diff --git a/xla/service/cpu/benchmarks/select_and_scatter_benchmark_test.cc b/xla/service/cpu/benchmarks/select_and_scatter_benchmark_test.cc
index fdfdc7b00b1882..bbc32250444b0f 100644
--- a/xla/service/cpu/benchmarks/select_and_scatter_benchmark_test.cc
+++ b/xla/service/cpu/benchmarks/select_and_scatter_benchmark_test.cc
@@ -73,8 +73,10 @@ static void BM_SelectAndScatterF32(benchmark::State& state) {
 
 BENCHMARK(BM_SelectAndScatterF32)
     ->MeasureProcessCPUTime()
+    ->Arg(64)
     ->Arg(128)
     ->Arg(256)
-    ->Arg(512);
+    ->Arg(512)
+    ->Arg(1024);
 
 }  // namespace xla::cpu
diff --git a/xla/service/cpu/runtime/kernel_thunk.cc b/xla/service/cpu/runtime/kernel_thunk.cc
index 85d65c0ec323fd..a8d793d1076071 100644
--- a/xla/service/cpu/runtime/kernel_thunk.cc
+++ b/xla/service/cpu/runtime/kernel_thunk.cc
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 #include "absl/memory/memory.h"
 #include "absl/numeric/bits.h"
 #include "absl/strings/str_format.h"
+#include "absl/synchronization/mutex.h"
 #include "absl/types/span.h"
 #include "unsupported/Eigen/CXX11/Tensor"  // from @eigen_archive
 #include "xla/runtime/buffer_use.h"
@@ -86,67 +87,71 @@ tsl::AsyncValueRef<Thunk::ExecuteEvent> KernelThunk::Execute(
       kernel_name_, arguments_buffers_.size(), results_buffers_.size(),
       thread_dim_.ToString());
 
-  absl::InlinedVector<se::DeviceMemoryBase, 8> buffers_data;
-  buffers_data.reserve(arguments_buffers_.size() + results_buffers_.size());
+  absl::InlinedVector<SE_HOST_KernelArg, 8> kernel_args;
+  kernel_args.reserve(arguments_buffers_.size() + results_buffers_.size());
 
   int64_t arg_num = 0;
   for (BufferAllocation::Slice& buffer : arguments_buffers_) {
-    TF_ASSIGN_OR_RETURN(buffers_data.emplace_back(),
+    TF_ASSIGN_OR_RETURN(se::DeviceMemoryBase arg_data,
                         params.buffer_allocations->GetDeviceAddress(buffer));
+    kernel_args.push_back(
+        SE_HOST_KernelArg{arg_data.opaque(), arg_data.size()});
     VLOG(3) << absl::StreamFormat("  arg #%d: %s (%p)", arg_num++,
-                                  buffer.ToString(),
-                                  buffers_data.back().opaque());
+                                  buffer.ToString(), kernel_args.back().data);
   }
 
   int64_t res_num = 0;
   for (BufferAllocation::Slice& buffer : results_buffers_) {
-    TF_ASSIGN_OR_RETURN(buffers_data.emplace_back(),
+    TF_ASSIGN_OR_RETURN(se::DeviceMemoryBase result_data,
                         params.buffer_allocations->GetDeviceAddress(buffer));
+    kernel_args.push_back(
+        SE_HOST_KernelArg{result_data.opaque(), result_data.size()});
     VLOG(3) << absl::StreamFormat("  res #%d: %s (%p)", res_num++,
-                                  buffer.ToString(),
-                                  buffers_data.back().opaque());
+                                  buffer.ToString(), kernel_args.back().data);
   }
 
   // Check that all buffers are aligned to the minimum alignment. We codegen
   // with the assumption that all buffers are aligned, and if they are not, we
   // will crash with a segmentation fault, or worse, produce incorrect results.
   if (min_alignment_.has_value()) {
-    for (int64_t i = 0; i < buffers_data.size(); ++i) {
-      auto ptr = reinterpret_cast<uintptr_t>(buffers_data[i].opaque());
+    for (int64_t i = 0; i < kernel_args.size(); ++i) {
+      auto ptr = reinterpret_cast<uintptr_t>(kernel_args[i].data);
       if (ABSL_PREDICT_FALSE((ptr & (*min_alignment_ - 1)) != 0)) {
         return Internal(
             "Host kernel %s buffer argument #%d (%p) is not aligned to a "
             "required minimum alignment of %d bytes",
-            info().op_name, i, buffers_data[i].opaque(), *min_alignment_);
+            info().op_name, i, kernel_args[i].data, *min_alignment_);
       }
     }
   }
 
   // TODO(ezhulenev): Kernel ptr should be loaded as a part of Thunk
   // initialization stage.
-  SE_HOST_Kernel* kernel_ptr = kernel_ptr_.load();
+  se::host::HostKernel* kernel = kernel_ptr_.load();
 
