diff --git a/ai_edge_torch/_convert/fx_passes/build_aten_composite_pass.py b/ai_edge_torch/_convert/fx_passes/build_aten_composite_pass.py
index 3e92d9cd..fcc45513 100644
--- a/ai_edge_torch/_convert/fx_passes/build_aten_composite_pass.py
+++ b/ai_edge_torch/_convert/fx_passes/build_aten_composite_pass.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 from typing import Any, Callable
 from ai_edge_torch import fx_infra
 from ai_edge_torch import lowertools
+from ai_edge_torch.odml_torch import optimization_barrier as optimization_barrier_lib
 import torch
 import torch.utils._pytree as pytree
 
@@ -276,6 +277,7 @@ def embedding(*args, **kwargs):
     # Explicitly reshape back to the original shape. This places the ReshapeOp
     # outside of the HLFB.
     output = torch.reshape(output, (*(original_idx_shape), embedding_dim))
+    output, _ = optimization_barrier_lib.optimization_barrier(output, idx)
     return output
 
   node.target = embedding
diff --git a/ai_edge_torch/generative/examples/smolvlm2/verify_encoder.py b/ai_edge_torch/generative/examples/smolvlm2/verify_encoder.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7811821b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ai_edge_torch/generative/examples/smolvlm2/verify_encoder.py
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+# Copyright 2024 The AI Edge Torch Authors.
+#
+# 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.
+# ==============================================================================
+"""Verifies the reauthored SmolVLM2 Image Encoder model."""
+
+import logging
+
+from absl import app
+from absl import flags
+from ai_edge_torch.generative.examples.smolvlm2 import smolvlm2
+from ai_edge_torch.generative.examples.smolvlm2 import vision_encoder
+from PIL import Image
+import requests
+import torch
+import transformers
+
+_IMAGE_URL = flags.DEFINE_string(
+    "image_url",
+    "https://huggingface.co/datasets/huggingface/documentation-images/resolve/main/transformers/tasks/car.jpg?download=true",
+    "The image URI to encode.",
+)
+
+_CHECKPOINT = flags.DEFINE_string(
+    "checkpoint",
+    "HuggingFaceTB/SmolVLM2-2.2B-Instruct",
+    "The checkpoint to verify.",
+)
+
+_REAUTHORTHED_CHECKPOINT = flags.DEFINE_string(
+    "pretrained_weights_path",
+    None,
+    "The path to the model's pretrained weights.",
+)
+
+
+def main(_):
+  checkpoint = _CHECKPOINT.value
+  logging.info("Loading the original model from: %s", checkpoint)
+  original_model = transformers.AutoModelForImageTextToText.from_pretrained(
+      checkpoint
+  )
+  original_model = original_model.eval().model
+
+  logging.info("Building the reauthored checkpoint from: %s", checkpoint)
+  reauthored_checkpoint = _REAUTHORTHED_CHECKPOINT.value
+  if reauthored_checkpoint is None:
+    raise ValueError("reauthored_checkpoint is required.")
+
+  logging.info("Building the reauthored model from: %s", reauthored_checkpoint)
+  reauthored_model = vision_encoder.build_image_encoder(reauthored_checkpoint)
+
+  logging.info("Loading the tokenizer from: %s", checkpoint)
+  processor = transformers.AutoProcessor.from_pretrained(checkpoint)
+
+  logging.info("Loading the image from: %s", _IMAGE_URL.value)
+  image = Image.open(requests.get(_IMAGE_URL.value, stream=True).raw)
+  pixel_values = processor(images=image, return_tensors="pt")["pixel_values"]
+
+  logging.info("Forwarding the original model...")
+  outputs_original = original_model.get_image_features(pixel_values)
+  logging.info("outputs_original's shape: %s", outputs_original.shape)
+
+  pixel_values = pixel_values.reshape(
+      pixel_values.shape[0] * pixel_values.shape[1], *pixel_values.shape[2:]
+  )
+  logging.info("Forwarding the reauthored model...")
+  outputs_reauthored = reauthored_model.forward(
+      pixel_values=pixel_values
+  )
+  logging.info("outputs_reauthored's shape: %s", outputs_reauthored.shape)
+
+  try:
+    assert torch.allclose(
+        outputs_original, outputs_reauthored, atol=1e-03, rtol=1e-04
+    )
+  except AssertionError as e:
+    logging.error("*** FAILED *** verify with an image")
+    raise e
+  else:
+    logging.info("*** PASSED *** verify with an image")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+  app.run(main)
diff --git a/ai_edge_torch/generative/examples/smolvlm2/vision_encoder.py b/ai_edge_torch/generative/examples/smolvlm2/vision_encoder.py
index 676c5c32..3b5d15da 100644
--- a/ai_edge_torch/generative/examples/smolvlm2/vision_encoder.py
+++ b/ai_edge_torch/generative/examples/smolvlm2/vision_encoder.py
@@ -129,7 +129,18 @@ def forward(
       pixel_values: torch.Tensor,
       export_config: export_cfg.ExportConfig = None,
   ) -> torch.Tensor:
-    x = self.siglip_encoder(pixel_values)
+    # Embed the image according to SiplipVisionEmbeddings.
+    x = self.siglip_encoder.tok_embedding(pixel_values)
+    x = x.flatten(2).transpose(1, 2)
+    x = x + self.siglip_encoder.tok_embedding_position
+
+    # Pass a dummy mask because SDPA attention impl expects non-None mask.
+    mask = torch.zeros(x.shape[0], 1, x.shape[1], x.shape[1])
+    for _, block in enumerate(self.siglip_encoder.transformer_blocks):
+      x = block(x, mask=mask)
+    x = self.siglip_encoder.final_norm(x)
+
+    # Project the image embeddings to text hidden size.
     x = self.connector(x)
     return x
 
