diff --git a/tensorflow/python/keras/engine/base_layer.py b/tensorflow/python/keras/engine/base_layer.py
index 0421772a75a..53d8cc5ab34 100644
--- a/tensorflow/python/keras/engine/base_layer.py
+++ b/tensorflow/python/keras/engine/base_layer.py
@@ -2308,15 +2308,17 @@ class Layer(module.Module, version_utils.LayerVersionSelector):
     return input_masks
 
   def _call_arg_was_passed(self, arg_name, args, kwargs, inputs_in_args=False):
+    # Performance optimization: do no work in most common case.
+    if not args and not kwargs:
+      return False
+
     if arg_name in kwargs:
       return True
     call_fn_args = self._call_fn_args
     if not inputs_in_args:
       # Ignore `inputs` arg.
       call_fn_args = call_fn_args[1:]
-    if arg_name in dict(zip(call_fn_args, args)):
-      return True
-    return False
+    return arg_name in dict(zip(call_fn_args, args))
 
   def _get_call_arg_value(self, arg_name, args, kwargs, inputs_in_args=False):
     if arg_name in kwargs: