diff --git a/src_python/ctf/multilinear.pyx b/src_python/ctf/multilinear.pyx
index 4e9b4b38..5251791e 100644
--- a/src_python/ctf/multilinear.pyx
+++ b/src_python/ctf/multilinear.pyx
@@ -193,6 +193,12 @@ def spttn_kernel(tensor A, tsrs_list, nBs, einsum_expr):
         t = tsrs_list[i]
         tsrs[i] = <Tensor[double]*>t.dt
     B = tensor(copy=A)
+    # python einsum expression to C einsum expression
+    inp_tsrs, op_tsr = (einsum_expr.split("->")[0].split(","), einsum_expr.split("->")[1])
+    mapping = {inp_tsrs[0][i]: inp_tsrs[0][-i-1] for i in range(len(inp_tsrs[0]))}
+    tr_einsum_expr = ''.join([inp_tsrs[0], ","]) + ','.join(inp_tsrs[i][::-1].translate(str.maketrans(mapping)) for i in range(1, len(inp_tsrs))) + "->" + op_tsr[::-1].translate(str.maketrans(mapping))
+    einsum_expr = tr_einsum_expr.encode()
+
     if A.dtype == np.float64:
         spttn_kernel_[double](<Tensor[double]*>B.dt,tsrs,nBs,<char *>einsum_expr)
     else:
diff --git a/test/python/test_spttn_kernel.py b/test/python/test_spttn_kernel.py
index 2ec9da7c..8c84b374 100644
--- a/test/python/test_spttn_kernel.py
+++ b/test/python/test_spttn_kernel.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ def test_ttmc(self):
         Test spttn kernel for order 3 TTMc
         and all-mode order 3 TTMc
         """
-        einsum_expr = "ijk,ri,sj->rsk"
+        einsum_expr = "ijk,kr,js->isr"
         lens = [10,10,10]
         R = 4
         A = ctf.tensor(lens,sp=True)
@@ -27,13 +27,13 @@ def test_ttmc(self):
             tsrs.append(ctf.random.random(fac_lens))
         op_lens = [lens[2],R,R]
         tsrs.append(ctf.zeros(op_lens))
-        ctf.spttn_kernel(A, tsrs, 3, einsum_expr.encode())
+        ctf.spttn_kernel(A, tsrs, 3, einsum_expr)
         ctr = A.i("ijk")*tsrs[0].i("kr")*tsrs[1].i("js")
         ans = ctf.zeros(op_lens)
         ans.i("isr") << ctr
         self.assertTrue(allclose(ans, tsrs[2]))
 
-        einsum_expr = "ijk,ri,sj,tk->rst"
+        einsum_expr = "ijk,kr,js,it->tsr"
         A = ctf.tensor(lens,sp=True)
         A.fill_sp_random(-1.,1.,.5)
         tsrs = []
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def test_ttmc(self):
             tsrs.append(ctf.random.random(fac_lens))
         op_lens = [R,R,R]
         tsrs.append(ctf.zeros(op_lens))
-        ctf.spttn_kernel(A, tsrs, 4, einsum_expr.encode())
+        ctf.spttn_kernel(A, tsrs, 4, einsum_expr)
         ctr = A.i("ijk")*tsrs[0].i("kr")*tsrs[1].i("js")*tsrs[2].i("it")
         ans = ctf.zeros(op_lens)
         ans.i("tsr") << ctr