diff --git a/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/_decomps.py b/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/_decomps.py
index 250118ef..7b93eb93 100644
--- a/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/_decomps.py
+++ b/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/_decomps.py
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ def _aten_rsqrt_decomp(x):
   return torch.ops.tfl.rsqrt(x)
 
 
+@register_decomp(torch.ops.aten.neg.default)
+def _aten_neg_decomp(x):
+  return torch.ops.tfl.neg(x)
+
+
 @register_decomp(torch.ops.aten.gelu.default)
 def _aten_gelu_decomp(x, approximate="none"):
   return torch.ops.tfl.gelu(x, approximate != "none")
@@ -317,6 +322,38 @@ def _aten_select_int_decomp(x, dim, index):
   return torch.ops.tfl.squeeze(sliced, [dim])
 
 
+@register_decomp(torch.ops.aten.slice.Tensor)
+def _aten_slice_tensor_decomp(x, dim=0, start=None, end=None, step=1):
+  rank = x.dim()
+  dim_size = x.shape[dim]
+
+  # Initialize begin, end, strides for tfl.strided_slice
+  begin = [0] * rank
+  end_vec = list(x.shape)
+  strides = [1] * rank
+
+  # The logic below is to match PyTorch's `slice` behavior.
+  # `start` and `end` can be negative, which means they count from the end.
+  # `start=None` defaults to 0.
+  # `end=None` or a large number defaults to `dim_size` after clamping.
+
+  start_val = 0 if start is None else start
+  if start_val < 0:
+    start_val += dim_size
+
+  end_val = dim_size if end is None else end
+  if end_val < 0:
+    end_val += dim_size
+
+  # Clamp start and end to be within the dimension size, following PyTorch's
+  # logic.
+  start_val = max(0, min(start_val, dim_size))
+  end_val = max(start_val, min(end_val, dim_size))
+
+  begin[dim], end_vec[dim], strides[dim] = start_val, end_val, step
+  return torch.ops.tfl.strided_slice(x, begin, end_vec, strides)
+
+
 @register_decomp(torch.ops.aten.where.self)
 def _aten_where_self_decomp(condition, x, y):
   x, y = _promote_types_for_binary_op(x, y)
diff --git a/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/_lowerings.py b/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/_lowerings.py
index 5d3425a7..8f7d69ae 100644
--- a/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/_lowerings.py
+++ b/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/_lowerings.py
@@ -286,6 +286,18 @@ def _tfl_rsqrt_lowering(
   )
 
 
+@lower(torch.ops.tfl.neg.default)
+def _tfl_neg_lowering(
+    lctx: LoweringContext,
+    x: ir.Value,
+) -> ir.Value:
+  return _ir_operation(
+      "tfl.neg",
+      results=lowering_utils.node_meta_to_ir_types(lctx.node),
+      operands=[x],
+  )
+
+
 @lower(torch.ops.tfl.gelu.default)
 def _tfl_gelu_lowering(
     lctx: LoweringContext,
diff --git a/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/_ops.py b/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/_ops.py
index 9364a487..e13d7c9e 100644
--- a/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/_ops.py
+++ b/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/_ops.py
@@ -110,6 +110,11 @@ def tfl_rsqrt(x: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
   return torch.rsqrt(x)
 
