diff --git a/benchmarks/api_benchmark.py b/benchmarks/api_benchmark.py
index 86ebad744..791f33c1b 100644
--- a/benchmarks/api_benchmark.py
+++ b/benchmarks/api_benchmark.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import google_benchmark
 import jax
 from jax import lax
 from jax.experimental import sparse
+from jax._src.api_util import shaped_abstractify  # technically not an api fn
 import jax.numpy as jnp
 import numpy as np
 
@@ -461,6 +462,15 @@ def sparse_bcoo_matvec_compile(state):
   return _sparse_bcoo_matvec(state, compile=True)
 
 
+@google_benchmark.register
+@google_benchmark.option.unit(google_benchmark.kMillisecond)
+def bench_shaped_abstractify(state):
+  device, *_ = jax.devices()
+  args = [jax.device_put_replicated(1, [device])] * 1000
+  while state:
+    _ = [shaped_abstractify(x) for x in args]
+
+
 def swap(a, b):
   return b, a
 
diff --git a/jax/_src/api_util.py b/jax/_src/api_util.py
index 6f22cc7c1..c27e0d8c6 100644
--- a/jax/_src/api_util.py
+++ b/jax/_src/api_util.py
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@
 import inspect
 import operator
 from functools import partial
-from typing import Any, Dict, Iterable, Sequence, Set, Tuple, Union, Optional
+from typing import (Any, Dict, Iterable, Sequence, Set, Tuple, Union, Optional,
+                    Callable)
 import warnings
 
 import numpy as np
@@ -425,7 +426,7 @@ def _dtype(x):
   except ValueError:
     return dtypes.result_type(getattr(x, 'dtype'))
 
-def shaped_abstractify(x):
+def _shaped_abstractify_slow(x):
   try:
     return core.raise_to_shaped(
       x if isinstance(x, core.AbstractValue) else core.get_aval(x))
@@ -437,6 +438,14 @@ def shaped_abstractify(x):
   return core.ShapedArray(np.shape(x), _dtype(x), weak_type=weak_type,
                           named_shape=named_shape)
 
+# TODO(mattjj,yashkatariya): replace xla.abstractify with this, same behavior
+def shaped_abstractify(x):
+  try:
+    return _shaped_abstractify_handlers[type(x)](x)
+  except KeyError:
+    return _shaped_abstractify_slow(x)
+_shaped_abstractify_handlers: Dict[Any, Callable[[Any], core.ShapedArray]] = {}
+
 # This decorator exists to make it easier to monkey-patch APIs in JAX.
 # By default it does nothing, but it can be monkey-patched to do other things.
 def api_hook(fun, tag: str):
diff --git a/jax/experimental/array.py b/jax/experimental/array.py
index 01a6718fd..a8f82b729 100644
--- a/jax/experimental/array.py
+++ b/jax/experimental/array.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import numpy as np
 from typing import Sequence, Tuple, Callable, Union, Optional, cast, List
 
 from jax import core
+from jax._src import api_util
 from jax._src import dispatch
 from jax._src.config import config
 from jax._src.util import prod
@@ -242,6 +243,8 @@ def make_array_from_callback(shape: Shape, sharding: Sharding,
 core.pytype_aval_mappings[Array] = lambda x: core.ShapedArray(x.shape, x.dtype)
 xla.pytype_aval_mappings[Array] = lambda x: core.ShapedArray(x.shape, x.dtype)
 xla.canonicalize_dtype_handlers[Array] = pxla.identity
+api_util._shaped_abstractify_handlers[Array] = \
+    lambda x: core.ShapedArray(x.shape, x.dtype)
 
 
 def _device_put_array(x, device: Optional[Device]):
diff --git a/jax/experimental/global_device_array.py b/jax/experimental/global_device_array.py
index 136e66cb2..ed5898d25 100644
--- a/jax/experimental/global_device_array.py
+++ b/jax/experimental/global_device_array.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import numpy as np
 from typing import Callable, Sequence, Tuple, Union, Mapping, Optional, List, Dict, NamedTuple
 
 from jax import core
+from jax._src import api_util
 from jax._src.lib import xla_bridge as xb
 from jax._src.lib import xla_client as xc
 from jax._src.config import config
@@ -557,6 +558,8 @@ core.pytype_aval_mappings[GlobalDeviceArray] = lambda x: core.ShapedArray(
 xla.pytype_aval_mappings[GlobalDeviceArray] = lambda x: core.ShapedArray(
     x.shape, x.dtype)
 xla.canonicalize_dtype_handlers[GlobalDeviceArray] = pxla.identity
+api_util._shaped_abstractify_handlers[GlobalDeviceArray] = \
+    lambda x: core.ShapedArray(x.shape, x.dtype)
 
 def _gda_shard_arg(x, devices, indices):
   return x._device_buffers
diff --git a/jax/interpreters/partial_eval.py b/jax/interpreters/partial_eval.py
index 688fb7efb..2d2208cae 100644
--- a/jax/interpreters/partial_eval.py
+++ b/jax/interpreters/partial_eval.py
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ from weakref import ref
 import numpy as np
 
 from jax import core
-from jax._src import dtypes
 from jax import linear_util as lu
+from jax._src import api_util
+from jax._src import dtypes
 from jax._src import profiler
 from jax._src.ad_util import Zero
 from jax._src.api_util import flattened_fun_in_tree, flatten_fun_nokwargs
@@ -1578,6 +1579,7 @@ class DynamicJaxprTracer(core.Tracer):
     frame = self._trace.frame
     val = frame.constvar_to_val.get(frame.tracer_to_var.get(id(self)))
     return self if val is None else get_referent(val)
+api_util._shaped_abstractify_handlers[DynamicJaxprTracer] = op.attrgetter("aval")
 
 
 class JaxprStackFrame:
diff --git a/jax/interpreters/pxla.py b/jax/interpreters/pxla.py
index 6ca40172c..f650d2656 100644
--- a/jax/interpreters/pxla.py
+++ b/jax/interpreters/pxla.py
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ from jax.interpreters import xla
 from jax.tree_util import tree_flatten, tree_map
 
 from jax._src import abstract_arrays
+from jax._src import api_util
 from jax._src import device_array
 from jax._src import source_info_util
 from jax._src import util
@@ -808,6 +809,7 @@ def _register_handlers_for_sharded_device_array(sda):
   dispatch.device_put_handlers[sda] = dispatch._device_put_array
   xla.pytype_aval_mappings[sda] = op.attrgetter("aval")
   xla.canonicalize_dtype_handlers[sda] = identity
+  api_util._shaped_abstractify_handlers[sda] = op.attrgetter("aval")
 
 _register_handlers_for_sharded_device_array(_ShardedDeviceArray)
 _register_handlers_for_sharded_device_array(pmap_lib.ShardedDeviceArray)