diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e310b296b..93745d9d3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ When releasing, please add the new-release-boilerplate to docs/pallas/CHANGELOG.
     {obj}`~jax.numpy.bitwise_xor`, {obj}`~jax.numpy.logical_and`,
     {obj}`~jax.numpy.logical_and`, and {obj}`~jax.numpy.logical_and`.
     In future releases we plan to expand these to other ufuncs.
+  * Added {func}`jax.lax.optimization_barrier`, which allows users to prevent
+    compiler optimizations such as common-subexpression elimination and to
+    control scheduling.
 
 * Breaking changes
   * The MHLO MLIR dialect (`jax.extend.mlir.mhlo`) has been removed. Use the
diff --git a/docs/jax.lax.rst b/docs/jax.lax.rst
index 7b19955d3..e0fc5ad46 100644
--- a/docs/jax.lax.rst
+++ b/docs/jax.lax.rst
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ Operators
     ne
     neg
     nextafter
+    optimization_barrier
     pad
     platform_dependent
     polygamma
diff --git a/jax/_src/ad_checkpoint.py b/jax/_src/ad_checkpoint.py
index 6bf481ef0..fd3011988 100644
--- a/jax/_src/ad_checkpoint.py
+++ b/jax/_src/ad_checkpoint.py
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ from jax._src import ad_util
 from jax._src import api
 from jax._src import config
 from jax._src import core
-from jax._src import dispatch
 from jax._src import dtypes
 from jax._src import linear_util as lu
 from jax._src import effects
@@ -755,7 +754,7 @@ def remat_expansion(*args, jaxpr: core.Jaxpr, prevent_cse: bool,
   return api.named_call(translation_rule, name="checkpoint")(*args, jaxpr=jaxpr)
 
 def _remat_translation_using_opt_barrier(*args, jaxpr: core.Jaxpr):
-  args = _optimization_barrier(args)
+  args = lax_internal.optimization_barrier(args)
   return core.eval_jaxpr(jaxpr, (), *args)
 
 # TODO(mattjj): add core utility for 'create dummy value for this type'?
@@ -837,27 +836,6 @@ mlir.register_lowering(remat_p, _remat_lowering)
 mlir.register_lowering(remat_p, partial(_remat_lowering, is_gpu_platform=True),
                        platform="gpu")
 
-def _optimization_barrier_abstract_eval(*args):
-  return args
-
-def _optimization_barrier_lowering_rule(ctx, *args):
-  barrier_types = map(mlir.aval_to_ir_type, ctx.avals_in)
-  flat_args = mlir.flatten_ir_values(args)
-  barrier_op = hlo.OptimizationBarrierOp(flat_args)
-  return mlir.unflatten_ir_values_like_types(barrier_op.results, barrier_types)
-
-def _optimization_barrier(arg):
-  flat_args, treedef = tree_flatten(arg)
-  return tree_unflatten(treedef, optimization_barrier_p.bind(*flat_args))
-
-optimization_barrier_p = core.Primitive('optimization_barrier')
-optimization_barrier_p.multiple_results = True
-optimization_barrier_p.def_impl(
-    partial(dispatch.apply_primitive, optimization_barrier_p))
-optimization_barrier_p.def_abstract_eval(_optimization_barrier_abstract_eval)
-mlir.register_lowering(optimization_barrier_p,
-                       _optimization_barrier_lowering_rule)
-
 
 def checkpoint_name(x, name):
   return name_p.bind(x, name=name)
@@ -936,3 +914,6 @@ def checkpoint_wrapper(
     raise NotImplementedError(msg)
   return checkpoint(fun, prevent_cse=prevent_cse, policy=policy,
                     static_argnums=static_argnums)
+
+# TODO(phawkins): update users to refer to the public name.
+_optimization_barrier = lax_internal.optimization_barrier
diff --git a/jax/_src/lax/control_flow/__init__.py b/jax/_src/lax/control_flow/__init__.py
index 05dcade84..5e6fa86f7 100644
--- a/jax/_src/lax/control_flow/__init__.py
+++ b/jax/_src/lax/control_flow/__init__.py
@@ -33,4 +33,4 @@ from jax._src.lax.control_flow.common import (_initial_style_open_jaxpr,
                                               _initial_style_jaxprs_with_common_consts,
                                               _check_tree_and_avals)
 # TODO(mattjj): fix dependent library which expects optimization_barrier_p here
-from jax._src.ad_checkpoint import optimization_barrier_p
+from jax._src.lax.lax import optimization_barrier_p
diff --git a/jax/_src/lax/lax.py b/jax/_src/lax/lax.py
index 2186e767a..8d2c24d6e 100644
--- a/jax/_src/lax/lax.py
+++ b/jax/_src/lax/lax.py
@@ -5346,3 +5346,59 @@ class BIntRules:
 
