diff --git a/llmfoundry/models/layers/ffn.py b/llmfoundry/models/layers/ffn.py
index cdd6e376d7..5a86b9424c 100644
--- a/llmfoundry/models/layers/ffn.py
+++ b/llmfoundry/models/layers/ffn.py
@@ -37,10 +37,21 @@ def resolve_ffn_act_fn(
         Callable[[torch.Tensor], torch.Tensor]: The activation function.
     """
     config = deepcopy(config or _FFN_ACT_FN_DEFAULT)
-    name = config.pop('name')
-    if not hasattr(torch.nn.functional, name):
-        raise ValueError(f'Unrecognised activation function name ({name}).')
-    act = getattr(torch.nn.functional, name)
+
+    if 'function' in config.keys():
+        act = config.pop('function')
+        if not isinstance(act, Callable):
+            raise ValueError(f'act `function` ({act}) must be Callable.')
+    elif 'name' in config.keys():
+        name = config.pop('name')
+        if not hasattr(torch.nn.functional, name):
+            raise ValueError(f'Unrecognised activation function name ({name}).')
+        act = getattr(torch.nn.functional, name)
+    else:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f'FFN activation function config must specify either `function` or function `name`.'
+        )
+
     return partial(act, **config)