   // Because thunks are owned by a parent CpuExecutable, we can safely assume
   // that kernel pointer will not change after we find it the first time.
-  if (kernel_ptr == nullptr) {
-    TF_ASSIGN_OR_RETURN(kernel_ptr, params.host_kernels->Find(kernel_name_));
-    kernel_ptr_.store(kernel_ptr);
-  }
+  if (ABSL_PREDICT_FALSE(kernel == nullptr)) {
+    TF_ASSIGN_OR_RETURN(SE_HOST_Kernel * kernel_fn,
+                        params.host_kernels->Find(kernel_name_));
 
-  se::host::HostKernel kernel(buffers_data.size(), kernel_ptr, nullptr);
+    absl::MutexLock lock(&mutex_);
+    kernel_.emplace(kernel_args.size(), kernel_fn, nullptr);
+    kernel_ptr_.store(kernel = &kernel_.value());
+  }
 
   // If intra-op thread pool is not nullptr, we launch HostKernel in async mode
   // by scheduling tasks into it. HostKernel launch completion will
   // automatically signal KernelThunk execute completion.
-  if (params.intra_op_threadpool && use_task_runner_) {
-    return kernel.Launch(thread_dim_, buffers_data,
-                         [&params](se::host::HostKernel::Task task) {
-                           params.intra_op_threadpool->getPool()->Schedule(
-                               ToCopyableTask(std::move(task)));
-                         });
+  if (ABSL_PREDICT_FALSE(params.intra_op_threadpool && use_task_runner_)) {
+    return kernel->Launch(thread_dim_, kernel_args,
+                          [&params](se::host::HostKernel::Task task) {
+                            params.intra_op_threadpool->getPool()->Schedule(
+                                ToCopyableTask(std::move(task)));
+                          });
   }
 
-  TF_RETURN_IF_ERROR(kernel.Launch(thread_dim_, buffers_data));
+  TF_RETURN_IF_ERROR(kernel->Launch(thread_dim_, kernel_args));
   return OkExecuteEvent();
 }
 
diff --git a/xla/service/cpu/runtime/kernel_thunk.h b/xla/service/cpu/runtime/kernel_thunk.h
index 72cd1be097ac25..708f918d342c96 100644
--- a/xla/service/cpu/runtime/kernel_thunk.h
+++ b/xla/service/cpu/runtime/kernel_thunk.h
@@ -23,11 +23,13 @@ limitations under the License.
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "absl/base/thread_annotations.h"
 #include "absl/status/statusor.h"
+#include "absl/synchronization/mutex.h"
 #include "absl/types/span.h"
 #include "xla/service/buffer_assignment.h"
 #include "xla/service/cpu/runtime/thunk.h"
-#include "xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel_c_api.h"
+#include "xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel.h"
 #include "xla/stream_executor/launch_dim.h"
 #include "xla/tsl/concurrency/async_value_ref.h"
 
@@ -64,12 +66,10 @@ class KernelThunk final : public Thunk {
   // launch the kernel directly in the caller thread.
   bool use_task_runner_;
 
-  // Pointer to the host kernel corresponding to `kernel_name_`. Initialized
-  // lazily at run time by looking it up in the HostKernels passed via params.
-  //
-  // TODO(ezhulenev): This should be moved to initialization stage when we'll
-  // have it for CPU thunks.
-  std::atomic<SE_HOST_Kernel*> kernel_ptr_;
+  // Lazily loaded host kernel corresponding to `kernel_name_`.
+  absl::Mutex mutex_;
+  std::optional<se::host::HostKernel> kernel_ ABSL_GUARDED_BY(mutex_);
+  std::atomic<se::host::HostKernel*> kernel_ptr_;  // pointer to `kernel_`
 };
 
 }  // namespace xla::cpu
diff --git a/xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel.cc b/xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel.cc
index ceb148cdaaf918..04586b5272432b 100644
--- a/xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel.cc
+++ b/xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel.cc
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class HostKernelExecuteState
   HostKernelExecuteState(HostKernel::TaskRunner task_runner,
                          HostKernel::KernelFunction* function,
                          ThreadDim thread_dims,
-                         absl::Span<const DeviceMemoryBase> buffers);
+                         absl::Span<const SE_HOST_KernelArg> args);
 
   // Notify of a completion of a host kernel task.
   void Notify(absl::Status status);
@@ -118,11 +118,19 @@ HostKernel::HostKernel(unsigned arity, SE_HOST_Kernel* kernel,
 absl::Status HostKernel::Launch(
     const ThreadDim& thread_dims,
     absl::Span<const DeviceMemoryBase> buffers) const {
-  SE_HOST_KernelThreadDim kernel_thread_dims = {thread_dims.x, thread_dims.y,
-                                                thread_dims.z};
+  return Launch(thread_dims, ConvertBuffersToKernelArgs(buffers));
+}
+
+absl::Status HostKernel::Launch(
+    const ThreadDim& thread_dims,
+    absl::Span<const SE_HOST_KernelArg> args) const {
+  SE_HOST_KernelThreadDim kernel_thread_dims = {
+      thread_dims.x,
+      thread_dims.y,
+      thread_dims.z,
+  };
 
