diff --git a/test/dynamo/test_repros.py b/test/dynamo/test_repros.py
index 89a4999bd86..b0226025fb0 100644
--- a/test/dynamo/test_repros.py
+++ b/test/dynamo/test_repros.py
@@ -849,6 +849,14 @@ def _reformer(self, nopython):
         self.assertTrue(same(opt_model(input), correct))
         return cnt
 
+    @requires_cuda()
+    def test_sub_alpha_scalar_repro(self):
+        @torch.compile(backend="aot_eager")
+        def f(x):
+            return x.sub(1, alpha=2)
+
+        f(torch.ones(2, device="cuda", dtype=torch.float64))
+
     def test_reformer_eval(self):
         with torch.no_grad():
             cnt = self._reformer(nopython=True)
diff --git a/torch/_refs/__init__.py b/torch/_refs/__init__.py
index e1a89721f14..23cb3ddf989 100644
--- a/torch/_refs/__init__.py
+++ b/torch/_refs/__init__.py
@@ -1604,7 +1604,13 @@ def sub(
                 )
             )
             raise ValueError(msg)
-        b = prims.mul(b, alpha)
+        if isinstance(b, torch.Tensor):
+            b = prims.mul(b, alpha)
+        else:
+            # Carefully not to use prims.mul if b is a scalar / symint.
+            # prims.mul always returns a tensor,
+            # which will mess with type promotion.
+            b = b * alpha
 
     return prims.sub(a, b)