 
+@custom_op_with_fake("tfl::neg")
+def tfl_neg(x: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
+  return torch.neg(x)
+
+
 @custom_op_with_fake("tfl::gelu")
 def tfl_gelu(x: torch.Tensor, approximate: bool = False) -> torch.Tensor:
   gelu_approximate = "tanh" if approximate else "none"
diff --git a/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/test/test_torch_tfl_impls.py b/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/test/test_torch_tfl_impls.py
index 6f2250aa..0f8f351b 100644
--- a/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/test/test_torch_tfl_impls.py
+++ b/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/experimental/torch_tfl/test/test_torch_tfl_impls.py
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ def _assert_export_and_close(
       ("aten_cos_1", torch.ops.aten.cos.default, (rnd(torch.float32, (1, 10)),), dict()),
       ("aten_rsqrt_0", torch.ops.aten.rsqrt.default, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)),), dict()),
       ("aten_rsqrt_1", torch.ops.aten.rsqrt.default, (rnd(torch.float32, (1, 10)),), dict()),
+      ("aten_neg_0", torch.ops.aten.neg.default, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)),), dict()),
       ("aten_gelu_0", torch.ops.aten.gelu.default, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)),), dict()),
       ("aten_gelu_1", torch.ops.aten.gelu.default, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)),), dict(approximate="tanh")),
       ("aten_gelu_2", torch.ops.aten.gelu.default, (rnd(torch.float32, (1, 10)),), dict()),
@@ -186,6 +187,14 @@ def _assert_export_and_close(
       ("aten_squeeze_dims_0", torch.ops.aten.squeeze.dims, (rnd(torch.float32, (2, 1, 2, 1, 2)), [1, 2, 3],), dict()),
       ("aten_select_int_0", torch.ops.aten.select.int, (rnd(torch.float32, (2, 3, 4)), 0, 1,), dict()),
       ("aten_select_int_1", torch.ops.aten.select.int, (rnd(torch.float32, (2, 3, 4)), 1, 1,), dict()),
+      ("aten_slice_tensor_0", torch.ops.aten.slice.Tensor, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)),), dict(dim=0, start=1, end=3)),
+      ("aten_slice_tensor_1", torch.ops.aten.slice.Tensor, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)),), dict(dim=1, start=2, end=5)),
+      ("aten_slice_tensor_2", torch.ops.aten.slice.Tensor, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)),), dict(dim=0, start=None, end=5)),
+      ("aten_slice_tensor_3", torch.ops.aten.slice.Tensor, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)),), dict(dim=0, start=2, end=None)),
+      ("aten_slice_tensor_4", torch.ops.aten.slice.Tensor, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)),), dict(dim=0, start=-5, end=-2)),
+      ("aten_slice_tensor_5", torch.ops.aten.slice.Tensor, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)),), dict(dim=0, start=1, end=8, step=2)),
+      ("aten_slice_tensor_6", torch.ops.aten.slice.Tensor, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)),), dict(dim=1, start=2, end=100)),
+      ("aten_slice_tensor_7", torch.ops.aten.slice.Tensor, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)),), dict(dim=0, start=None, end=None)),
       ("aten_where_self_0", torch.ops.aten.where.self, (rnd(torch.bool, (10, 10)), rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)), rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)),), dict()),
       ("aten_embedding_0", torch.ops.aten.embedding.default, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)), torch.tensor([[0, 2, 4, 6, 8], [1, 3, 5, 7, 9]]),), dict()),
       ("aten__softmax_0", torch.ops.aten._softmax.default, (rnd(torch.float32, (10, 10)), -1, False), dict()),
diff --git a/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/optimization_barrier.py b/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/optimization_barrier.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..88778b37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/optimization_barrier.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# Copyright 2025 The AI Edge Torch Authors.
+#
+# 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.
+# ==============================================================================
+"""Optimization barrier op definition and lowering."""
+
+from ai_edge_torch.odml_torch import _torch_library
+from ai_edge_torch.odml_torch.lowerings import registry
