diff --git a/tensorflow/python/BUILD b/tensorflow/python/BUILD
index 16431d35616..a5d2301d706 100644
--- a/tensorflow/python/BUILD
+++ b/tensorflow/python/BUILD
@@ -1040,12 +1040,24 @@ py_library(
     ],
 )
 
+tf_python_pybind_extension(
+    name = "_op_def_registry",
+    srcs = ["framework/op_def_registry.cc"],
+    module_name = "_op_def_registry",
+    deps = [
+        ":pybind11_status",
+        "//tensorflow/core:framework_headers_lib",
+        "//tensorflow/core:protos_all_cc",
+        "@pybind11",
+    ],
+)
+
 py_library(
     name = "op_def_registry",
     srcs = ["framework/op_def_registry.py"],
     srcs_version = "PY2AND3",
     deps = [
-        ":pywrap_tensorflow",
+        ":_op_def_registry",
         "//tensorflow/core:protos_all_py",
     ],
 )
@@ -5140,6 +5152,7 @@ genrule(
         "//tensorflow/stream_executor:stream_executor_pimpl",  # stat_summarizer
         "//tensorflow/core/grappler/graph_analyzer:graph_analyzer_tool",  # graph_analyzer
         "//tensorflow/core/profiler/internal:print_model_analysis",  # tfprof
+        "//tensorflow/core:framework_internal_impl",  # op_def_registry
     ],
     outs = ["pybind_symbol_target_libs_file.txt"],
     cmd = select({
diff --git a/tensorflow/python/framework/op_def_registry.cc b/tensorflow/python/framework/op_def_registry.cc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0de2ce01b96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tensorflow/python/framework/op_def_registry.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/* Copyright 2019 The TensorFlow Authors. All Rights Reserved.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+==============================================================================*/
+
+#include "include/pybind11/pybind11.h"
+#include "tensorflow/core/framework/op.h"
+#include "tensorflow/core/framework/op_def.pb.h"
+#include "tensorflow/core/framework/op_def_util.h"
+#include "tensorflow/python/lib/core/pybind11_status.h"
+
+namespace py = pybind11;
+
+PYBIND11_MODULE(_op_def_registry, m) {
+  m.def("get", [](const std::string& name) {
+    const tensorflow::OpDef* op_def = nullptr;
+    auto status = tensorflow::OpRegistry::Global()->LookUpOpDef(name, &op_def);
+    if (!status.ok()) return py::reinterpret_borrow<py::object>(py::none());
+
+    tensorflow::OpDef stripped_op_def = *op_def;
+    tensorflow::RemoveNonDeprecationDescriptionsFromOpDef(&stripped_op_def);
+
+    tensorflow::MaybeRaiseFromStatus(status);
+    std::string serialized_op_def;
+    if (!stripped_op_def.SerializeToString(&serialized_op_def)) {
+      throw std::runtime_error("Failed to serialize OpDef to string");
+    }
+
+    // Explicitly convert to py::bytes because std::string is implicitly
+    // convertable to py::str by default.
+    return py::reinterpret_borrow<py::object>(py::bytes(serialized_op_def));
+  });
+}
diff --git a/tensorflow/python/framework/op_def_registry.py b/tensorflow/python/framework/op_def_registry.py
index 2ef386879ad..5949db537cf 100644
--- a/tensorflow/python/framework/op_def_registry.py
+++ b/tensorflow/python/framework/op_def_registry.py
@@ -22,61 +22,39 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 import threading
 
 from tensorflow.core.framework import op_def_pb2
-from tensorflow.python import pywrap_tensorflow as c_api
+from tensorflow.python import _op_def_registry
 
