diff --git a/tensorflow/lite/micro/micro_interpreter.cc b/tensorflow/lite/micro/micro_interpreter.cc
index a9286e88a27..f6f8127f467 100644
--- a/tensorflow/lite/micro/micro_interpreter.cc
+++ b/tensorflow/lite/micro/micro_interpreter.cc
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ MicroInterpreter::MicroInterpreter(const Model* model,
       error_reporter_(error_reporter),
       allocator_(&context_, model_, tensor_arena, tensor_arena_size,
                  error_reporter_),
-      tensors_allocated_(false) {
+      tensors_allocated_(false),
+      tensors_prepared_(false) {
   const flatbuffers::Vector<flatbuffers::Offset<SubGraph>>* subgraphs =
       model->subgraphs();
   if (subgraphs->size() != 1) {
@@ -155,24 +156,30 @@ TfLiteStatus MicroInterpreter::Invoke() {
       init_data = reinterpret_cast<const char*>(node->builtin_data);
       init_data_size = 0;
     }
-    if (registration->init) {
+    if (!tensors_prepared_ && registration->init) {
       node->user_data =
           registration->init(&context_, init_data, init_data_size);
     }
   }
 
-  for (size_t i = 0; i < operators_->size(); ++i) {
-    auto* node = &(node_and_registrations_[i].node);
-    auto* registration = node_and_registrations_[i].registration;
-    if (registration->prepare) {
-      TfLiteStatus prepare_status = registration->prepare(&context_, node);
-      if (prepare_status != kTfLiteOk) {
-        error_reporter_->Report(
-            "Node %s (number %d) failed to prepare with status %d",
-            OpNameFromRegistration(registration), i, prepare_status);
-        return kTfLiteError;
+  if (!tensors_prepared_) {
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < operators_->size(); ++i) {
+      auto* node = &(node_and_registrations_[i].node);
+      auto* registration = node_and_registrations_[i].registration;
+      if (registration->prepare) {
+        TfLiteStatus prepare_status = registration->prepare(&context_, node);
+        if (prepare_status != kTfLiteOk) {
+          error_reporter_->Report(
+              "Node %s (number %d) failed to prepare with status %d",
+              OpNameFromRegistration(registration), i, prepare_status);
+          return kTfLiteError;
+        }
       }
     }
+#ifdef TF_LITE_MICRO_TENSORS_PREPARED
+    // TODO(b/148085107): Turn this value on by default.
+    tensors_prepared_ = true;
+#endif
   }
 
   for (size_t i = 0; i < operators_->size(); ++i) {
diff --git a/tensorflow/lite/micro/micro_interpreter.h b/tensorflow/lite/micro/micro_interpreter.h
index e7d0c897c8b..941960a5116 100644
--- a/tensorflow/lite/micro/micro_interpreter.h
+++ b/tensorflow/lite/micro/micro_interpreter.h
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ class MicroInterpreter {
   TfLiteContext context_ = {};
   MicroAllocator allocator_;
   bool tensors_allocated_;
+  bool tensors_prepared_;
 
   TfLiteStatus initialization_status_;
   const flatbuffers::Vector<flatbuffers::Offset<Tensor>>* tensors_;
diff --git a/tensorflow/lite/micro/tools/make/targets/xtensa_xpg_makefile.inc b/tensorflow/lite/micro/tools/make/targets/xtensa_xpg_makefile.inc
index fee3855ba6c..22b013a7dfe 100644
--- a/tensorflow/lite/micro/tools/make/targets/xtensa_xpg_makefile.inc
+++ b/tensorflow/lite/micro/tools/make/targets/xtensa_xpg_makefile.inc
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ ifeq ($(TARGET), xtensa-xpg)
   TARGET_ARCH := xtensa-xpg
 
   PLATFORM_ARGS = \
+    -DTF_LITE_MICRO_TENSORS_PREPARED \
     -DTF_LITE_STATIC_MEMORY \
     -DNDEBUG \
     -DTF_LITE_MCU_DEBUG_LOG \