diff --git a/robomimic/algo/diffusion_policy.py b/robomimic/algo/diffusion_policy.py
index 0215ad71b..98f234d57 100644
--- a/robomimic/algo/diffusion_policy.py
+++ b/robomimic/algo/diffusion_policy.py
@@ -1,15 +1,13 @@
 """
 Implementation of Diffusion Policy https://diffusion-policy.cs.columbia.edu/ by Cheng Chi
 """
-from typing import Callable, Union
-import math
 from collections import OrderedDict, deque
+from copy import deepcopy
+from typing import Callable
 from packaging.version import parse as parse_version
-import random
 import torch
 import torch.nn as nn
 import torch.nn.functional as F
-# requires diffusers==0.11.1
 from diffusers.schedulers.scheduling_ddpm import DDPMScheduler
 from diffusers.schedulers.scheduling_ddim import DDIMScheduler
 from diffusers.training_utils import EMAModel
@@ -22,10 +20,34 @@
 
 from robomimic.algo import register_algo_factory_func, PolicyAlgo
 
-import random
-import robomimic.utils.torch_utils as TorchUtils
-import robomimic.utils.tensor_utils as TensorUtils
-import robomimic.utils.obs_utils as ObsUtils
+
+class _DiffusionPolicyEMA:
+    """Own a modern Diffusers EMA tracker and its inference network."""
+
+    def __init__(self, model: nn.Module, power: float):
+        self._power = power
+        self.averaged_model = deepcopy(model).eval().requires_grad_(False)
+        self._tracker = self._new_tracker()
+
+    def _new_tracker(self) -> EMAModel:
+        return EMAModel(
+            parameters=self.averaged_model.parameters(),
+            power=self._power,
+        )
+
+    def step(self, model: nn.Module) -> None:
+        """Update averaged weights from the training network."""
+        self._tracker.step(model.parameters())
+        self._tracker.copy_to(self.averaged_model.parameters())
+
+    def state_dict(self):
+        """Return the historical checkpoint representation: model weights."""
+        return self.averaged_model.state_dict()
+
+    def load_state_dict(self, state_dict) -> None:
+        """Restore averaged weights and seed a fresh tracker from them."""
+        self.averaged_model.load_state_dict(state_dict)
+        self._tracker = self._new_tracker()
 
 
 @register_algo_factory_func("diffusion_policy")
@@ -110,7 +132,7 @@ def _create_networks(self):
         # setup EMA
         ema = None
         if self.algo_config.ema.enabled:
-            ema = EMAModel(model=nets, power=self.algo_config.ema.power)
+            ema = _DiffusionPolicyEMA(nets, power=self.algo_config.ema.power)
                 
         # set attrs
         self.nets = nets
@@ -375,7 +397,7 @@ def serialize(self):
             "nets": self.nets.state_dict(),
             "optimizers": { k : self.optimizers[k].state_dict() for k in self.optimizers },
             "lr_schedulers": { k : self.lr_schedulers[k].state_dict() if self.lr_schedulers[k] is not None else None for k in self.lr_schedulers },
-            "ema": self.ema.averaged_model.state_dict() if self.ema is not None else None,
+            "ema": self.ema.state_dict() if self.ema is not None else None,
         }
 
     def deserialize(self, model_dict, load_optimizers=False):
@@ -397,7 +419,7 @@ def deserialize(self, model_dict, load_optimizers=False):
             model_dict["lr_schedulers"] = {}
 
         if model_dict.get("ema", None) is not None:
-            self.ema.averaged_model.load_state_dict(model_dict["ema"])
+            self.ema.load_state_dict(model_dict["ema"])
 
         if load_optimizers:
             for k in model_dict["optimizers"]:
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 704db21b3..840c908dd 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@
         "egl_probe>=1.0.1",
         "torch",
         "torchvision",
-        "huggingface_hub==0.23.4",
+        "huggingface_hub==0.36.2",
         "transformers==4.41.2",
-        "diffusers==0.11.1",
+        "diffusers==0.35.2",
     ],
     eager_resources=['*'],
     include_package_data=True,
diff --git a/tests/test_diffusion_policy_ema.py b/tests/test_diffusion_policy_ema.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ad6479370
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_diffusion_policy_ema.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+"""Regression tests for the Diffusion Policy EMA dependency boundary."""
+
+import torch
+import torch.nn as nn
+
+from robomimic.algo.diffusion_policy import _DiffusionPolicyEMA
+
+
+def _weight(module: nn.Module) -> torch.Tensor:
+    return next(module.parameters()).detach().clone()
+
+
+def test_diffusion_policy_ema_updates_and_round_trips_weights():
+    source = nn.Linear(2, 1, bias=False)
+    with torch.no_grad():
+        source.weight.fill_(1.0)
+
+    ema = _DiffusionPolicyEMA(source, power=0.75)
+    assert not ema.averaged_model.training
+    assert all(not parameter.requires_grad for parameter in ema.averaged_model.parameters())
+    torch.testing.assert_close(_weight(ema.averaged_model), _weight(source))
+
+    with torch.no_grad():
+        source.weight.fill_(3.0)
+    ema.step(source)
+    assert not torch.equal(_weight(ema.averaged_model), torch.ones((1, 2)))
+
+    saved_weights = ema.state_dict()
+    restored = _DiffusionPolicyEMA(nn.Linear(2, 1, bias=False), power=0.75)
+    restored.load_state_dict(saved_weights)
+    torch.testing.assert_close(
+        _weight(restored.averaged_model),
+        _weight(ema.averaged_model),
+    )
+
+    before_step = _weight(restored.averaged_model)
+    with torch.no_grad():
+        source.weight.fill_(5.0)
+    restored.step(source)
+    assert not torch.equal(_weight(restored.averaged_model), before_step)