diff --git a/llama_cpp/llama.py b/llama_cpp/llama.py
index 5f09e4d..ea9f0ff 100644
--- a/llama_cpp/llama.py
+++ b/llama_cpp/llama.py
@@ -112,21 +112,20 @@ class Llama:
             self.model_path.encode("utf-8"), self.params
         )
 
-        self.lora_base = None
-        self.lora_path = None
-        if lora_path:
-            self.lora_base = lora_base
-            # Use lora_base if set otherwise revert to using model_path.
-            lora_base = lora_base if lora_base is not None else model_path
-
-            self.lora_path = lora_path
+        self.lora_base = lora_base
+        self.lora_path = lora_path
+        if self.lora_path:
             if llama_cpp.llama_apply_lora_from_file(
                 self.ctx,
-                lora_path.encode("utf-8"),
-                lora_base.encode("utf-8"),
+                llama_cpp.c_char_p(self.lora_path.encode("utf-8")),
+                llama_cpp.c_char_p(self.lora_base.encode("utf-8"))
+                if self.lora_base is not None
+                else llama_cpp.c_char_p(0),
                 llama_cpp.c_int(self.n_threads),
             ):
-                raise RuntimeError(f"Failed to apply LoRA from lora path: {lora_path} to base path: {lora_base}")
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    f"Failed to apply LoRA from lora path: {self.lora_path} to base path: {self.lora_base}"
+                )
 
         if self.verbose:
             print(llama_cpp.llama_print_system_info().decode("utf-8"), file=sys.stderr)