diff --git a/csrc/scheduler/matmul_heuristic_plugin.cpp b/csrc/scheduler/matmul_heuristic_plugin.cpp
index b3821787b67..5175be27112 100644
--- a/csrc/scheduler/matmul_heuristic_plugin.cpp
+++ b/csrc/scheduler/matmul_heuristic_plugin.cpp
@@ -135,6 +135,8 @@ void copyParamsToConfig(KernelConfig* config, const MatmulParams* mparams) {
   };
   config->load_stages =
       mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_stage;
+  config->prefetch_distance =
+      mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_prefetch;
   config->async_gmem_load_operands = mparams->async_gmem_load_operands;
   setConfigTile(config->cta_tile, mparams->tile_sizes.cta_tile);
   setConfigTile(config->warp_tile, mparams->tile_sizes.warp_tile);
@@ -163,6 +165,8 @@ void copyConfigToParams(MatmulParams* mparams, const KernelConfig* config) {
   setGemmTile(mparams->tile_sizes.warp_tile, config->warp_tile);
   mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_stage =
       config->load_stages;
+  mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_prefetch =
+      config->prefetch_distance;
   mparams->async_gmem_load_operands = config->async_gmem_load_operands;
   // Update mma macro if necessary to match provided instruction tile
   MmaMacroEncode menc(mparams->mma_macro); // this will record the family
diff --git a/csrc/scheduler/matmul_heuristic_plugin_api.h b/csrc/scheduler/matmul_heuristic_plugin_api.h
index 224705530e5..348c3c15f46 100644
--- a/csrc/scheduler/matmul_heuristic_plugin_api.h
+++ b/csrc/scheduler/matmul_heuristic_plugin_api.h
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ struct KernelConfig {
   Tile instruction_tile = {16, 16, 16};
   uint16_t splitk_factor = 1;
   uint8_t load_stages = 2;
+  uint8_t prefetch_distance = 1;
   uint8_t grid_swizzle_factor = 0;
   uint8_t cta_order = 0;
   bool circular_buffer_smem_read = true;
diff --git a/csrc/scheduler/matmul_utils.cpp b/csrc/scheduler/matmul_utils.cpp
index 415a28829c3..1dc7325d99d 100644
--- a/csrc/scheduler/matmul_utils.cpp
+++ b/csrc/scheduler/matmul_utils.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ void limitCircularBufferingSmemOperands(
 
   mparams->circular_buffer_options.circular_buffer_smem_write = (stages != 1);
   mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_stage = (int)stages;
+  mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_prefetch = std::min(
+      mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_prefetch,
+      (int)stages - 1);
 }
 
 //! A wrapper for core heuristics initialization.
@@ -156,6 +159,8 @@ inline bool initCoreHeuristics(
       mparams->circular_buffer_options.circular_buffer_smem_write = true;
       mparams->circular_buffer_options.circular_buffer_smem_read = true;
       mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_stage = stages;
+      mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_prefetch =
+          stages - 1;
     }
   }
 
@@ -181,6 +186,9 @@ inline bool initCoreHeuristics(
     // most.
     mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_stage = std::min(
         2, mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_stage);
+    mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_prefetch = std::min(
+        mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_prefetch,
+        mparams->circular_buffer_options.smem_circular_buffer_stage - 1);
   }
   return true;
 }