diff --git a/config.lua b/config.lua
index 96c56ff..89e8586 100644
--- a/config.lua
+++ b/config.lua
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ local common_cfg = {
 
     learning_rate = 1.0,
     mean_adapt = 1.0, -- for xNES
+    weight_decay = 0.0,
+    sigma_decay = 0.0,
 
     es = 'ars',
     ars_lips = false,
diff --git a/main.lua b/main.lua
index 21d3467..8db1d99 100644
--- a/main.lua
+++ b/main.lua
@@ -191,6 +191,13 @@ local function prepare_epoch()
     print('preparing epoch '..tostring(epoch_i)..'...')
     empty(trial_rewards)
 
+    if cfg.es == 'xnes' then
+        print("sigma:", es.sigma)
+    elseif cfg.es == 'snes' then
+        local sigma_mean, sigma_dev = calc_mean_dev(es.std)
+        print("sigma:", sigma_mean, sigma_dev)
+    end
+
     local precision
     if cfg.graycode then
         precision = (pow(cfg.deviation, 1/-0.51175585) - 8.68297257) / 1.66484392
@@ -254,13 +261,6 @@ local function learn_from_epoch()
         es:tell(trial_rewards)
     end
 
-    if cfg.es == 'xnes' then
-        print("sigma:", es.sigma)
-    elseif cfg.es == 'snes' then
-        local sigma_mean, sigma_dev = calc_mean_dev(es.std)
-        print("sigma:", sigma_mean, sigma_dev)
-    end
-
     local step_mean, step_dev = 0, 0
     --[[ TODO
     local step_mean, step_dev = calc_mean_dev(step)
@@ -286,6 +286,12 @@ local function learn_from_epoch()
         end
     end
 
+    if cfg.sigma_decay > 0 and cfg.es == 'snes' then
+        for i, v in ipairs(es.std) do
+            es.std[i] = v * (1 - cfg.sigma_decay)
+        end
+    end
+
     es:params(base_params)
 
     local trial_mean, trial_std = calc_mean_dev(trial_rewards)