, '_epoch', self._epoch)
         self.call_hook('before_train_epoch')
         time.sleep(2)  # Prevent possible deadlock during epoch transition
         for i, data_batch in enumerate(self.data_loader):
             self._inner_iter = i
+            setattr(self.model, '_iter', self._iter)
+            setattr(self.model, '_inner_iter', self._inner_iter)
             self.call_hook('before_train_iter')
             self.run_iter(data_batch, train_mode=True, **kwargs)
             self.call_hook('after_train_iter')
@@ -63,6 +66,7 @@ def val(self, data_loader, **kwargs):
         time.sleep(2)  # Prevent possible deadlock during epoch transition
         for i, data_batch in enumerate(self.data_loader):
             self._inner_iter = i
+            setattr(self.model, '_inner_iter', self._inner_iter)
             self.call_hook('before_val_iter')
             self.run_iter(data_batch, train_mode=False)
             self.call_hook('after_val_iter')
@@ -105,6 +109,7 @@ def run(self, data_loaders, workflow, max_epochs=None, **kwargs):
                          self._max_epochs)
         self.call_hook('before_run')
 
+        setattr(self.model, '_max_epochs', self._max_epochs)
         while self.epoch < self._max_epochs:
             for i, flow in enumerate(workflow):
                 mode, epochs = flow
diff --git a/mmcv/runner/iter_based_runner.py b/mmcv/runner/iter_based_runner.py
index 75133d5ec4..b39010247e 100644
--- a/mmcv/runner/iter_based_runner.py
+++ b/mmcv/runner/iter_based_runner.py
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ def train(self, data_loader, **kwargs):
         self.data_loader = data_loader
         self._epoch = data_loader.epoch
         data_batch = next(data_loader)
+        setattr(self.model, '_iter', self._iter)
+        setattr(self.model, '_inner_iter', self._inner_iter)
         self.call_hook('before_train_iter')
         outputs = self.model.train_step(data_batch, self.optimizer, **kwargs)
         if not isinstance(outputs, dict):
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@ def val(self, data_loader, **kwargs):
         self.mode = 'val'
         self.data_loader = data_loader
         data_batch = next(data_loader)
+        setattr(self.model, '_inner_iter', self._inner_iter)
         self.call_hook('before_val_iter')
         outputs = self.model.val_step(data_batch, **kwargs)
         if not isinstance(outputs, dict):
@@ -116,6 +119,7 @@ def run(self, data_loaders, workflow, max_iters=None, **kwargs):
 
         self.call_hook('before_epoch')
 
+        setattr(self.model, '_max_iters', self._max_iters)
         while self.iter < self._max_iters:
             for i, flow in enumerate(workflow):
                 self._inner_iter = 0
diff --git a/tests/test_runner/test_runner.py b/tests/test_runner/test_runner.py
index abe5bb037a..b6a66063f9 100644
--- a/tests/test_runner/test_runner.py
+++ b/tests/test_runner/test_runner.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import pytest
 import torch
 import torch.nn as nn
+from torch.utils.data import DataLoader
 
 from mmcv.parallel import MMDataParallel
 from mmcv.runner import (RUNNERS, EpochBasedRunner, IterBasedRunner,
@@ -32,6 +33,46 @@ def val_step(self):
         pass
 
 
+class ExampleModel(Model):
+
+    def __init__(self, by_epoch=True, max_time=None):
+        super().__init__()
+        self.by_epoch = by_epoch
+        self.max_time = max_time
+        if by_epoch:
+            self.record = [[0, 1, 2, 3, 4], [5, 6, 7, 8, 9],
+                           [10, 11, 12, 13, 14]]
+        else:
+            self.record = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
+            self.val_iter_step = 0
+
+    def train_step(self, x, optimizer=None, **kwargs):
+        if self.by_epoch:
+            assert self._max_epochs == self.max_time
+            assert self._inner_iter == self._iter % len(self.record[0])
+            value = self.record[self._epoch][self._inner_iter]
+            assert x + self._epoch * 5 == value
+        else:
+            assert not hasattr(self, '_epoch')
+            assert self._max_iters == self.max_time
+            value = self.record[self._iter]
+            assert x == value
+        return {}
+
+    def val_step(self, x, optimizer=None, **kwargs):
+        if self.by_epoch:
+            assert self._max_epochs == self.max_time
+            value = self.record[self._epoch][self._inner_iter]
+            assert x + self._epoch * 5 == value
+        else:
+            assert not hasattr(self, '_epoch')
+            assert self._max_iters == self.max_time
+            value = self.record[self.val_iter_step]
+            self.val_iter_step += 1
+            assert x == value
+        return {}
+
+
 def test_build_runner():
     temp_root = tempfile.gettempdir()
     dir_name = ''.join(
@@ -281,3 +322,17 @@ def test_register_timer_hook(runner_class):
     runner.register_timer_hook(timer_config)
     assert len(runner.hooks) == 2
     assert isinstance(runner.hooks[1], IterTimerHook)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('runner_class', RUNNERS.module_dict.values())
+def test_check_epoch(runner_class):
+    loader = DataLoader([0, 1, 2, 3, 4])
+    if runner_class == IterBasedRunner:
+        model = ExampleModel(by_epoch=False, max_time=5)
+        runner = runner_class(
+            model=model, logger=logging.getLogger(), max_iters=5)
+    else:
+        model = ExampleModel(max_time=3)
+        runner = runner_class(
+            model=model, logger=logging.getLogger(), max_epochs=3)
+    runner.run([loader, loader], [('train', 2), ('val', 1)])