+from jax._src.lib.mlir import ir
+from jax._src.lib.mlir.dialects import hlo as stablehlo
+import torch
+import torch.utils._pytree as pytree
+
+_torch_library.ODML_TORCH_LIB.define(
+    "optimization_barrier(Tensor[] inputs) -> Tensor[]"
+)
+
+optimization_barrier_op = torch.ops.odml_torch.optimization_barrier.default
+
+
+def optimization_barrier(*inputs: pytree.PyTree):
+  """Apply optimization barrier to the tensors nested within arbitrary pytrees.
+
+  Args:
+    *inputs: A list of tensors or tensor pytrees.
+
+  Returns:
+    The tensors after optimization barrier in the same pytrees structures.
+  """
+  if len(inputs) == 1:
+    inputs = inputs[0]
+  tensors, spec = pytree.tree_flatten(inputs)
+  tensors = optimization_barrier_op(tuple(tensors))
+  outputs = pytree.tree_unflatten(tensors, spec)
+  return outputs
+
+
+@torch.library.impl(
+    _torch_library.ODML_TORCH_LIB,
+    "optimization_barrier",
+    "CompositeExplicitAutograd",
+)
+def _optimization_barrier_impl(inputs: tuple[torch.Tensor, ...]):
+  return tuple(inputs)
+
+
+@torch.library.impl(
+    _torch_library.ODML_TORCH_LIB,
+    "optimization_barrier",
+    "Meta",
+)
+def _optimization_barrier_fake(inputs: tuple[torch.Tensor, ...]):
+  return tuple([torch.empty_like(x) for x in inputs])
+
+
+@registry.lower(torch.ops.odml_torch.optimization_barrier.default)
+def _optimization_barrier_lowering(
+    lctx, inputs: tuple[ir.Value, ...]
+) -> ir.Value:
+  del lctx
+  return stablehlo.optimization_barrier(inputs)
diff --git a/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/test/test_optimization_barrier.py b/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/test/test_optimization_barrier.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d25d8c8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ai_edge_torch/odml_torch/test/test_optimization_barrier.py
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+# Copyright 2025 The AI Edge Torch Authors.
+#
+# 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.
+# ==============================================================================
+from ai_edge_torch import odml_torch
+from ai_edge_torch.odml_torch import optimization_barrier as optimization_barrier_lib  # Import to register the op.
+import torch
+
+from absl.testing import absltest as googletest
+
+optimization_barrier = optimization_barrier_lib.optimization_barrier
+
+
+class TestOptimizationBarrier(googletest.TestCase):
+  """Test optimization barrier op implementation and lowering."""
+
+  def test_applied_optimization_barrier_op(self):
+    """Test optimization barrier op application and lowering."""
+
+    class TestModel(torch.nn.Module):
+
+      def forward(self, x, y):
+        x, _ = optimization_barrier(x, y)
+        return x
+
+    x = torch.randn(1, 5)
+    ep = torch.export.export(TestModel().eval(), (x, x))
+    mlir = odml_torch.export.exported_program_to_mlir(ep)
+    mlir_text = mlir.get_text()
+    self.assertEqual(
+        mlir_text.count(
+            "stablehlo.optimization_barrier %arg1, %arg1 : tensor<1x5xf32>,"
+            " tensor<1x5xf32>"
+        ),
+        1,
+    )
+
+  def test_input_single_tensor(self):
+    """Test optimization barrier with single tensor input."""
+    x = torch.randn(1, 5)
+    y = optimization_barrier(x)
+    self.assertIsInstance(y, torch.Tensor)
+    self.assertEqual(y.shape, (1, 5))
+
+  def test_input_multiple_tensors(self):
+    """Test optimization barrier with multiple tensors input."""
+    x = torch.randn(1, 5)
+    y = torch.randn(1, 6)
+    z = optimization_barrier(x, y)
+    self.assertIsInstance(z, tuple)
+    self.assertLen(z, 2)
+    self.assertIsInstance(z[0], torch.Tensor)
+    self.assertIsInstance(z[1], torch.Tensor)
+    self.assertEqual(z[0].shape, (1, 5))
+    self.assertEqual(z[1].shape, (1, 6))
+
+  def test_input_nested_tensors(self):
+    """Test optimization barrier with nested tensor inputs."""
+    x = {"foo": torch.randn(1, 5), "bar": torch.randn(1, 6)}
+    z = optimization_barrier(x)
+    self.assertIsInstance(z, dict)
+    self.assertLen(z, 2)
+    self.assertIsInstance(z["foo"], torch.Tensor)
+    self.assertIsInstance(z["bar"], torch.Tensor)
+    self.assertEqual(z["foo"].shape, (1, 5))
+    self.assertEqual(z["bar"].shape, (1, 6))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+  googletest.main()