diff --git a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/QueryExecution.scala b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/QueryExecution.scala
index 99bc45fa9e9e8..1df812d1aa809 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/QueryExecution.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/QueryExecution.scala
@@ -82,17 +82,30 @@ class QueryExecution(
     sparkSession.sessionState.optimizer.executeAndTrack(withCachedData.clone(), tracker)
   }
 
-  lazy val sparkPlan: SparkPlan = executePhase(QueryPlanningTracker.PLANNING) {
-    // Clone the logical plan here, in case the planner rules change the states of the logical plan.
-    QueryExecution.createSparkPlan(sparkSession, planner, optimizedPlan.clone())
+  private def assertOptimized(): Unit = optimizedPlan
+
+  lazy val sparkPlan: SparkPlan = {
+    // We need to materialize the optimizedPlan here because sparkPlan is also tracked under
+    // the planning phase
+    assertOptimized()
+    executePhase(QueryPlanningTracker.PLANNING) {
+      // Clone the logical plan here, in case the planner rules change the states of the logical
+      // plan.
+      QueryExecution.createSparkPlan(sparkSession, planner, optimizedPlan.clone())
+    }
   }
 
   // executedPlan should not be used to initialize any SparkPlan. It should be
   // only used for execution.
-  lazy val executedPlan: SparkPlan = executePhase(QueryPlanningTracker.PLANNING) {
-    // clone the plan to avoid sharing the plan instance between different stages like analyzing,
-    // optimizing and planning.
-    QueryExecution.prepareForExecution(preparations, sparkPlan.clone())
+  lazy val executedPlan: SparkPlan = {
+    // We need to materialize the optimizedPlan here, before tracking the planning phase, to ensure
+    // that the optimization time is not counted as part of the planning phase.
+    assertOptimized()
+    executePhase(QueryPlanningTracker.PLANNING) {
+      // clone the plan to avoid sharing the plan instance between different stages like analyzing,
+      // optimizing and planning.
+      QueryExecution.prepareForExecution(preparations, sparkPlan.clone())
+    }
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/QueryPlanningTrackerEndToEndSuite.scala b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/QueryPlanningTrackerEndToEndSuite.scala
index 987338cf6cbbf..5ff459513e848 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/QueryPlanningTrackerEndToEndSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/QueryPlanningTrackerEndToEndSuite.scala
@@ -58,4 +58,13 @@ class QueryPlanningTrackerEndToEndSuite extends StreamTest {
       StopStream)
   }
 
+  test("The start times should be in order: parsing <= analysis <= optimization <= planning") {
+    val df = spark.sql("select count(*) from range(1)")
+    df.queryExecution.executedPlan
+    val phases = df.queryExecution.tracker.phases
+    assert(phases("parsing").startTimeMs <= phases("analysis").startTimeMs)
+    assert(phases("analysis").startTimeMs <= phases("optimization").startTimeMs)
+    assert(phases("optimization").startTimeMs <= phases("planning").startTimeMs)
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/SparkPlanTest.scala b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/SparkPlanTest.scala
index b29e822add8bc..7ddf9d87a6aca 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/SparkPlanTest.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/SparkPlanTest.scala
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import scala.util.control.NonFatal
 import org.apache.spark.SparkFunSuite
 import org.apache.spark.sql.{DataFrame, Row, SparkSession, SQLContext}
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.analysis.UnresolvedAttribute
+import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.plans.logical.LocalRelation
 import org.apache.spark.sql.test.SQLTestUtils
 
 /**
@@ -237,7 +238,7 @@ object SparkPlanTest {
    * @param spark SqlContext used for execution of the plan
    */
   def executePlan(outputPlan: SparkPlan, spark: SQLContext): Seq[Row] = {
-    val execution = new QueryExecution(spark.sparkSession, null) {
+    val execution = new QueryExecution(spark.sparkSession, LocalRelation(Nil)) {
       override lazy val sparkPlan: SparkPlan = outputPlan transform {
         case plan: SparkPlan =>
           val inputMap = plan.children.flatMap(_.output).map(a => (a.name, a)).toMap