diff --git a/tensorflow/lite/experimental/examples/lstm/rnn.py b/tensorflow/lite/experimental/examples/lstm/rnn.py
index 003fb73005b..1f55538bda5 100644
--- a/tensorflow/lite/experimental/examples/lstm/rnn.py
+++ b/tensorflow/lite/experimental/examples/lstm/rnn.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 from __future__ import division
 from __future__ import print_function
 
-import tensorflow.lite.python.op_hint as op_hint
+from tensorflow.lite.python.op_hint import OpHint
 from tensorflow.python.eager import context
 from tensorflow.python.framework import dtypes
 from tensorflow.python.framework import ops
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ def dynamic_rnn(cell,
       "parent_last_child_output": parent_last_child_output,
       "internal_children_input_output": internal_children_input_output
   }
-  tflite_wrapper = op_hint.OpHint(
+  tflite_wrapper = OpHint(
       "TfLiteDynamicRnn",
       level=2,
       children_inputs_mappings=inputs_outputs_mappings)
diff --git a/tensorflow/lite/experimental/examples/lstm/rnn_cell.py b/tensorflow/lite/experimental/examples/lstm/rnn_cell.py
index 8e213b74be7..caa5650023d 100644
--- a/tensorflow/lite/experimental/examples/lstm/rnn_cell.py
+++ b/tensorflow/lite/experimental/examples/lstm/rnn_cell.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ from __future__ import division
 from __future__ import print_function
 import itertools
 
-import tensorflow.lite.python.op_hint as op_hint
+from tensorflow.lite.python.op_hint import OpHint
 from tensorflow.python.keras import activations
 from tensorflow.python.keras import initializers
 from tensorflow.python.layers import base as base_layer
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class TfLiteRNNCell(rnn_cell_impl.LayerRNNCell):
     # Inputs must be Rank-2.
     self.input_spec = base_layer.InputSpec(ndim=2)
 
-    self._tflite_wrapper = op_hint.OpHint("UnidirectionalSequenceRnn")
+    self._tflite_wrapper = OpHint("UnidirectionalSequenceRnn")
     self._num_units = num_units
     if activation:
       self._activation = activations.get(activation)
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ class TFLiteLSTMCell(rnn_cell_impl.LayerRNNCell):
     # TODO(raziel): layers stuff -- chop if un-layerizing Op.
     self.input_spec = base_layer.InputSpec(ndim=2)
 
-    self._tflite_wrapper = op_hint.OpHint("UnidirectionalSequenceLstm")
+    self._tflite_wrapper = OpHint("UnidirectionalSequenceLstm")
 
     self._num_units = num_units
     self._use_peepholes = use_peepholes
diff --git a/tensorflow/opensource_only.files b/tensorflow/opensource_only.files
index db3efc46dbf..bf41dc611bb 100644
--- a/tensorflow/opensource_only.files
+++ b/tensorflow/opensource_only.files
@@ -251,4 +251,5 @@ tensorflow/api_template_v1.__init__.py
 tensorflow/compat_template_v1.__init__.py
 tensorflow/compat_template.__init__.py
 tensorflow/api_template.__init__.py
-tensorflow/__init__.py
\ No newline at end of file
+tensorflow/__init__.py
+tensorflow/virtual_root.__init__.py
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tensorflow/tools/pip_package/build_pip_package.sh b/tensorflow/tools/pip_package/build_pip_package.sh
index 305033cd446..1969d5ac268 100755
--- a/tensorflow/tools/pip_package/build_pip_package.sh
+++ b/tensorflow/tools/pip_package/build_pip_package.sh
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ function prepare_src() {
   popd > /dev/null
   cp -R $RUNFILES/third_party/eigen3 ${TMPDIR}/third_party
 
+  cp tensorflow/virtual_root.__init__.py ${TMPDIR}
   cp tensorflow/tools/pip_package/MANIFEST.in ${TMPDIR}
   cp tensorflow/tools/pip_package/README ${TMPDIR}
   cp tensorflow/tools/pip_package/setup.py ${TMPDIR}
@@ -157,6 +158,21 @@ function build_wheel() {
   fi
 
   pushd ${TMPDIR} > /dev/null
+
+  # In order to break the circular dependency between tensorflow and
+  # tensorflow_estimator which forces us to do a multi-step release, we are
+  # creating a virtual pip package called tensorflow and moving all the tf code
+  # into another pip called tensorflow_core:
+  #
+  #   * move code from tensorflow to tensorflow_core
+  #   * create the virtual pip package: create folder and __init__.py file with
+  #     needed code for transparent forwarding
+  #
+  # This is transparent to internal code or to code not using the pip packages.
+  mv tensorflow tensorflow_core
+  mkdir tensorflow
+  mv virtual_root.__init__.py tensorflow/__init__.py
+
   rm -f MANIFEST
   echo $(date) : "=== Building wheel"
   "${PYTHON_BIN_PATH:-python}" setup.py bdist_wheel ${PKG_NAME_FLAG} >/dev/null
diff --git a/tensorflow/tools/pip_package/setup.py b/tensorflow/tools/pip_package/setup.py
index 8cc2bad9bc1..0917420f2ca 100644
--- a/tensorflow/tools/pip_package/setup.py
+++ b/tensorflow/tools/pip_package/setup.py
@@ -141,8 +141,8 @@ class InstallCommand(InstallCommandBase):
 
   def finalize_options(self):
     ret = InstallCommandBase.finalize_options(self)
-    self.install_headers = os.path.join(self.install_purelib,
-                                        'tensorflow', 'include')
+    self.install_headers = os.path.join(self.install_purelib, 'tensorflow_core',
+                                        'include')
     self.install_lib = self.install_platlib
     return ret
 
