diff --git a/src/chronos/chronos2/dataset.py b/src/chronos/chronos2/dataset.py
index 8d6fd3f4..cb755716 100644
--- a/src/chronos/chronos2/dataset.py
+++ b/src/chronos/chronos2/dataset.py
@@ -477,6 +477,7 @@ def _construct_slice(self, task_idx: int) -> tuple[torch.Tensor, torch.Tensor |
             task_n_covariates,
             task_n_future_covariates,
         ) = self.tasks[task_idx]
+        task_past_tensor, task_future_tensor = task_past_tensor.clone(), task_future_tensor.clone()
         task_n_past_only_covariates = task_n_covariates - task_n_future_covariates
 
         full_length = task_past_tensor.shape[-1]
@@ -502,7 +503,9 @@ def _construct_slice(self, task_idx: int) -> tuple[torch.Tensor, torch.Tensor |
         # the task_context_tensor by slicing the appropriate indices which we do below
         if self.mode in [DatasetMode.TRAIN, DatasetMode.VALIDATION]:
             # the first task_n_targets elements in task_context_tensor are the targets
-            task_future_target = task_past_tensor[:, slice_idx : slice_idx + self.prediction_length]
+            task_future_target = task_past_tensor[:, slice_idx : slice_idx + self.prediction_length].clone()
+            # mask out all rows corresponding to covariates
+            task_future_target[task_n_targets:] = torch.nan
 
             if task_n_future_covariates > 0:
                 # the last task_n_future_covariates elements in task_context_tensor are the known covariates