-
-_registered_ops = {}
-_sync_lock = threading.Lock()
-
-
-def _remove_non_deprecated_descriptions(op_def):
-  """Remove docs from `op_def` but leave explanations of deprecations."""
-  for input_arg in op_def.input_arg:
-    input_arg.description = ""
-  for output_arg in op_def.output_arg:
-    output_arg.description = ""
-  for attr in op_def.attr:
-    attr.description = ""
-
-  op_def.summary = ""
-  op_def.description = ""
-
-
-def register_op_list(op_list):
-  """Register all the ops in an op_def_pb2.OpList."""
-  if not isinstance(op_list, op_def_pb2.OpList):
-    raise TypeError("%s is %s, not an op_def_pb2.OpList" %
-                    (op_list, type(op_list)))
-  for op_def in op_list.op:
-    if op_def.name in _registered_ops:
-      if _registered_ops[op_def.name] != op_def:
-        raise ValueError(
-            "Registered op_def for %s (%s) not equal to op_def to register (%s)"
-            % (op_def.name, _registered_ops[op_def.name], op_def))
-    else:
-      _registered_ops[op_def.name] = op_def
+# The cache amortizes ProtoBuf serialization/deserialization overhead
+# on the language boundary. If an OpDef has been looked up, its Python
+# representation is cached.
+_cache = {}
+_cache_lock = threading.Lock()
 
 
 def get(name):
   """Returns an OpDef for a given `name` or None if the lookup fails."""
-  with _sync_lock:
-    return _registered_ops.get(name)
+  try:
+    return _cache[name]
+  except KeyError:
+    pass
+
+  with _cache_lock:
+    try:
+      # Return if another thread has already populated the cache.
+      return _cache[name]
+    except KeyError:
+      pass
+
+    serialized_op_def = _op_def_registry.get(name)
+    if serialized_op_def is None:
+      return None
+
+    op_def = op_def_pb2.OpDef()
+    op_def.ParseFromString(serialized_op_def)
+    _cache[name] = op_def
+    return op_def
 
 
+# TODO(b/141354889): Remove once there are no callers.
 def sync():
-  """Synchronize the contents of the Python registry with C++."""
-  with _sync_lock:
-    p_buffer = c_api.TF_GetAllOpList()
-    cpp_op_list = op_def_pb2.OpList()
-    cpp_op_list.ParseFromString(c_api.TF_GetBuffer(p_buffer))
-    for op_def in cpp_op_list.op:
-      # If an OpList is registered from a gen_*_ops.py, it does not any
-      # descriptions. Strip them here as well to satisfy validation in
-      # register_op_list.
-      _remove_non_deprecated_descriptions(op_def)
-      _registered_ops[op_def.name] = op_def
-
-
-def get_registered_ops():
-  """Returns a dictionary mapping names to OpDefs."""
-  return _registered_ops
+  """No-op. Used to synchronize the contents of the Python registry with C++."""
diff --git a/tensorflow/python/framework/python_op_gen.cc b/tensorflow/python/framework/python_op_gen.cc
index cccadadb6d4..7db4a0c5133 100644
--- a/tensorflow/python/framework/python_op_gen.cc
+++ b/tensorflow/python/framework/python_op_gen.cc
@@ -1073,7 +1073,6 @@ from tensorflow.python.util.tf_export import tf_export
   result.append(R"(def _InitOpDefLibrary(op_list_proto_bytes):
   op_list = _op_def_pb2.OpList()
   op_list.ParseFromString(op_list_proto_bytes)
-  _op_def_registry.register_op_list(op_list)
   op_def_lib = _op_def_library.OpDefLibrary()
   op_def_lib.add_op_list(op_list)
   return op_def_lib
diff --git a/tensorflow/tools/def_file_filter/symbols_pybind.txt b/tensorflow/tools/def_file_filter/symbols_pybind.txt
index 0c173b2f96e..72ff2b2d052 100644
--- a/tensorflow/tools/def_file_filter/symbols_pybind.txt
+++ b/tensorflow/tools/def_file_filter/symbols_pybind.txt
@@ -54,3 +54,9 @@ tensorflow::EventsWriter::Close
 
 [py_func_lib] # py_func
 tensorflow::InitializePyTrampoline
+
+[framework_internal_impl] # op_def_registry
+tensorflow::OpRegistry::Global
+tensorflow::OpRegistry::LookUpOpDef
+tensorflow::RemoveNonDeprecationDescriptionsFromOpDef
+