diff --git a/benchmarks/benchmark_experiment.py b/benchmarks/benchmark_experiment.py
index d7159c0bb5b..a82490d373b 100644
--- a/benchmarks/benchmark_experiment.py
+++ b/benchmarks/benchmark_experiment.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ def list_experiment_configs(self):
         "torch_xla2": [None],  # options only apply to torch_xla2
         "test": ["eval", "train"],
         "keep_model_data_on_cuda": [False],
+        "enable_functionalization": [False],
     }
 
     # Apply command line choices.
@@ -49,6 +50,10 @@ def list_experiment_configs(self):
       config_choices["keep_model_data_on_cuda"] = [
           self._args.keep_model_data_on_cuda
       ]
+    if self._args.enable_functionalization:
+      config_choices["enable_functionalization"] = [
+          self._args.enable_functionalization
+      ]
 
     # Expand experiment configs and add env vars.
     logger.debug(f"Expand experiment configs")
@@ -136,6 +141,7 @@ def load_experiment(self,
     batch_size = experiment_config.get("batch_size", self._args.batch_size)
     torch_xla2 = experiment_config["torch_xla2"]
     keep_model_data_on_cuda = experiment_config["keep_model_data_on_cuda"]
+    enable_functionalization = experiment_config["enable_functionalization"]
     return BenchmarkExperiment(
         accelerator=accelerator,
         xla=xla,
@@ -144,14 +150,17 @@ def load_experiment(self,
         torch_xla2=torch_xla2,
         keep_model_data_on_cuda=keep_model_data_on_cuda,
         test=test,
-        batch_size=batch_size)
+        batch_size=batch_size,
+        enable_functionalization=enable_functionalization,
+    )
 
 
 class BenchmarkExperiment:
 
   def __init__(self, accelerator: str, xla: Optional[str],
                xla_flags: Optional[str], dynamo: str, torch_xla2: bool,
-               keep_model_data_on_cuda: bool, test: str, batch_size: str):
+               keep_model_data_on_cuda: bool, test: str, batch_size: str,
+               enable_functionalization: bool):
     self.accelerator = accelerator
     self.xla = xla
     self.xla_flags = xla_flags
@@ -161,6 +170,7 @@ def __init__(self, accelerator: str, xla: Optional[str],
     self.test = test
     self.batch_size = batch_size
     self.accelerator_model = get_accelerator_model(self.accelerator)
+    self.enable_functionalization = enable_functionalization
 
   def update_process_env(self, process_env: Dict[str, str]):
 
@@ -192,6 +202,9 @@ def update_process_env(self, process_env: Dict[str, str]):
     if self.xla_flags:
       process_env["XLA_FLAGS"] = self.xla_flags
 
+    if not self.enable_functionalization:
+      process_env["XLA_DISABLE_FUNCTIONALIZATION"] = "1"
+
   def get_device(self):
     if self.torch_xla2:
       # Initiate the model in CPU first for xla2. We will move the model to jax device later.
@@ -236,4 +249,5 @@ def to_dict(self):
     d["keep_model_data_on_cuda"] = self.keep_model_data_on_cuda
     d["test"] = self.test
     d["batch_size"] = self.batch_size
+    d["enable_functionalization"] = self.enable_functionalization
     return d
diff --git a/benchmarks/experiment_runner.py b/benchmarks/experiment_runner.py
index 815b00ec8bc..42f5e248293 100644
--- a/benchmarks/experiment_runner.py
+++ b/benchmarks/experiment_runner.py
@@ -832,6 +832,11 @@ def __str__(self):
       help="""ID of the benchmark suite partition to be run. Used to divide CI
         tasks""",
   )
+  parser.add_argument(
+      "--enable-functionalization",
+      action="store_true",
+      help="Enable the functionalization layer by default",
+  )
   parser.add_argument(
       "--dry-run",
       action="store_true",