diff --git a/tensorflow/compiler/mlir/tensorflow/tests/mark_ops_for_outside_compilation.mlir b/tensorflow/compiler/mlir/tensorflow/tests/mark_ops_for_outside_compilation.mlir
index c8a6d5489c3..ae5f98da85f 100644
--- a/tensorflow/compiler/mlir/tensorflow/tests/mark_ops_for_outside_compilation.mlir
+++ b/tensorflow/compiler/mlir/tensorflow/tests/mark_ops_for_outside_compilation.mlir
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // RUN: tf-opt %s -tf-mark-ops-for-outside-compilation | FILECHECK_OPTS="" FileCheck %s
 
-// CHECK-LABEL: func @unsupported_op_no_soft_placement
-func @unsupported_op_no_soft_placement() -> tensor<i32> {
+// CHECK-LABEL: func @unsupported_op_missing_soft_placement_attribute
+func @unsupported_op_missing_soft_placement_attribute() -> tensor<i32> {
   %0 = "tf_device.cluster"() ( {
     // CHECK: "tf.UnsupportedOp"
     // CHECK-NOT: _xla_outside_compilation
@@ -28,6 +28,24 @@ func @unsupported_op_soft_placement_false() -> tensor<i32> {
   return %0 : tensor<i32>
 }
 
+// CHECK-LABEL: func @assert_op_string_operand
+func @assert_op_string_operand(%arg0: tensor<!tf.string>) -> tensor<i32> {
+  %0 = "tf_device.cluster"() ( {
+    // CHECK: "tf.Assert"
+    // CHECK-NOT: _xla_outside_compilation
+    // CHECK: "tf.UnsupportedOp"
+    // CHECK-SAME: _xla_outside_compilation
+    // CHECK: "tf.Identity"
+    // CHECK-NOT: _xla_outside_compilation
+    %t = constant dense<true> : tensor<i1>
+    "tf.Assert"(%t, %arg0) {summarize = 3} : (tensor<i1>, tensor<!tf.string>) -> ()
+    %1 = "tf.UnsupportedOp"() {value = dense<1> : tensor<i32>} : () -> tensor<i32>
+    %2 = "tf.Identity"(%1) : (tensor<i32>) -> tensor<i32>
+    tf_device.return %2 : tensor<i32>
+  }) {allow_soft_placement = true, num_cores_per_replica = 1, topology =  "", device_assignment =  []} : () -> tensor<i32>
+  return %0 : tensor<i32>
+}
+
 // CHECK-LABEL: func @unsupported_op
 func @unsupported_op() -> tensor<i32> {
   %0 = "tf_device.cluster"() ( {
diff --git a/tensorflow/compiler/mlir/tensorflow/transforms/mark_ops_for_outside_compilation.cc b/tensorflow/compiler/mlir/tensorflow/transforms/mark_ops_for_outside_compilation.cc
index ac844b925ce..b5607d63af9 100644
--- a/tensorflow/compiler/mlir/tensorflow/transforms/mark_ops_for_outside_compilation.cc
+++ b/tensorflow/compiler/mlir/tensorflow/transforms/mark_ops_for_outside_compilation.cc
@@ -164,10 +164,12 @@ bool IsSupportedOp(Operation& op,
                    const Dialect* tf_dialect) {
   if (op.getDialect() != tf_dialect)
     return true;
-  else
-    return !HasStringOperand(op) && !HasStringResult(op) &&
-           (MatchesPattern(op, supported_ops) ||
-            mhlo::IsOpAllowedTf2XlaFallback(&op));
+  // Assert has a legalization that later removes it so we don't want to outside
+  // compile it ever for performance reasons.
+  if (llvm::isa<TF::AssertOp>(op)) return true;
+  return !HasStringOperand(op) && !HasStringResult(op) &&
+         (MatchesPattern(op, supported_ops) ||
+          mhlo::IsOpAllowedTf2XlaFallback(&op));
 }
 
 // Checks all regions of `op` for captured string operands.