diff --git a/tensorflow/c/eager/gradients.cc b/tensorflow/c/eager/gradients.cc
index fc9c19d127c..58ffcf247cf 100644
--- a/tensorflow/c/eager/gradients.cc
+++ b/tensorflow/c/eager/gradients.cc
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ Status TapeVSpace::CallBackwardFunction(
       &ctx, incoming_gradients, result);
 }
 
-Status TapeVSpace::BuildOnesLike(TapeTensor t,
+Status TapeVSpace::BuildOnesLike(const TapeTensor& t,
                                  AbstractTensorHandle** result) const {
   AbstractOperationPtr op(ctx_->CreateOperation());
   TF_RETURN_IF_ERROR(op->Reset("OnesLike", /*raw_device_name=*/nullptr));
diff --git a/tensorflow/c/eager/gradients.h b/tensorflow/c/eager/gradients.h
index d240806c044..f7d80cbeb34 100644
--- a/tensorflow/c/eager/gradients.h
+++ b/tensorflow/c/eager/gradients.h
@@ -180,10 +180,6 @@ int64 ToId(AbstractTensorHandle* t);
 // allow us to trace the data dependencies between operations and hence compute
 // gradients.
 //
-// This also implements `OnesLike` to create the default
-// incoming gradients for tensors which do not already have an incoming
-// gradient.
-//
 // `ZerosLike` is not expected to be called and returns a nullptr. The creation
 // of default zeros grads is handled by the `DefaultGradientFunction` registered
 // for each op.
@@ -233,7 +229,7 @@ class TapeVSpace
       std::vector<AbstractTensorHandle*>* result) const override;
 
   // Builds a tensor filled with ones with the same shape and dtype as `t`.
-  Status BuildOnesLike(TapeTensor t,
+  Status BuildOnesLike(const TapeTensor& t,
                        AbstractTensorHandle** result) const override;
 
   // Looks up the ID of a Gradient.
diff --git a/tensorflow/c/eager/tape.h b/tensorflow/c/eager/tape.h
index 80db01c7924..efab4dfbeb2 100644
--- a/tensorflow/c/eager/tape.h
+++ b/tensorflow/c/eager/tape.h
@@ -100,7 +100,8 @@ class VSpace {
       std::vector<Gradient*>* result) const = 0;
 
   // Builds a tensor filled with ones with the same shape and dtype as `t`.
-  virtual Status BuildOnesLike(TapeTensor t, Gradient** result) const = 0;
+  virtual Status BuildOnesLike(const TapeTensor& t,
+                               Gradient** result) const = 0;
 
   // Looks up the ID of a Gradient.
   virtual int64 TensorId(Gradient* tensor) const = 0;
diff --git a/tensorflow/python/eager/pywrap_tfe_src.cc b/tensorflow/python/eager/pywrap_tfe_src.cc
index 1ab72a5125b..128fb09d114 100644
--- a/tensorflow/python/eager/pywrap_tfe_src.cc
+++ b/tensorflow/python/eager/pywrap_tfe_src.cc
@@ -1283,7 +1283,8 @@ class PyVSpace : public tensorflow::eager::VSpace<PyObject, PyBackwardFunction,
   }
 
   // Builds a tensor filled with ones with the same shape and dtype as `t`.
-  Status BuildOnesLike(PyTapeTensor t, PyObject** result) const override {
+  Status BuildOnesLike(const PyTapeTensor& t,
+                       PyObject** result) const override {
     *result = t.OnesLike();
     return Status::OK();
   }