diff --git a/python/triton_kernels/tests/test_mxfp.py b/python/triton_kernels/tests/test_mxfp.py
index 0f1087e71fa6..40c7c016da12 100644
--- a/python/triton_kernels/tests/test_mxfp.py
+++ b/python/triton_kernels/tests/test_mxfp.py
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 )
 from triton_kernels.numerics_details.mxfp_details._upcast_from_mxfp import upcast_mxfp4_tile
 from triton_kernels.target_info import is_cuda
+from triton_kernels.tensor import convert_layout, wrap_torch_tensor
+from triton_kernels.tensor_details.layout import StridedLayout
 from triton_kernels.testing import assert_close, assert_equal
 
 
@@ -203,6 +205,21 @@ def test_mxfp_quant_dequant(src_dtype, dst_dtype, device):
     assert_equal(weight, dequant)
 
 
+def test_downcast_to_mxfp_accepts_pitched_strided_input(device):
+    torch.manual_seed(0)
+    dense = torch.randn((64, 128), device=device, dtype=torch.bfloat16)
+    pitched = torch.empty_strided(dense.shape, (256, 1), device=device, dtype=dense.dtype)
+    pitched.copy_(dense)
+
+    tensor = convert_layout(wrap_torch_tensor(pitched), StridedLayout(-1))
+    quant, scale = downcast_to_mxfp(tensor, torch.uint8, axis=-1)
+    expected_quant, expected_scale = downcast_to_mxfp(dense, torch.uint8, axis=-1)
+
+    assert tensor.storage.data.stride() == (256, 1)
+    assert_equal(expected_quant, quant)
+    assert_equal(expected_scale, scale)
+
+
 # fmt: off
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "shape, axis, quant_dtype, rounding_mode, scale_dtype, microblock_size",
diff --git a/python/triton_kernels/tests/test_tensor.py b/python/triton_kernels/tests/test_tensor.py
index 495d40e40f33..42a587853bfc 100644
--- a/python/triton_kernels/tests/test_tensor.py
+++ b/python/triton_kernels/tests/test_tensor.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import pytest
 import torch
-from triton_kernels.tensor_details.dtype import BIT
+from triton_kernels.tensor_details.dtype import BIT, FP4, UINT8
 from triton_kernels.tensor import (
+    convert_layout,
     make_ragged_tensor_metadata,
     make_ragged_tensor_metadata_torch,
     remap_ragged_tensor_metadata,
@@ -11,6 +12,95 @@
     wrap_torch_tensor,
 )
 from triton_kernels.testing import assert_equal
+from triton_kernels.tensor_details.layout import (
+    BlackwellActMXScaleLayout,
+    BlackwellMX4ValueShuffledLayout,
+    BlackwellMXScaleLayout,
+    BlackwellMXValueLayout,
+    CDNA4MXScaleLayout,
+    GFX1250MXScaleLayout,
+    HopperMXScaleLayout,
+    HopperMXValueLayout,
+    StridedLayout,
+)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("transpose", "layout"),
+    [
+        (False, StridedLayout(-1)),
+        (False, StridedLayout(1)),
+        (True, StridedLayout(-2)),
+        (True, StridedLayout(0)),
+    ],
+)
+def test_convert_layout_noop(transpose, layout):
+    data = torch.randn((7, 11))
+    if transpose:
+        data = data.T
+    tensor = wrap_torch_tensor(data)
+
+    assert convert_layout(tensor, layout) is tensor
+
+
+def test_convert_layout_noop_preserves_strided_view():
+    tensor = wrap_torch_tensor(torch.randn((14, 11))[::2])
+
+    assert convert_layout(tensor, StridedLayout(-1)) is tensor
+    assert tensor.storage.data.stride() == (22, 1)
+
+
+def test_convert_layout_rejects_strided_view_without_contiguous_dimension():
+    tensor = wrap_torch_tensor(torch.randn((14, 22))[::2, ::2])
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        convert_layout(tensor, tensor.storage.layout)
+
+
+def test_convert_layout_noop_does_not_ignore_transformation_kwargs():
+    tensor = wrap_torch_tensor(torch.randn((7, 11)))
+
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+        convert_layout(tensor, tensor.storage.layout, unsupported=True)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("storage_shape", "logical_shape", "dtype", "layout", "equivalent_layout"),
+    [
+        ((10, 254, 60), None, UINT8, BlackwellMXScaleLayout(), BlackwellMXScaleLayout()),
+        ((130, 65), None, UINT8, BlackwellActMXScaleLayout(None), BlackwellActMXScaleLayout(None)),
+        ((256, 64), (256, 128), FP4, BlackwellMXValueLayout(), BlackwellMXValueLayout()),
+        ((128, 256), (128, 512), FP4, BlackwellMX4ValueShuffledLayout(), BlackwellMX4ValueShuffledLayout()),
