diff --git a/KLR/Trace/Lang.lean b/KLR/Trace/Lang.lean
index 62f310f7..3f51642f 100644
--- a/KLR/Trace/Lang.lean
+++ b/KLR/Trace/Lang.lean
@@ -45,6 +45,27 @@ nki builtin.lang.ndarray
       Trace.addSharedBuffer tensor
     return .access (.simple tensor)
 
+nki builtin.lang.zeros
+  (shape : Shape)
+  (dtype : Dtype)
+  (buffer : Option Memory := none)
+  (name : Option String := none) := do
+    let memory := buffer.getD .sbuf
+    let (parSize, freeSize) := Address.defaultSize shape dtype
+    let name <- tensorName name
+    let address := { name, memory, parSize, freeSize, parOffset := none, freeOffset := none : Address }
+    let tensor <- TensorName.make name dtype shape (some address) (<- flags.address_rotation)
+    if buffer == some .shared_hbm || buffer == some .hbm then
+      Trace.addSharedBuffer tensor
+    let access := Access.simple tensor
+    Trace.add_stmt $ .oper (.memSet {
+      dst    := .abstract access,
+      value  := if dtype.isInt then .int 0 else .float 0.0,
+      dtype  := access.tensor.dtype,
+      engine := Engine.unassigned
+    }) none
+    return .access access
+
 nki builtin.lang.par_dim (t : Term) := do
   warn "par_dim is deprecated"
   return t
diff --git a/interop/test/test_basic.py b/interop/test/test_basic.py
index f8be1eca..2164c1b9 100644
--- a/interop/test/test_basic.py
+++ b/interop/test/test_basic.py
@@ -145,6 +145,22 @@ def min_max_test(t):
   assert 2.0 == max([2.0, 1])
   assert 2.0 == max([1, 2.0])
 
+def zeros_default_buffer(t):
+  z = nl.zeros((128, 512), dtype=nl.float16)
+  nisa.dma_copy(t[0:128, 0:512], z[:, :])
+
+def zeros_sbuf(t):
+  z = nl.zeros((128, 512), dtype=nl.float16, buffer=nl.sbuf)
+  nisa.dma_copy(t[0:128, 0:512], z[:, :])
+
+def zeros_psum(t):
+  z = nl.zeros((128, 512), dtype=nl.float32, buffer=nl.psum)
+  nisa.dma_copy(t[0:128, 0:512], z[:, :])
+
+def zeros_int(t):
+  z = nl.zeros((128, 512), dtype=nl.int8, buffer=nl.sbuf)
+  nisa.dma_copy(t[0:128, 0:512], z[:, :])
+
 # test each function in turn
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("f", [
   const_stmt,
@@ -158,7 +174,11 @@ def min_max_test(t):
   ifs,
   loops,
   undefined_ok,
-  min_max_test
+  min_max_test,
+  zeros_default_buffer,
+  zeros_sbuf,
+  zeros_psum,
+  zeros_int,
   ])
 def test_succeed(f):
   t = np.zeros((10,10,10), dtype=np.float32)