@@ -180,14 +180,14 @@ class InstallHeaders(Command):
     # directories for -I
     install_dir = re.sub('/google/protobuf_archive/src', '', install_dir)
 
-    # Copy external code headers into tensorflow/include.
+    # Copy external code headers into tensorflow_core/include.
     # A symlink would do, but the wheel file that gets created ignores
     # symlink within the directory hierarchy.
     # NOTE(keveman): Figure out how to customize bdist_wheel package so
     # we can do the symlink.
     external_header_locations = [
-        'tensorflow/include/external/eigen_archive/',
-        'tensorflow/include/external/com_google_absl/',
+        'tensorflow_core/include/external/eigen_archive/',
+        'tensorflow_core/include/external/com_google_absl/',
     ]
     for location in external_header_locations:
       if location in install_dir:
diff --git a/tensorflow/virtual_root.__init__.py b/tensorflow/virtual_root.__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4ab483dc86f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tensorflow/virtual_root.__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+# 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.
+# ==============================================================================
+"""TensorFlow root package"""
+
+from __future__ import absolute_import as _absolute_import
+from __future__ import division as _division
+from __future__ import print_function as _print_function
+
+import sys as _sys
+import importlib as _importlib
+import types as _types
+
+
+# Since TensorFlow Python code now resides in tensorflow_core but TensorFlow
+# ecosystem code (e.g. estimator, but also even tensorflow) imports tensorflow
+# we need to do forwarding between the two. To do so, we use a lazy loader to
+# load and forward the top level modules. We cannot use the LazyLoader defined
+# by tensorflow at tensorflow/python/util/lazy_loader.py as to use that we would
+# already need to import tensorflow. Hence, we define it inline.
+class _LazyLoader(_types.ModuleType):
+  """Lazily import a module so that we can forward it."""
+
+  # The lint error here is incorrect.
+  def __init__(self, local_name, parent_module_globals, name):  # pylint: disable=super-on-old-class
+    self._local_name = local_name
+    self._parent_module_globals = parent_module_globals
+    super(_LazyLoader, self).__init__(name)
+
+  def _load(self):
+    """Import the target module and insert it into the parent's namespace."""
+    module = _importlib.import_module(self.__name__)
+    self._parent_module_globals[self._local_name] = module
+    self.__dict__.update(module.__dict__)
+    return module
+
+  def __getattr__(self, item):
+    module = self._load()
+    return getattr(module, item)
+
+  def __dir__(self):
+    module = self._load()
+    return dir(module)
+
+
+# Forwarding a module is as simple as lazy loading the module from the new path
+# and then registering it to sys.modules using the old path
+def _forward_module(old_name):
+  parts = old_name.split(".")
+  parts[0] = parts[0] + "_core"
+  local_name = parts[-1]
+  existing_name = ".".join(parts)
+  _module = _LazyLoader(local_name, globals(), existing_name)
+  return _sys.modules.setdefault(old_name, _module)
+
+
+# This list should contain all modules _immediately_ under tensorflow
+_top_level_modules = [
+    "tensorflow._api",
+    "tensorflow.python",
+    "tensorflow.tools",
+    "tensorflow.core",
+    "tensorflow.compiler",
+    "tensorflow.lite",
+    "tensorflow.keras",
+]
+# Estimator needs to be handled separatedly so we can still allow both
+# import tensorflow_estimator and import tensorflow.estimator work
+# Only in the second case do we actually need to do forwarding, the first case
+# already defines most of the hierarchy and eagerly forwarding would result in
+# an import loop.
+if "tensorflow_estimator" not in _sys.modules:
+  _root_estimator = False
+  _top_level_modules.append("tensorflow.estimator")
+else:
+  _root_estimator = True
+
+# Lazy load all of the _top_level_modules, we don't need their names anymore
+_top_level_modules = [_forward_module(m) for m in _top_level_modules]
+
+# We still need all the names that are toplevel on tensorflow_core
+from tensorflow_core import *
+
+# We also need to bring in keras if available in tensorflow_core
+# Above import * doesn't import it as __all__ is updated before keras is hooked
+try:
+  from tensorflow_core import keras
+except ImportError as e:
+  pass
+
+# Similarly for estimator, but only if this file is not read via a
+# import tensorflow_estimator (same reasoning as above when forwarding estimator
+# separatedly from the rest of the top level modules)
+if not _root_estimator:
+  try:
+    from tensorflow_core import estimator
+  except ImportError as e:
+    pass
+
+# And again for tensorboard
+try:
+  from tensorflow_core import tensorboard
+except ImportError as e:
+  pass