   SE_HOST_Kernel* kernel = function_->kernel();
-  auto args = ConvertBuffersToKernelArgs(buffers);
 
   for (uint64_t z = 0; z < thread_dims.z; ++z) {
     for (uint64_t y = 0; y < thread_dims.y; ++y) {
@@ -134,7 +142,7 @@ absl::Status HostKernel::Launch(
 
         SE_HOST_KernelError* error = (*kernel)(&call_frame);
 
-        if (error != nullptr) {
+        if (ABSL_PREDICT_FALSE(error != nullptr)) {
           return absl::InternalError("Failed to call host kernel");
         }
       }
@@ -147,12 +155,19 @@ absl::Status HostKernel::Launch(
 tsl::AsyncValueRef<LaunchEvent> HostKernel::Launch(
     const ThreadDim& thread_dims, absl::Span<const DeviceMemoryBase> buffers,
     TaskRunner task_runner) const {
+  return Launch(thread_dims, ConvertBuffersToKernelArgs(buffers),
+                std::move(task_runner));
+}
+
+tsl::AsyncValueRef<LaunchEvent> HostKernel::Launch(
+    const ThreadDim& thread_dims, absl::Span<const SE_HOST_KernelArg> args,
+    TaskRunner task_runner) const {
   size_t num_tasks = thread_dims.x * thread_dims.y * thread_dims.z;
   CHECK_GT(num_tasks, 0) << "Number of tasks must be positive";  // Crash Ok
 
   // Short-circuit launch with a single task and run it in the caller thread.
   if (ABSL_PREDICT_TRUE(num_tasks == 1)) {
-    absl::Status launched = Launch(thread_dims, buffers);
+    absl::Status launched = Launch(thread_dims, args);
     return ABSL_PREDICT_TRUE(launched.ok())
                ? OkLaunchEvent()
                : tsl::MakeErrorAsyncValueRef(std::move(launched));
@@ -160,7 +175,7 @@ tsl::AsyncValueRef<LaunchEvent> HostKernel::Launch(
 
   // Allocate a control structure that will orchestrate kernel execution.
   auto state = tsl::MakeRef<HostKernelExecuteState>(
-      std::move(task_runner), function_.get(), thread_dims, buffers);
+      std::move(task_runner), function_.get(), thread_dims, args);
 
   state->CallAsync(/*start_index=*/0, /*end_index=*/num_tasks);
 
@@ -169,12 +184,12 @@ tsl::AsyncValueRef<LaunchEvent> HostKernel::Launch(
 
 HostKernelExecuteState::HostKernelExecuteState(
     HostKernel::TaskRunner task_runner, HostKernel::KernelFunction* function,
-    ThreadDim thread_dims, absl::Span<const DeviceMemoryBase> buffers)
+    ThreadDim thread_dims, absl::Span<const SE_HOST_KernelArg> args)
     : task_runner_(std::move(task_runner)),
       num_tasks_(thread_dims.x * thread_dims.y * thread_dims.z),
       kernel_(function->kernel()),
       thread_dims_({thread_dims.x, thread_dims.y, thread_dims.z}),
-      args_(ConvertBuffersToKernelArgs(buffers)),
+      args_(args.begin(), args.end()),
       abort_(false),
       counter_(num_tasks_),
       event_(tsl::MakeConstructedAsyncValueRef<LaunchEvent>()) {}
diff --git a/xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel.h b/xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel.h
index e8e040a2d86173..9d278b2b79c357 100644
--- a/xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel.h
+++ b/xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel.h
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ class HostKernel : public Kernel {
   // `thread_dims` and calling the kernel function.
   absl::Status Launch(const ThreadDim& thread_dims,
                       absl::Span<const DeviceMemoryBase> buffers) const;
+  absl::Status Launch(const ThreadDim& thread_dims,
+                      absl::Span<const SE_HOST_KernelArg> args) const;
 
   // Launches the kernel by iterating over all threads in `thread_dims` and
   // calling `task_runner` to run individual task (implementation might decide
@@ -93,6 +95,9 @@ class HostKernel : public Kernel {
   tsl::AsyncValueRef<LaunchEvent> Launch(
       const ThreadDim& thread_dims, absl::Span<const DeviceMemoryBase> buffers,
       TaskRunner task_runner) const;
+  tsl::AsyncValueRef<LaunchEvent> Launch(
+      const ThreadDim& thread_dims, absl::Span<const SE_HOST_KernelArg> args,
+      TaskRunner task_runner) const;
 
   // For host platform, we assume that a core is a thread, and we can run at
   // most one instance of a kernel on a given thread.
diff --git a/xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel_c_api.h b/xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel_c_api.h
index 6768706abc2800..30f710cb44b264 100644
--- a/xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel_c_api.h
+++ b/xla/stream_executor/host/host_kernel_c_api.h
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ typedef struct SE_HOST_KernelCallFrame {
   SE_HOST_KernelThread* thread;
 
   size_t num_args;
-  SE_HOST_KernelArg* args;
+  const SE_HOST_KernelArg* args;
 } SE_HOST_KernelCallFrame;
 
 // Error reporting for host kernels. NULL means success.