diff --git a/exir/program/_program.py b/exir/program/_program.py
index 8e825f6f85b..abf413918e5 100644
--- a/exir/program/_program.py
+++ b/exir/program/_program.py
@@ -1193,7 +1193,10 @@ def _gen_edge_manager_for_partitioners(
 
             # Decompose by default if there are no partitioners for the method
             if not partitioners_for_program:
-                program = program.run_decompositions(_default_decomposition_table())
+                table = _default_decomposition_table()
+                for op in config.preserve_ops:
+                    table.pop(op, None)
+                program = program.run_decompositions(table)
 
             # Process each partitioner individually using their specific requirements
             for curr_partitioner in partitioners_for_program:
diff --git a/exir/program/test/test_program.py b/exir/program/test/test_program.py
index 2e788ef5c74..1e2e9f824c7 100644
--- a/exir/program/test/test_program.py
+++ b/exir/program/test/test_program.py
@@ -893,6 +893,45 @@ def test_to_edge_with_preserved_ops_not_in_model(self):
             program, ops_not_to_decompose, expected_non_decomposed_edge_ops
         )
 
+    def test_to_edge_transform_and_lower_with_preserve_ops_no_partitioner(self):
+        """Test that preserve_ops works with to_edge_transform_and_lower when
+        no partitioner is provided. This ensures ops like aten.linear.default
+        are not decomposed to addmm even without a partitioner."""
+        model = TestLinear()
+        program = torch.export.export(model, model._get_random_inputs(), strict=True)
+
+        preserved_ops = [torch.ops.aten.linear.default]
+        expected_edge_ops = [exir_ops.edge.aten.linear.default]
+
+        def count_nodes(graph_module, targets):
+            count = 0
+            for node in graph_module.graph.nodes:
+                if node.op == "call_function" and node.target in targets:
+                    count += 1
+            return count
+
+        # Verify ops exist in the original program before the API call
+        ops_before = count_nodes(program.graph_module, preserved_ops)
+        self.assertEqual(ops_before, 1)
+
+        edge = to_edge_transform_and_lower(
+            program,
+            compile_config=EdgeCompileConfig(
+                preserve_ops=preserved_ops,
+            ),
+        )
+
+        # Verify preserved ops survive after the API call (as edge dialect ops)
+        ops_after = count_nodes(edge.exported_program().graph_module, expected_edge_ops)
+        self.assertEqual(ops_before, ops_after)
+
+        # Verify linear was NOT decomposed to addmm
+        addmm_count = count_nodes(
+            edge.exported_program().graph_module,
+            [exir_ops.edge.aten.addmm.default],
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(addmm_count, 0)
+
     def test_save_fails(self):
         model = TestLinear()
         program = torch.export.export(model, model._get_random_inputs(), strict=True)