diff --git a/tensorflow/core/grappler/costs/virtual_scheduler.cc b/tensorflow/core/grappler/costs/virtual_scheduler.cc
index c533dc6468f..089c24e18a2 100644
--- a/tensorflow/core/grappler/costs/virtual_scheduler.cc
+++ b/tensorflow/core/grappler/costs/virtual_scheduler.cc
@@ -498,7 +498,12 @@ Status SchedulerState::Init(const GrapplerItem* item,
       const string in_device = DeviceName(input_node);
       const auto input_node_port_num = NodePosition(input_node_name);
 
-      if (curr_node_device == in_device) {
+      // Control dependencies should be treated as high priority. Current
+      // Channel device doesn't model a separate virual channel for control v/s
+      // data transfers. So in the interim, it may be okay to let control
+      // dependencies magically flow across devices bypassing the channel
+      // device.
+      if (curr_node_device == in_device || IsControlInput(input_node_name)) {
         // Same device: connect input_node and curr_node directly.
         curr_node_state.inputs.push_back(
             std::make_pair(input_node, input_node_port_num));
diff --git a/tensorflow/core/grappler/costs/virtual_scheduler_test.cc b/tensorflow/core/grappler/costs/virtual_scheduler_test.cc
index 2da15512181..c22a6ed9419 100644
--- a/tensorflow/core/grappler/costs/virtual_scheduler_test.cc
+++ b/tensorflow/core/grappler/costs/virtual_scheduler_test.cc
@@ -2982,9 +2982,10 @@ TEST_F(VirtualSchedulerTest, InterDeviceTransfer) {
   // Same number of _Send and _Recv.
   EXPECT_EQ(op_count.at(kSend), op_count.at(kRecv));
 
-  // Expect 4 Send and Recvs each: port 0, 1, and, 2, and control dependency.
-  EXPECT_EQ(op_count.at(kRecv), 4);
-  EXPECT_EQ(op_count.at(kSend), 4);
+  // Expect 3 Send and Recvs each: port 0, 1, and, 2.
+  // Control dependency bypasses the channel.
+  EXPECT_EQ(op_count.at(kRecv), 3);
+  EXPECT_EQ(op_count.at(kSend), 3);
 
   // Helper lambda for extracting output Tensor size.
   auto get_output_size = [this, ops_executed](const string& name) -> int64 {
@@ -3006,9 +3007,6 @@ TEST_F(VirtualSchedulerTest, InterDeviceTransfer) {
   EXPECT_EQ(get_output_size(send_op_names[1]), 4 * depth_in_);
   EXPECT_EQ(get_output_size(recv_op_names[2]), 4 * depth_in_);
   EXPECT_EQ(get_output_size(send_op_names[2]), 4 * depth_in_);
-  // Control dependency size is 4B.
-  EXPECT_EQ(get_output_size(recv_op_names[-1]), 4);
-  EXPECT_EQ(get_output_size(send_op_names[-1]), 4);
 }
 
 TEST_F(VirtualSchedulerTest, GraphWithSendRecv) {