diff --git a/src/executor/graph_executor.cc b/src/executor/graph_executor.cc
index 54a8d224ff42..922917f79475 100644
--- a/src/executor/graph_executor.cc
+++ b/src/executor/graph_executor.cc
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ GraphExecutor::GraphExecutor() {
   log_verbose_ = dmlc::GetEnv("MXNET_EXEC_VERBOSE_LOGGING", false);
   need_grad_ = false;
   subgraph_property_ = dmlc::GetEnv("MXNET_SUBGRAPH_BACKEND", std::string());
+  engine_ref_ = Engine::_GetSharedRef();
 }
 
 GraphExecutor::~GraphExecutor() {
diff --git a/src/executor/graph_executor.h b/src/executor/graph_executor.h
index b94bb4377786..f5f032e3f2e6 100644
--- a/src/executor/graph_executor.h
+++ b/src/executor/graph_executor.h
@@ -260,6 +260,8 @@ class GraphExecutor : public Executor {
   bool log_verbose_ = false;
   // subgraph property name
   std::string subgraph_property_;
+  // ref of engine
+  std::shared_ptr<Engine> engine_ref_;
 };
 
 }  // namespace exec