 
 core.bint._rules = BIntRules
+
+
+def optimization_barrier(operand, /):
+  """Prevents the compiler from moving operations across the barrier.
+
+  Optimization barriers have a number of possible uses:
+
+  * An optimization barrier ensures that all inputs are evaluated before any
+    operators that depend on the barrier's outputs. This can be used to enforce
+    a particular order of operations.
+  * An optimization barrier prevents common subexpression elimination. This is
+    used by JAX to implement rematerialization.
+  * Optimization barriers prevent compiler fusions. That is, operations before
+    the barrier may not be fused into the same kernel as operations after the
+    barrier by the compiler.
+
+  JAX does not define derivative or batching rules for an optimization barrier.
+
+  Optimization barriers have no effect outside a compiled function.
+
+  Args:
+    operand: a pytree of JAX values.
+
+  Returns:
+    A pytree of JAX values, with the same structure and contents as ``operand``.
+
+  Examples:
+    Prevents common-subexpression elimination between the two calls to `sin`:
+
+    >>> def f(x):
+    ...   return jax.lax.optimization_barrier(jax.lax.sin(x)) + jax.lax.sin(x)
+    >>> jax.jit(f)(0.)
+    Array(0., dtype=float32, weak_type=True)
+  """
+  flat_args, treedef = tree_util.tree_flatten(operand)
+  return tree_util.tree_unflatten(
+    treedef, optimization_barrier_p.bind(*flat_args))
+
+
+def _optimization_barrier_abstract_eval(*args):
+  return args
+
+def _optimization_barrier_lowering_rule(ctx, *args):
+  barrier_types = map(mlir.aval_to_ir_type, ctx.avals_in)
+  flat_args = mlir.flatten_ir_values(args)
+  barrier_op = hlo.OptimizationBarrierOp(flat_args)
+  return mlir.unflatten_ir_values_like_types(barrier_op.results, barrier_types)
+
+
+optimization_barrier_p = core.Primitive('optimization_barrier')
+optimization_barrier_p.multiple_results = True
+optimization_barrier_p.def_impl(
+    partial(dispatch.apply_primitive, optimization_barrier_p))
+optimization_barrier_p.def_abstract_eval(_optimization_barrier_abstract_eval)
+mlir.register_lowering(optimization_barrier_p,
+                       _optimization_barrier_lowering_rule)
diff --git a/jax/lax/__init__.py b/jax/lax/__init__.py
index bac005b81..e2bcd5de9 100644
--- a/jax/lax/__init__.py
+++ b/jax/lax/__init__.py
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ from jax._src.lax.lax import (
   nextafter as nextafter,
   nextafter_p as nextafter_p,
   not_p as not_p,
+  optimization_barrier as optimization_barrier,
+  optimization_barrier_p as optimization_barrier_p,
   or_p as or_p,
   outfeed as outfeed,
   outfeed_p as outfeed_p,
diff --git a/tests/lax_test.py b/tests/lax_test.py
index 7ed17adf4..ce3013195 100644
--- a/tests/lax_test.py
+++ b/tests/lax_test.py
@@ -3093,6 +3093,10 @@ class LaxTest(jtu.JaxTestCase):
     with jax.transfer_guard('disallow'):
       jax.jit(asarray_closure)()
 
+  def testOptimizationBarrier(self):
+    x = lax.optimization_barrier((2, 3))
+    self.assertEqual((2, 3), x)
+
 
 class LazyConstantTest(jtu.JaxTestCase):
   def _Check(self, make_const, expected):