diff --git a/tensorflow/core/tpu/libtftpu.h b/tensorflow/core/tpu/libtftpu.h
index 6c5cd3c08b7..921409dc522 100644
--- a/tensorflow/core/tpu/libtftpu.h
+++ b/tensorflow/core/tpu/libtftpu.h
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ limitations under the License.
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-TFTPU_CAPI_EXPORT void TfTpu_Initialize(bool init_library, int argc,
-                                        const char** argv);
+TFTPU_CAPI_EXPORT void TfTpu_Initialize(bool init_library, int num_args,
+                                        const char** args);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_api_dlsym_initializer.cc b/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_api_dlsym_initializer.cc
index 9389528934b..4c67d596809 100644
--- a/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_api_dlsym_initializer.cc
+++ b/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_api_dlsym_initializer.cc
@@ -45,17 +45,18 @@ Status InitializeTpuLibrary(void* library_handle) {
   Status s = InitializeTpuStructFns(library_handle);
 
   // Retrieve arguments from environment if applicable
-  std::vector<const char*> argv_ptr = GetLibTpuInitArguments();
+  std::pair<std::vector<std::string>, std::vector<const char*> > args =
+      GetLibTpuInitArguments();
 
   // TPU platform registration must only be performed after the library is
   // loaded. We do not want to register a TPU platform in XLA without the
   // supporting library providing the necessary APIs.
   if (s.ok()) {
-    void (*initialize_fn)(bool init_library, int argc, const char** argv);
+    void (*initialize_fn)(bool init_library, int num_args, const char** args);
     initialize_fn = reinterpret_cast<decltype(initialize_fn)>(
         dlsym(library_handle, "TfTpu_Initialize"));
-    (*initialize_fn)(/*init_library=*/true, /*argc=*/argv_ptr.size() - 1,
-                     /*argv=*/argv_ptr.data());
+    (*initialize_fn)(/*init_library=*/true, args.second.size(),
+                     args.second.data());
 
     RegisterTpuPlatform();
   }
diff --git a/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_executor_dlsym_initializer.cc b/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_executor_dlsym_initializer.cc
index 5da9a33fdc0..8c2ae85733f 100644
--- a/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_executor_dlsym_initializer.cc
+++ b/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_executor_dlsym_initializer.cc
@@ -42,17 +42,18 @@ Status InitializeTpuLibrary(void* library_handle) {
   Status s = SetExecutorStructFn(library_handle);
 
   // Retrieve arguments from environment if applicable
-  std::vector<const char*> argv_ptr = GetLibTpuInitArguments();
+  std::pair<std::vector<std::string>, std::vector<const char*> > args =
+      GetLibTpuInitArguments();
 
   // TPU platform registration must only be performed after the library is
   // loaded. We do not want to register a TPU platform in XLA without the
   // supporting library providing the necessary APIs.
   if (s.ok()) {
-    void (*initialize_fn)(bool init_library, int argc, const char** argv);
+    void (*initialize_fn)(bool init_library, int num_args, const char** args);
     initialize_fn = reinterpret_cast<decltype(initialize_fn)>(
         dlsym(library_handle, "TfTpu_Initialize"));
-    (*initialize_fn)(/*init_library=*/true, /*argc=*/argv_ptr.size() - 1,
-                     /*argv=*/argv_ptr.data());
+    (*initialize_fn)(/*init_library=*/true, args.second.size(),
+                     args.second.data());
 
     RegisterTpuPlatform();
   }
diff --git a/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_initializer_helper.cc b/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_initializer_helper.cc
index 8648fd8ab28..0856957d39c 100644
--- a/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_initializer_helper.cc
+++ b/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_initializer_helper.cc
@@ -22,17 +22,17 @@ limitations under the License.
 namespace tensorflow {
 namespace tpu {
 
-std::vector<const char*> GetLibTpuInitArguments() {
+std::pair<std::vector<std::string>, std::vector<const char*>>
+GetLibTpuInitArguments() {
+  // We make copies of the arguments returned by getenv because the memory
+  // returned may be altered or invalidated by further calls to getenv.
+  std::vector<std::string> argv;
   std::vector<const char*> argv_ptr;
-  std::vector<absl::string_view> argv;
 
-  // Retrieve arguments from environment if applicable
+  // Retrieve arguments from environment if applicable.
   char* env = getenv("LIBTPU_INIT_ARGS");
   if (env != nullptr) {
     // TODO(frankchn): Handles quotes properly if necessary.
-    // env pointer is already pointing to an allocated memory block.
-    // absl::StrSplit returns a string_view that returns a vector of pointers
-    // into that memory block. This means that we don't need to manage memory.
     argv = absl::StrSplit(env, ' ');
   }
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ std::vector<const char*> GetLibTpuInitArguments() {
   }
   argv_ptr.push_back(nullptr);
 
-  return argv_ptr;
+  return {argv, argv_ptr};
 }
 
 }  // namespace tpu
diff --git a/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_initializer_helper.h b/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_initializer_helper.h
index 8d3ec4e324b..cd9b419648d 100644
--- a/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_initializer_helper.h
+++ b/tensorflow/core/tpu/tpu_initializer_helper.h
@@ -16,14 +16,17 @@ limitations under the License.
 #ifndef TENSORFLOW_CORE_TPU_TPU_INITIALIZER_HELPER_H_
 #define TENSORFLOW_CORE_TPU_TPU_INITIALIZER_HELPER_H_
 
+#include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
 namespace tensorflow {
 namespace tpu {
 
-// This returns an extra nullptr at the end (per the C standard), but this
-// should not be counted for 'argc'.
-std::vector<const char*> GetLibTpuInitArguments();
+// Returns arguments (e.g. flags) set in the LIBTPU_INIT_ARGS environment
+// variable. The first return value is the arguments, the second return value is
+// pointers to the arguments suitable for passing into the C API.
+std::pair<std::vector<std::string>, std::vector<const char*>>
+GetLibTpuInitArguments();
 
 }  // namespace tpu
 }  // namespace tensorflow