diff --git a/src/program_state.cpp b/src/program_state.cpp
index 35785dcad5..aef92d463c 100644
--- a/src/program_state.cpp
+++ b/src/program_state.cpp
@@ -490,4 +490,16 @@ namespace hip_impl
 
         return executable;
     }
+
+    // To force HIP to load the kernels and to setup the function
+    // symbol map on program startup
+    class startup_kernel_loader {
+      private:
+        startup_kernel_loader() { functions(); }
+        startup_kernel_loader(const startup_kernel_loader&) = delete;
+        startup_kernel_loader& operator= (const startup_kernel_loader&) = delete;
+        static startup_kernel_loader skl;
+    };
+    startup_kernel_loader startup_kernel_loader::skl;
+
 } // Namespace hip_impl.