3 files changed, 18 insertions, 4 deletions
diff --git a/tensorflow/__init__.py b/tensorflow/__init__.py
index 4fc5d8e816..ec7cd91e7e 100644
--- a/tensorflow/__init__.py
+++ b/tensorflow/__init__.py
@@ -21,3 +21,18 @@ from __future__ import division
 from __future__ import print_function
 
 from tensorflow.python import *
+
+
+# Lazily import the `tf.contrib` module. This avoids loading all of the
+# dependencies of `tf.contrib` at `import tensorflow` time.
+class _LazyContribLoader(object):
+
+  def __getattr__(self, item):
+    global contrib
+    # Replace the lazy loader with the imported module itself.
+    import importlib  # pylint: disable=g-import-not-at-top
+    contrib = importlib.import_module('tensorflow.contrib')
+    return getattr(contrib, item)
+
+
+contrib = _LazyContribLoader()
diff --git a/tensorflow/python/__init__.py b/tensorflow/python/__init__.py
index 78da74268b..974d3c2457 100644
--- a/tensorflow/python/__init__.py
+++ b/tensorflow/python/__init__.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import tensorflow as tf
 """
 
 import ctypes
+import importlib
 import inspect
 import sys
 import traceback
@@ -62,8 +63,6 @@ from tensorflow.core.framework.summary_pb2 import *
 from tensorflow.core.framework.attr_value_pb2 import *
 from tensorflow.core.protobuf.config_pb2 import *
 from tensorflow.core.util.event_pb2 import *
-# Import things out of contrib
-import tensorflow.contrib as contrib
 
 # Framework
 from tensorflow.python.framework.framework_lib import *
@@ -119,7 +118,7 @@ from tensorflow.python.ops import string_ops
 from tensorflow.python.ops import tensor_array_ops
 
 # Don't export modules except for the few we really want
-_whitelist = set([app, compat, contrib, errors, flags, gfile, image, logging,
+_whitelist = set([app, compat, errors, flags, gfile, image, logging,
                   nn, python_io, resource_loader, sysconfig, test, train,
                   user_ops])
 
@@ -231,7 +230,6 @@ __all__.extend([
 # Export modules and constants.
 __all__.extend([
     'app',
-    'contrib',
     'errors',
     'flags',
     'gfile',
diff --git a/tensorflow/python/framework/contrib_test.py b/tensorflow/python/framework/contrib_test.py
index 5ca43b3849..db6d7d0a7c 100644
--- a/tensorflow/python/framework/contrib_test.py
+++ b/tensorflow/python/framework/contrib_test.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class ContribTest(googletest.TestCase):
   def testContrib(self):
     # pylint: disable=g-import-not-at-top
     import tensorflow as tf
+    _ = tf.contrib.layers  # `tf.contrib` is loaded lazily on first use.
     assert inspect.ismodule(tf.contrib)
 
   def testLayers(self):