+        ((70, 65), None, UINT8, HopperMXScaleLayout(-2, 4), HopperMXScaleLayout(-2, 4)),
+        ((64, 64), (64, 128), FP4, HopperMXValueLayout(-2, 3), HopperMXValueLayout(-2, 3)),
+        ((10, 254, 60), None, UINT8, CDNA4MXScaleLayout(), CDNA4MXScaleLayout()),
+        ((10, 254, 60), None, UINT8, GFX1250MXScaleLayout(), GFX1250MXScaleLayout()),
+    ],
+)
+def test_convert_layout_noop_for_equivalent_layout(storage_shape, logical_shape, dtype, layout, equivalent_layout):
+    tensor = wrap_torch_tensor(torch.randint(0, 256, storage_shape, dtype=torch.uint8), dtype=dtype,
+                               shape=logical_shape)
+    converted = convert_layout(tensor, layout)
+
+    assert converted is not tensor
+    assert convert_layout(converted, equivalent_layout) is converted
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("storage_shape", "logical_shape", "dtype", "layout", "different_layout"),
+    [
+        ((70, 65), None, UINT8, HopperMXScaleLayout(-2, 4), HopperMXScaleLayout(-2, 8)),
+        ((64, 64), (64, 128), FP4, HopperMXValueLayout(-2, 3), HopperMXValueLayout(-2, 2)),
+        ((128, 256), (128, 512), FP4, BlackwellMX4ValueShuffledLayout(), BlackwellMX4ValueShuffledLayout(block_n=128)),
+    ],
+)
+def test_convert_layout_converts_different_parameterized_layout(storage_shape, logical_shape, dtype, layout,
+                                                                different_layout):
+    tensor = wrap_torch_tensor(torch.randint(0, 256, storage_shape, dtype=torch.uint8), dtype=dtype,
+                               shape=logical_shape)
+    converted = convert_layout(tensor, layout)
+
+    assert convert_layout(converted, different_layout) is not converted
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("n_slices", [1, 7, 33, 911, 1025])
diff --git a/python/triton_kernels/tests/test_tensor_details/test_layout_blackwell.py b/python/triton_kernels/tests/test_tensor_details/test_layout_blackwell.py
index 59d15ee96bdc..9ae43d3cb118 100644
--- a/python/triton_kernels/tests/test_tensor_details/test_layout_blackwell.py
+++ b/python/triton_kernels/tests/test_tensor_details/test_layout_blackwell.py
@@ -1,13 +1,23 @@
 import pytest
 import torch
 from triton_kernels.tensor_details.layout import BlackwellMXScaleLayout, BlackwellActMXScaleLayout, StridedLayout
-from triton_kernels.tensor import make_ragged_tensor_metadata, wrap_torch_tensor, convert_layout
+from triton_kernels.tensor import make_ragged_tensor_metadata, make_ragged_tensor_metadata_torch, wrap_torch_tensor, convert_layout
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------
 # Torch tests
 # ------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
+def test_act_scale_storage_preservation():
+    slice_sizes = torch.tensor([2, 3], dtype=torch.int32)
+    metadata = make_ragged_tensor_metadata_torch(slice_sizes, 5)
+    equivalent = BlackwellActMXScaleLayout(metadata)
+    reconstructed = BlackwellActMXScaleLayout(make_ragged_tensor_metadata_torch(slice_sizes, 5))
+
+    assert equivalent.can_preserve_storage_as(BlackwellActMXScaleLayout(metadata), 2)
+    assert not equivalent.can_preserve_storage_as(reconstructed, 2)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "shape",
     [
diff --git a/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor.py b/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor.py
index 14964289af94..7f59a5d3d7d1 100644
--- a/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor.py
+++ b/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor.py
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ def wrap_torch_tensor(torch_tensor, dtype=None, shape=None, shape_max=None, layo
     if shape_max is None:
         shape_max = list(shape)
     if layout is None:
-        # For a strided (dense) tensor we only track which dimension has unit stride.
+        # For a strided tensor we only track which dimension has unit stride.
         # This is consistent with how we expand `shape` for packed sub-byte dtypes.
         major_dim = torch_tensor.stride().index(1) if 1 in torch_tensor.stride() else -1
         layout = StridedLayout(major_dim=major_dim - torch_tensor.ndim)
@@ -233,7 +233,15 @@ def wrap_torch_tensor(torch_tensor, dtype=None, shape=None, shape_max=None, layo
 
