diff --git a/monai/networks/nets/dints.py b/monai/networks/nets/dints.py
index ad4b350d30e..9d917392198 100644
--- a/monai/networks/nets/dints.py
+++ b/monai/networks/nets/dints.py
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ class DiNTS(nn.Module):
         use_downsample: use downsample in the stem.
             If ``False``, the search space will be in resolution [1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8],
             if ``True``, the search space will be in resolution [1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16].
-        node_a: node activation numpy matrix. Its shape is `(num_depths, num_blocks + 1)`.
+        node_a: node activation matrix (numpy array or tensor). Its shape is `(num_blocks + 1, num_depths)`.
             +1 for multi-resolution inputs.
             In model searching stage, ``node_a`` can be None. In deployment stage, ``node_a`` cannot be None.
     """
@@ -522,7 +522,8 @@ class TopologyConstruction(nn.Module):
     The base class for `TopologyInstance` and `TopologySearch`.
 
     Args:
-        arch_code: `[arch_code_a, arch_code_c]`, numpy arrays. The architecture codes defining the model.
+        arch_code: `[arch_code_a, arch_code_c]`, numpy arrays, torch tensors or nested lists (anything
+            accepted by ``torch.as_tensor``). The architecture codes defining the model.
             For example, for a ``num_depths=4, num_blocks=12`` search space:
 
             - `arch_code_a` is a 12x10 (10 paths) binary matrix representing if a path is activated.
@@ -608,8 +609,12 @@ def __init__(
             arch_code_a = torch.ones((self.num_blocks, len(self.arch_code2out))).to(self.device)
             arch_code_c = torch.ones((self.num_blocks, len(self.arch_code2out), self.num_cell_ops)).to(self.device)
         else:
-            arch_code_a = torch.from_numpy(arch_code[0]).to(self.device)
-            arch_code_c = F.one_hot(torch.from_numpy(arch_code[1]).to(torch.int64), self.num_cell_ops).to(self.device)
+            # accept numpy arrays (legacy search checkpoints), torch tensors (checkpoints that are
+            # loadable with ``torch.load(weights_only=True)``) or nested lists (JSON/YAML configs)
+            arch_code_a = torch.as_tensor(arch_code[0], device=self.device)
+            arch_code_c = F.one_hot(
+                torch.as_tensor(arch_code[1], device=self.device).to(torch.int64), self.num_cell_ops
+            )
 
         self.arch_code_a = arch_code_a
         self.arch_code_c = arch_code_c
diff --git a/tests/networks/nets/test_dints_network.py b/tests/networks/nets/test_dints_network.py
index 80ade00db70..fa7be5c8918 100644
--- a/tests/networks/nets/test_dints_network.py
+++ b/tests/networks/nets/test_dints_network.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import os
+import tempfile
 import unittest
 
 import numpy as np
@@ -152,6 +154,49 @@ def test_dints_search(self, dints_grid_params, dints_params, input_shape, expect
         self.assertEqual(result.shape, expected_shape)
         self.assertTrue(isinstance(net.weight_parameters(), list))
 
+    @parameterized.expand(TEST_CASES_3D + TEST_CASES_2D)
+    def test_dints_arch_code_types(self, dints_grid_params, _dints_params, _input_shape, _expected_shape):
+        """arch_code may be given as numpy arrays, torch tensors or nested lists (issue #9025)."""
+        dints_grid_params = {k: v for k, v in dints_grid_params.items() if k != "arch_code"}  # shared across tests
+        num_blocks = dints_grid_params["num_blocks"]
+        num_depths = dints_grid_params["num_depths"]
+        num_cell_ops = len(Cell(1, 1, 0, spatial_dims=dints_grid_params["spatial_dims"]).OPS)
+        rng = np.random.RandomState(0)
+        arch_code_a = rng.randint(2, size=(num_blocks, 3 * num_depths - 2))
+        arch_code_a[:, 0] = 1  # keep at least one active path per block
+        arch_code_c = rng.randint(num_cell_ops, size=(num_blocks, 3 * num_depths - 2))
+
+        ref = TopologyInstance(arch_code=[arch_code_a, arch_code_c], **dints_grid_params)
+        for variant in (
+            [torch.as_tensor(arch_code_a), torch.as_tensor(arch_code_c)],
+            [arch_code_a.tolist(), arch_code_c.tolist()],
+        ):
+            grid = TopologyInstance(arch_code=variant, **dints_grid_params)
+            torch.testing.assert_close(grid.arch_code_a, ref.arch_code_a, check_dtype=False)
+            torch.testing.assert_close(grid.arch_code_c, ref.arch_code_c, check_dtype=False)
+            self.assertEqual(set(grid.cell_tree.keys()), set(ref.cell_tree.keys()))
+
+    def test_dints_search_code_weights_only_roundtrip(self):
+        """A search checkpoint saved with tensors loads under ``torch.load(weights_only=True)``
+        and can be used to build ``TopologyInstance`` / ``DiNTS`` (issue #9025)."""
+        grid_params = {"channel_mul": 0.2, "num_blocks": 2, "num_depths": 2, "device": "cpu", "use_downsample": True}
+        node_a, arch_code_a, arch_code_c, arch_code_a_max = TopologySearch(**grid_params).decode()
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tempdir:
+            path = os.path.join(tempdir, "search_code.pt")
+            torch.save(
+                {
+                    "node_a": torch.as_tensor(node_a),
+                    "arch_code_a": torch.as_tensor(arch_code_a),
+                    "arch_code_c": torch.as_tensor(arch_code_c),
+                    "arch_code_a_max": torch.as_tensor(arch_code_a_max),
+                },
+                path,
+            )
+            ckpt = torch.load(path, map_location="cpu", weights_only=True)
+        grid = TopologyInstance(arch_code=[ckpt["arch_code_a"], ckpt["arch_code_c"]], **grid_params)
+        net = DiNTS(dints_space=grid, in_channels=1, num_classes=2, use_downsample=True, node_a=ckpt["node_a"])
+        self.assertEqual(net(torch.randn(1, 1, 16, 16, 16)).shape, (1, 2, 16, 16, 16))
+
 
 class TestDintsTS(unittest.TestCase):
     @parameterized.expand(TEST_CASES_3D + TEST_CASES_2D)