diff --git a/tensorboard/BUILD b/tensorboard/BUILD
index 4ce94840ae..eb256de9fd 100644
--- a/tensorboard/BUILD
+++ b/tensorboard/BUILD
@@ -359,3 +359,14 @@ py_library(
     srcs = ["lazy.py"],
     srcs_version = "PY2AND3",
 )
+
+py_test(
+    name = "lazy_test",
+    srcs = ["lazy_test.py"],
+    srcs_version = "PY2AND3",
+    size = "small",
+    deps = [
+        ":lazy",
+        "@org_pythonhosted_six",
+    ],
+)
diff --git a/tensorboard/lazy.py b/tensorboard/lazy.py
index de112b113f..c4ab34f170 100644
--- a/tensorboard/lazy.py
+++ b/tensorboard/lazy.py
@@ -44,10 +44,14 @@ def wrapper(load_fn):
     # make future lookups efficient (only failed lookups call __getattr__).
     @_memoize
     def load_once(self):
+      if load_once.loading:
+        raise ImportError("Circular import when resolving LazyModule %r" % name)
+      load_once.loading = True
       module = load_fn()
       self.__dict__.update(module.__dict__)
       load_once.loaded = True
       return module
+    load_once.loading = False
     load_once.loaded = False
 
     # Define a module that proxies getattr() and dir() to the result of calling
@@ -62,8 +66,8 @@ def __dir__(self):
 
       def __repr__(self):
         if load_once.loaded:
-          return repr(load_once(self))
-        return '<module \'%s\' (LazyModule)>' % self.__name__
+          return '<%r via LazyModule (loaded)>' % load_once(self)
+        return '<module %r via LazyModule (not yet loaded)>' % self.__name__
 
     return LazyModule(name)
   return wrapper
diff --git a/tensorboard/lazy_test.py b/tensorboard/lazy_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..40cec59903
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tensorboard/lazy_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+# Copyright 2019 The TensorFlow Authors. All Rights Reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+# ==============================================================================
+"""Unit tests for the `tensorboard.lazy` module."""
+
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+from __future__ import division
+from __future__ import print_function
+
+import six
+import unittest
+
+from tensorboard import lazy
+
+
+class LazyTest(unittest.TestCase):
+
+  def test_self_composition(self):
+    """A lazy module should be able to load another lazy module."""
+    # This test can fail if the `LazyModule` implementation stores the
+    # cached module as a field on the module itself rather than a
+    # closure value. (See pull request review comments on #1781 for
+    # details.)
+
+    @lazy.lazy_load("inner")
+    def inner():
+      import collections  # pylint: disable=g-import-not-at-top
+      return collections
+
+    @lazy.lazy_load("outer")
+    def outer():
+      return inner
+
+    x1 = outer.namedtuple
+    x2 = inner.namedtuple
+    self.assertEqual(x1, x2)
+
+  def test_lazy_cycle(self):
+    """A cycle among lazy modules should error, not deadlock or spin."""
+    # This test can fail if `_memoize` uses a non-reentrant lock. (See
+    # pull request review comments on #1781 for details.)
+
+    @lazy.lazy_load("inner")
+    def inner():
+      return outer.foo
+
+    @lazy.lazy_load("outer")
+    def outer():
+      return inner
+
+    expected_message = "Circular import when resolving LazyModule 'inner'"
+    with six.assertRaisesRegex(self, ImportError, expected_message):
+      outer.bar
+
+  def test_repr_before_load(self):
+    @lazy.lazy_load("foo")
+    def foo():
+      self.fail("Should not need to resolve this module.")
+    self.assertEquals(repr(foo), "<module 'foo' via LazyModule (not yet loaded)>")
+
+  def test_repr_after_load(self):
+    import collections  # pylint: disable=g-import-not-at-top
+    @lazy.lazy_load("foo")
+    def foo():
+      return collections
+    foo.namedtuple
+    self.assertEquals(repr(foo), "<%r via LazyModule (loaded)>" % collections)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+  unittest.main()