diff --git a/mindspore/ccsrc/dataset/engine/datasetops/source/tf_reader_op.cc b/mindspore/ccsrc/dataset/engine/datasetops/source/tf_reader_op.cc
index 16a77000124..c872c02015f 100644
--- a/mindspore/ccsrc/dataset/engine/datasetops/source/tf_reader_op.cc
+++ b/mindspore/ccsrc/dataset/engine/datasetops/source/tf_reader_op.cc
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ TFReaderOp::TFReaderOp(int32_t num_workers, int32_t worker_connector_size, int64
       data_schema_(std::move(data_schema)),
       filename_index_(make_unique<StringIndex>()),
       load_io_block_queue_(true),
+      load_jagged_connector_(true),
       num_rows_(0),
       num_rows_per_shard_(0),
       equal_rows_per_shard_(equal_rows_per_shard) {
@@ -203,6 +204,25 @@ Status TFReaderOp::operator()() {
         buffer_id++;
         RETURN_IF_NOT_OK(out_connector_->Add(0, std::move(fetched_buffer)));
       } else {
+        // user specified number of rows they want, and we read enough rows
+        //
+        // IOBlockQueue thread needs to:
+        // -stop pushing stuff to IOBlockQueue
+        // -call PostEndOfEpoch (will send EOE)
+        // -wait for reset
+        //
+        // Worker threads need to:
+        // -stop reading the file they are currently reading and throw it away
+        // -keep pulling, but dont read other files (eventually skips all IOBlocks and will get EOE)
+        //
+        // Master thread needs to:
+        // -tell IOBlockQueue thread to stop pushing
+        // -tell worker threads to stop reading the file tey are currently reading
+        // -keep pulling until EOE
+
+        // don't think we need a lock for now
+        load_jagged_connector_ = false;
+
         std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(load_io_block_queue_mutex_);
         load_io_block_queue_ = false;
       }
@@ -245,12 +265,14 @@ Status TFReaderOp::WorkerEntry(int32_t worker_id) {
 
   while (!io_block->eof()) {
     if (!io_block->eoe()) {
-      std::string filename;
-      RETURN_IF_NOT_OK(io_block->GetFilename(&filename, *filename_index_));
-      int64_t start_offset = io_block->GetStartOffset();
-      int64_t end_offset = io_block->GetEndOffset();
-      RETURN_IF_NOT_OK(LoadFile(filename, start_offset, end_offset, worker_id));
-      MS_LOG(INFO) << "TFReader operator worker " << worker_id << " loaded file " << common::SafeCStr(filename) << ".";
+      if (load_jagged_connector_) {
+        std::string filename;
+        RETURN_IF_NOT_OK(io_block->GetFilename(&filename, *filename_index_));
+        int64_t start_offset = io_block->GetStartOffset();
+        int64_t end_offset = io_block->GetEndOffset();
+        RETURN_IF_NOT_OK(LoadFile(filename, start_offset, end_offset, worker_id));
+        MS_LOG(INFO) << "TFReader operator worker " << worker_id << " loaded file " << filename << ".";
+      }
     } else {
       std::unique_ptr<DataBuffer> eoe_buffer = mindspore::make_unique<DataBuffer>(1, DataBuffer::kDeBFlagEOE);
       RETURN_IF_NOT_OK(jagged_buffer_connector_->Add(worker_id, std::move(eoe_buffer)));
@@ -478,6 +500,10 @@ Status TFReaderOp::LoadFile(const std::string &filename, const int64_t start_off
   std::unique_ptr<TensorQTable> new_tensor_table = make_unique<TensorQTable>();
 
   while (reader.peek() != EOF) {
+    if (!load_jagged_connector_) {
+      break;
+    }
+
     // read length
     int64_t record_length = 0;
     (void)reader.read(reinterpret_cast<char *>(&record_length), static_cast<std::streamsize>(sizeof(int64_t)));
@@ -599,6 +625,9 @@ Status TFReaderOp::LoadFeature(const std::unique_ptr<TensorQTable> *tensor_table
 // Overrides base class reset method. Cleans up any state info from it's previous execution and
 // reinitializes itself so that it can be executed again, as if it was just created.
 Status TFReaderOp::Reset() {
+  // start workers first, otherwise IOBlokcs will fall through if workers see it before this is set to true
+  load_jagged_connector_ = true;
+
   {
     std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(load_io_block_queue_mutex_);
     load_io_block_queue_ = true;
diff --git a/mindspore/ccsrc/dataset/engine/datasetops/source/tf_reader_op.h b/mindspore/ccsrc/dataset/engine/datasetops/source/tf_reader_op.h
index 69de068f9b0..560cff114fc 100644
--- a/mindspore/ccsrc/dataset/engine/datasetops/source/tf_reader_op.h
+++ b/mindspore/ccsrc/dataset/engine/datasetops/source/tf_reader_op.h
@@ -369,6 +369,7 @@ class TFReaderOp : public ParallelOp {
   std::unique_ptr<DataSchema> data_schema_;
   std::unique_ptr<StringIndex> filename_index_;
   bool load_io_block_queue_;
+  bool load_jagged_connector_;
 
   std::unique_ptr<JaggedConnector> jagged_buffer_connector_;
   QueueList<std::unique_ptr<FilenameBlock>> io_block_queues_;
diff --git a/mindspore/dataset/engine/datasets.py b/mindspore/dataset/engine/datasets.py
index 8aaa6212b6b..ad3e7d82554 100644
--- a/mindspore/dataset/engine/datasets.py
+++ b/mindspore/dataset/engine/datasets.py
@@ -1906,11 +1906,21 @@ class TFRecordDataset(SourceDataset):
         Return:
             Number, number of batches.
         """
-        num_rows = TFReaderOp.get_num_rows(self.dataset_files, 8, estimate)
-        num_rows = get_num_rows(num_rows, self.num_shards)
-        if self.num_samples is None:
-            return num_rows
-        return min(self.num_samples, num_rows)
+        if self._dataset_size is None:
+            num_rows = TFReaderOp.get_num_rows(self.dataset_files, 8, estimate)
+            num_rows = get_num_rows(num_rows, self.num_shards)
+            if self.num_samples is None:
+                return num_rows
+            return min(self.num_samples, num_rows)
+        return self._dataset_size
+
+    # manually set dataset_size as a tempoary solution.
+    def set_dataset_size(self, value):
+        logger.warning("WARN_DEPRECATED: This method is deprecated. Please use get_dataset_size directly.")
+        if value >= 0:
+            self._dataset_size = value
+        else:
+            raise ValueError('set dataset_size with negative value {}'.format(value))
 
 
 class ManifestDataset(SourceDataset):