diff --git a/tests/pytorch/attention/test_attention.py b/tests/pytorch/attention/test_attention.py
index 1b934af323..d4640ac0b2 100644
--- a/tests/pytorch/attention/test_attention.py
+++ b/tests/pytorch/attention/test_attention.py
@@ -33,11 +33,13 @@
     _attention_backends,
 )
 from transformer_engine.pytorch.attention.dot_product_attention.utils import (
+    AttentionParams,
     FlashAttentionUtils,
     FusedAttentionParams,
     _get_supported_versions,
     check_set_window_size,
     get_fused_attn_spec,
+    get_attention_backend,
 )
 from transformer_engine.pytorch.attention import RotaryPositionEmbedding
 import transformer_engine.pytorch.cpp_extensions as ext
@@ -212,6 +214,49 @@ def test_fused_attn_backend_message():
     assert message != ""
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("head_dim_qk,head_dim_v", [(192, 128), (64, 512)])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("is_training,expected_fa3", [(True, False), (False, True)])
+def test_fa3_mismatched_head_dims_mode_selection(
+    monkeypatch, head_dim_qk, head_dim_v, is_training, expected_fa3
+):
+    """FA3 supports mismatched head dimensions only for forward-only execution."""
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "transformer_engine.pytorch.attention.dot_product_attention.utils.get_device_compute_capability",
+        lambda: (9, 0),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(FlashAttentionUtils, "v3_is_installed", True)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(FlashAttentionUtils, "fa3_version", PkgVersion("3.0.0b1"))
+    monkeypatch.setenv("NVTE_FLASH_ATTN", "1")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("NVTE_FLASH_ATTN_V2", "0")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("NVTE_FLASH_ATTN_V3", "1")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("NVTE_FLASH_ATTN_V4", "0")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("NVTE_FUSED_ATTN", "0")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("NVTE_UNFUSED_ATTN", "1")
+
+    (
+        use_flash_attention,
+        flash_attention_backend,
+        use_fused_attention,
+        _,
+        use_unfused_attention,
+        available_backends,
+    ) = get_attention_backend(
+        AttentionParams(
+            qkv_dtype=torch.bfloat16,
+            qkv_layout="bshd_bshd_bshd",
+            head_dim_qk=head_dim_qk,
+            head_dim_v=head_dim_v,
+            is_training=is_training,
+        )
+    )
+
+    assert bool(use_flash_attention) == expected_fa3
+    assert bool(available_backends[0]) == expected_fa3
+    assert not use_fused_attention
+    assert bool(use_unfused_attention) != expected_fa3
+    assert flash_attention_backend == (FlashAttentionUtils.fa3_version if expected_fa3 else None)
+
+
 # Define F16 data types to test
 param_types = [torch.float16]
 if is_bf16_available():
diff --git a/transformer_engine/pytorch/attention/dot_product_attention/utils.py b/transformer_engine/pytorch/attention/dot_product_attention/utils.py
index 23b89287df..c094027c5e 100644
--- a/transformer_engine/pytorch/attention/dot_product_attention/utils.py
+++ b/transformer_engine/pytorch/attention/dot_product_attention/utils.py
@@ -1084,6 +1084,17 @@ def _is_fa3_supported(num_heads, num_gqa_groups, head_dim_qk, head_dim_v, qkv_dt
             )
             use_flash_attention_3 = False
 
+        if use_flash_attention_3 and is_training and head_dim_qk != head_dim_v:
+            logger.debug(
+                "Disabling FlashAttention 3 for training with head_dim_qk != head_dim_v, "
+                "as its backward pass does not support it "
+                "(Dao-AILab/flash-attention#1487). "
+                "Found: head_dim_qk = %s, head_dim_v = %s.",
+                head_dim_qk,
+                head_dim_v,
+            )
+            use_flash_attention_3 = False
+
     if (
         use_flash_attention_4
         and FlashAttentionUtils.v4_is_installed