diff --git a/python/paddle/trainer/config_parser.py b/python/paddle/trainer/config_parser.py
index 7c32eb0069f4075d72cd4c3654c83e3d5c98fb1c..0f57b81966647ca5c6f5cd2e5518d2d34942a549 100644
--- a/python/paddle/trainer/config_parser.py
+++ b/python/paddle/trainer/config_parser.py
@@ -1565,6 +1565,10 @@ class LayerBase(object):
 
         self.config = g_config.model_config.layers.add()
         assert isinstance(self.config, LayerConfig)
+        use_mkldnn = bool(int(g_command_config_args.get("use_mkldnn", 0)))
+        mkldnn_acts = ['relu', 'tanh']
+        if use_mkldnn and active_type in mkldnn_acts:
+            active_type = "mkldnn_" + active_type
         self.config.name = name
         self.config.type = type
         self.config.active_type = active_type