diff --git a/tensordict/nn/params.py b/tensordict/nn/params.py
index df7bad0e6..00d984330 100644
--- a/tensordict/nn/params.py
+++ b/tensordict/nn/params.py
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ def new_func(self, *args, **kwargs):
         if out is self._param_td:
             return self
         if not isinstance(out, TensorDictParams):
-            out = TensorDictParams(out, no_convert=True)
+            out = TensorDictParams(out, no_convert="skip")
             out.no_convert = self.no_convert
         return out
 
@@ -328,11 +328,12 @@ def __init__(
             parameters = parameters._param_td
         self._param_td = parameters
         self.no_convert = no_convert
-        if not no_convert:
-            func = _maybe_make_param
-        else:
-            func = _maybe_make_param_or_buffer
-        self._param_td = _apply_leaves(self._param_td, lambda x: func(x))
+        if no_convert != "skip":
+            if not no_convert:
+                func = _maybe_make_param
+            else:
+                func = _maybe_make_param_or_buffer
+            self._param_td = _apply_leaves(self._param_td, lambda x: func(x))
         self._lock_content = lock
         if lock:
             self._param_td.lock_()
@@ -341,6 +342,12 @@ def __init__(
         self._locked_tensordicts = []
         self._get_post_hook = []
 
+    @classmethod
+    def _new_unsafe(
+        cls, parameters: TensorDictBase, *, no_convert=False, lock: bool = False
+    ):
+        return TensorDictParams(parameters, no_convert="skip", lock=lock)
+
     def __iter__(self):
         yield from self._param_td.__iter__()
 
@@ -613,7 +620,7 @@ def _clone(self, recurse: bool = True) -> TensorDictBase:
 
         """
         if not recurse:
-            return TensorDictParams(self._param_td._clone(False), no_convert=True)
+            return TensorDictParams(self._param_td._clone(False), no_convert="skip")
 
         memo = {}
 
@@ -631,7 +638,7 @@ def _clone(tensor, memo=memo):
             memo[tensor] = result
             return result
 
-        return TensorDictParams(self._param_td.apply(_clone), no_convert=True)
+        return TensorDictParams(self._param_td.apply(_clone), no_convert="skip")
 
     @_fallback
     def chunk(self, chunks: int, dim: int = 0) -> tuple[TensorDictBase, ...]: ...