diff --git a/snntorch/_neurons/leaky.py b/snntorch/_neurons/leaky.py
index f07a20ce..00380fcb 100644
--- a/snntorch/_neurons/leaky.py
+++ b/snntorch/_neurons/leaky.py
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ def __init__(
         )
 
         self._init_mem()
+        self.init_hidden = init_hidden
 
         if self.reset_mechanism_val == 0:  # reset by subtraction
             self.state_function = self._base_sub
@@ -167,6 +168,7 @@ def __init__(
             self.state_function = self._base_zero
         elif self.reset_mechanism_val == 2:  # no reset, pure integration
             self.state_function = self._base_int
+        
 
     def _init_mem(self):
         mem = torch.zeros(1)
@@ -183,6 +185,11 @@ def init_leaky(self):
     def forward(self, input_, mem=None):
         if not mem == None:
             self.mem = mem
+        
+        if self.init_hidden and not mem == None:
+            raise TypeError(
+                "mem should not be passed as an argument while `init_hidden=True`"
+            )
 
         if not self.mem.shape == input_.shape:
             self.mem = torch.zeros_like(input_, device=self.mem.device)