diff --git a/xla/pjrt/cpu/cpu_client.cc b/xla/pjrt/cpu/cpu_client.cc
index 53ac1d3175525..559a3fa77f927 100644
--- a/xla/pjrt/cpu/cpu_client.cc
+++ b/xla/pjrt/cpu/cpu_client.cc
@@ -285,6 +285,12 @@ absl::string_view TfrtCpuDeviceDescription::ToString() const {
                                     machine_attributes);
 }
 
+absl::StatusOr<Layout> TfrtCpuTopologyDescription::GetDefaultLayout(
+    PrimitiveType element_type, absl::Span<const int64_t> dims) const {
+  Shape shape = ShapeUtil::MakeShape(element_type, dims);
+  return LayoutUtil::GetWithDefaultLayout(shape).layout();
+}
+
 absl::StatusOr<std::string> TfrtCpuTopologyDescription::Serialize() const {
   std::string result;
   if (!tsl::SerializeToStringDeterministic(cpu_topology_.ToProto(), &result)) {
diff --git a/xla/pjrt/cpu/cpu_client.h b/xla/pjrt/cpu/cpu_client.h
index 34a63690b4b0d..b302243ecfecd 100644
--- a/xla/pjrt/cpu/cpu_client.h
+++ b/xla/pjrt/cpu/cpu_client.h
@@ -183,6 +183,10 @@ class TfrtCpuTopologyDescription : public PjRtTopologyDescription {
     return attributes_;
   }
 
+  StatusOr<Layout> GetDefaultLayout(
+      PrimitiveType element_type,
+      absl::Span<const int64_t> dims) const override;
+
  private:
   const PjRtPlatformId platform_id_;
   const std::string platform_name_;
diff --git a/xla/pjrt/gpu/se_gpu_pjrt_client.cc b/xla/pjrt/gpu/se_gpu_pjrt_client.cc
index 9dec918f99327..c6b1865a6915f 100644
--- a/xla/pjrt/gpu/se_gpu_pjrt_client.cc
+++ b/xla/pjrt/gpu/se_gpu_pjrt_client.cc
@@ -1130,6 +1130,12 @@ absl::StatusOr<std::string> StreamExecutorGpuTopologyDescription::Serialize()
   return result;
 }
 
+absl::StatusOr<Layout> StreamExecutorGpuTopologyDescription::GetDefaultLayout(
+    PrimitiveType element_type, absl::Span<const int64_t> dims) const {
+  Shape shape = ShapeUtil::MakeShape(element_type, dims);
+  return LayoutUtil::GetWithDefaultLayout(shape).layout();
+}
+
 std::vector<std::unique_ptr<PjRtStreamExecutorDevice>> BuildLocalDevices(
     std::map<int, std::unique_ptr<LocalDeviceState>> local_device_states,
     int node_id) {
diff --git a/xla/pjrt/gpu/se_gpu_pjrt_client.h b/xla/pjrt/gpu/se_gpu_pjrt_client.h
index 529258e2a90cc..39c9327683d2e 100644
--- a/xla/pjrt/gpu/se_gpu_pjrt_client.h
+++ b/xla/pjrt/gpu/se_gpu_pjrt_client.h
@@ -132,6 +132,10 @@ class StreamExecutorGpuTopologyDescription : public PjRtTopologyDescription {
     return attributes_;
   }
 
+  StatusOr<Layout> GetDefaultLayout(
+      PrimitiveType element_type,
+      absl::Span<const int64_t> dims) const override;
+
  private:
   const PjRtPlatformId platform_id_;
   const std::string platform_name_;
diff --git a/xla/pjrt/pjrt_c_api_client.h b/xla/pjrt/pjrt_c_api_client.h
index d1d50261f7f6d..92c1c3044cc93 100644
--- a/xla/pjrt/pjrt_c_api_client.h
+++ b/xla/pjrt/pjrt_c_api_client.h
@@ -218,6 +218,12 @@ class PjRtCApiTopologyDescription : public PjRtTopologyDescription {
     return attributes_;
   }
 
+  StatusOr<Layout> GetDefaultLayout(
+      PrimitiveType element_type,
+      absl::Span<const int64_t> dims) const override {
+    return Unimplemented("PJRT C API does not support GetDefaultLayout");
+  }
+
  private:
   std::unique_ptr<PjRtCApiCompiler> compiler_;
   const PJRT_Api* c_api_;
diff --git a/xla/pjrt/pjrt_compiler.h b/xla/pjrt/pjrt_compiler.h
index d624fd0cf99cd..46c363ace1361 100644
--- a/xla/pjrt/pjrt_compiler.h
+++ b/xla/pjrt/pjrt_compiler.h
@@ -139,6 +139,15 @@ class PjRtTopologyDescription {
   // Returns vendor specific attributes about the topology.
   virtual const absl::flat_hash_map<std::string, PjRtDeviceAttribute>&
   Attributes() const = 0;
+
+  // Returns the default device layout for a buffer with `element_type` and
+  // `dims`. The default layout is a platform-specific layout used when no other
+  // layout is specified, e.g. for host-to-device transfers. When compiling, the
+  // default layout is used for program arguments and outputs unless
+  // user-specified or compiler-chosen layouts are requested via the
+  // "mhlo.layout_mode" attribute.
+  virtual StatusOr<Layout> GetDefaultLayout(
+      PrimitiveType element_type, absl::Span<const int64_t> dims) const = 0;
 };
 
 // Abstract interface that all registered compilers must implement.
diff --git a/xla/pjrt/pjrt_compiler_test.cc b/xla/pjrt/pjrt_compiler_test.cc
index 182e3ba9f7b85..98a2b8e8d5e16 100644
--- a/xla/pjrt/pjrt_compiler_test.cc
+++ b/xla/pjrt/pjrt_compiler_test.cc
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ class PjRtTestTopology : public PjRtTopologyDescription {
       const override {
     LOG(FATAL) << "Unused";
   }
+  StatusOr<Layout> GetDefaultLayout(
+      PrimitiveType element_type,
+      absl::Span<const int64_t> dims) const override {
+    return Unimplemented("TestTopology does not support GetDefaultLayout");
+  }
 };
 
 TEST(PjRtCompilerTest, CompilerNotRegistered) {
@@ -85,6 +90,11 @@ TEST(PjRtCompilerTest, CompilerRegistered) {
         const override {
       LOG(FATAL) << "Unused";
     }
+    StatusOr<Layout> GetDefaultLayout(
+        PrimitiveType element_type,
+        absl::Span<const int64_t> dims) const override {
+      return Unimplemented("TestTopology does not support GetDefaultLayout");
+    }
   };
   PjRtTestTopology topology;