diff --git a/imperative/python/megengine/functional/tensor.py b/imperative/python/megengine/functional/tensor.py
index 20f047c7..689e0f0a 100755
--- a/imperative/python/megengine/functional/tensor.py
+++ b/imperative/python/megengine/functional/tensor.py
@@ -12,7 +12,13 @@ from typing import Iterable, Optional, Sequence, Tuple, Union
 import numpy as np
 
 from ..core._imperative_rt import CompNode
-from ..core._imperative_rt.core2 import SymbolVar, apply, dtype_promotion, split_cpp
+from ..core._imperative_rt.core2 import (
+    SymbolVar,
+    apply,
+    dtype_promotion,
+    expand_dims_cpp,
+    split_cpp,
+)
 from ..core._wrap import as_device
 from ..core.ops import builtin
 from ..core.ops.builtin import Copy, Identity
@@ -959,27 +965,7 @@ def expand_dims(inp: Tensor, axis: Union[int, Sequence[int]]) -> Tensor:
             (1, 2)
     """
 
-    def get_axes():
-        try:
-            return [int(axis)]
-        except (TypeError, ValueError):
-            pass
-        return list(map(int, axis))
-
-    axis = get_axes()
-    try:
-        ndim = inp.ndim + len(axis)
-        axis = sorted(i + ndim if i < 0 else i for i in axis)
-    except ValueError:
-        if any([ind < 0 for ind in axis]):
-            raise IndexError(
-                "Does not support negative index when tensor's ndim is unknown"
-            )
-        axis = sorted(axis)
-    assert axis, "axis could not be empty"
-    op = builtin.AddAxis(axis=axis)
-    (result,) = apply(op, inp)
-    return result
+    return expand_dims_cpp(inp, axis)
 
 
 def squeeze(inp: Tensor, axis: Optional[Union[int, Sequence[int]]] = None) -> Tensor:
diff --git a/imperative/python/src/tensor.cpp b/imperative/python/src/tensor.cpp
index 6cc1afc2..6efcb0f7 100644
--- a/imperative/python/src/tensor.cpp
+++ b/imperative/python/src/tensor.cpp
@@ -634,6 +634,7 @@ WRAP_FUNC_PY35(make_shape_tuple);
 WRAP_FUNC_PY35(getitem_cpp);
 WRAP_FUNC_PY35(setitem_cpp);
 WRAP_FUNC_PY35(split_cpp);
+WRAP_FUNC_PY35(expand_dims_cpp);
 #undef WRAP_FUNC_PY35
 #define MGE_PY_INTERFACE(NAME, FUNC) \
     { #NAME, (PyCFunction)py35_##FUNC, METH_VARARGS, nullptr }
@@ -767,6 +768,7 @@ void init_tensor(py::module m) {
             MGE_PY_INTERFACE(getitem_cpp, getitem_cpp),
             MGE_PY_INTERFACE(setitem_cpp, setitem_cpp),
             MGE_PY_INTERFACE(split_cpp, split_cpp),
+            MGE_PY_INTERFACE(expand_dims_cpp, expand_dims_cpp),
             {nullptr, nullptr, 0, nullptr}};
     for (auto&& def : method_defs) {
         if (def.ml_meth != nullptr) {
diff --git a/imperative/python/src/tensor_utils.cpp b/imperative/python/src/tensor_utils.cpp
index d6a89f3f..97798fc0 100644
--- a/imperative/python/src/tensor_utils.cpp
+++ b/imperative/python/src/tensor_utils.cpp
@@ -683,6 +683,59 @@ py::object _split_cpp(
     return py::reinterpret_steal<py::object>(py_apply(NULL, p.data(), p.size()));
 }
 
+py::object _expand_dims_cpp(py::handle inp_hdl, py::handle axis_hdl) {
+    std::vector<int32_t> axis;
+    if (is_py_sequence(axis_hdl.ptr())) {
+        py::list tmp_list =
+                py::reinterpret_steal<py::list>(PySequence_List(axis_hdl.ptr()));
+        for (size_t i = 0; i < tmp_list.size(); ++i) {
+            axis.push_back(tmp_list[i].attr("__int__")().cast<int32_t>());
+        }
+    } else {
+        axis.push_back(getattr(axis_hdl, "__int__")().cast<int>());
+    }
+    bool unknown_ndim = true;
+    size_t ndim = axis.size();
+    if (auto p = TensorWrapper::try_cast(inp_hdl.ptr())) {
+        auto&& shape = p->m_tensor->shape();
+        if (shape) {
+            unknown_ndim = false;
+            ndim += shape->ndim;
+        }
+    } else {
+        auto&& var = inp_hdl.cast<PySymbolVar*>();
+        auto&& mgr = var->m_node->owner_graph()->static_infer_manager();
+        auto&& shape = mgr.infer_shape_fallible(var->m_node);
+        if (shape) {
+            unknown_ndim = false;
+            ndim += shape->ndim;
+        }
+    }
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < axis.size(); ++i) {
+        if (axis[i] < 0) {
+            if (unknown_ndim) {
+                throw py::index_error(
+                        "Does not support negative index when tensor's ndim is "
+                        "unknown");
+            }
+            axis[i] += ndim;
+        }
+    }
+    if (!axis.size()) {
+        throw py::index_error("axis could not be empty");
+    }
+    std::sort(axis.begin(), axis.end());
+    std::shared_ptr<OpDef> op = AddAxis::make(axis = axis);
+    std::vector<PyObject*> p;
+    p.resize(2);
+    py::object Op = py::cast(op);
+    p[0] = Op.ptr();
+    p[1] = inp_hdl.ptr();
+    py::tuple ret =
+            py::reinterpret_steal<py::object>(py_apply(NULL, p.data(), p.size()));
+    return ret[0];
+}
+
 PyObject* make_shape_tuple(PyObject* self, PyObject* const* args, size_t nargs) {
     try {
         return _make_shape_tuple(py::handle(args[0])).release().ptr();
@@ -716,4 +769,13 @@ PyObject* split_cpp(PyObject* self, PyObject* const* args, size_t nargs) {
     PYEXT17_TRANSLATE_EXC_RET(nullptr)
 }
 
+PyObject* expand_dims_cpp(PyObject* self, PyObject* const* args, size_t nargs) {
+    try {
+        return _expand_dims_cpp(py::handle(args[0]), py::handle(args[1]))
+                .release()
+                .ptr();
+    }
+    PYEXT17_TRANSLATE_EXC_RET(nullptr)
+}
+
 }  // namespace mgb::imperative::python
diff --git a/imperative/python/src/tensor_utils.h b/imperative/python/src/tensor_utils.h
index cc35ec41..bf6bc046 100644
--- a/imperative/python/src/tensor_utils.h
+++ b/imperative/python/src/tensor_utils.h
@@ -10,4 +10,6 @@ PyObject* setitem_cpp(PyObject* self, PyObject* const* args, size_t nargs);
 
 PyObject* split_cpp(PyObject* self, PyObject* const* args, size_t nargs);
 
+PyObject* expand_dims_cpp(PyObject* self, PyObject* const* args, size_t nargs);
+
 }  // namespace mgb::imperative::python
\ No newline at end of file