 
 def convert_layout(tensor: Tensor, layout: Layout, **layout_transformation_kwargs):
+    """Convert `tensor` storage encoding to `layout`.
+
+    Returns `tensor` unchanged when its existing storage is already valid for
+    `layout`. This operation does not clone, densify, or canonicalize physical
+    strides of a tensor that is already in the requested encoding.
+    """
     shape = list(tensor.shape)
+    if not layout_transformation_kwargs and tensor.storage.layout.can_preserve_storage_as(layout, len(shape)):
+        return tensor
     # convert `tensor` into canonical form
     transformation = tensor.storage.layout.make_transformation(shape, tensor.dtype == FP4)
     canonical_data = transformation.unswizzle_data(tensor.storage.data)
diff --git a/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor_details/layout_details/base.py b/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor_details/layout_details/base.py
index 4335dc624466..b62644acf698 100644
--- a/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor_details/layout_details/base.py
+++ b/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor_details/layout_details/base.py
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ def unswizzle_data(self, data):
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
 class Layout(ABC):
 
+    def can_preserve_storage_as(self, other: "Layout", rank: int) -> bool:
+        """Whether existing storage is already valid for `other`."""
+        return self == other
+
     @abstractmethod
     def make_transformation(self, shape: list[int]) -> LayoutTransformation:
         pass
diff --git a/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor_details/layout_details/blackwell_scale.py b/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor_details/layout_details/blackwell_scale.py
index 81467f955165..92bd5833c158 100644
--- a/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor_details/layout_details/blackwell_scale.py
+++ b/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor_details/layout_details/blackwell_scale.py
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ class BlackwellActMXScaleLayout(Layout):
 
     ragged_metadata: RaggedTensorMetadata | None
 
+    def can_preserve_storage_as(self, other: Layout, rank: int) -> bool:
+        return isinstance(other, BlackwellActMXScaleLayout) and self.ragged_metadata is other.ragged_metadata
+
     @property
     def name(self):
         return "BLACKWELL_ACT_SCALE"
diff --git a/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor_details/layout_details/strided.py b/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor_details/layout_details/strided.py
index 294ea01e8908..36496cd2ab06 100644
--- a/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor_details/layout_details/strided.py
+++ b/python/triton_kernels/triton_kernels/tensor_details/layout_details/strided.py
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ def make_transformation(self, shape: list[int], is_fp4: bool) -> LayoutTransform
     def name(self):
         return "STRIDED"
 
+    def can_preserve_storage_as(self, other: Layout, rank: int) -> bool:
+        return isinstance(other, StridedLayout) and self.order(rank) == other.order(rank)
+
     def swizzle_block_shape(self, block_shape):
         return block_shape