diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/testing/benchmarks/cloudml/criteo_tft/criteo.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/testing/benchmarks/cloudml/criteo_tft/criteo.py
index d2a0b652ca69..b4fdda72fe90 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/testing/benchmarks/cloudml/criteo_tft/criteo.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/testing/benchmarks/cloudml/criteo_tft/criteo.py
@@ -110,6 +110,18 @@ def make_input_feature_spec(include_label=True):
   return result
 
 
+def fill_in_missing(feature, default_value=-1):
+  feature = tf.sparse.SparseTensor(
+      indices=feature.indices,
+      values=feature.values,
+      dense_shape=[feature.dense_shape[0], 1])
+  feature = tf.sparse.to_dense(feature, default_value=default_value)
+  # Reshaping from a batch of vectors of size 1 to a batch of
+  # scalar and adding a bucketized version.
+  feature = tf.squeeze(feature, axis=1)
+  return feature
+
+
 def make_preprocessing_fn(frequency_threshold):
   """Creates a preprocessing function for criteo.
 
@@ -132,15 +144,7 @@ def preprocessing_fn(inputs):
     result = {'clicked': inputs['clicked']}
     for name in _INTEGER_COLUMN_NAMES:
       feature = inputs[name]
-      # TODO(https://github.com/apache/beam/issues/24902):
-      #  Replace this boilerplate with a helper function.
-      # This is a SparseTensor because it is optional. Here we fill in a
-      # default value when it is missing.
-      feature = tft.sparse_tensor_to_dense_with_shape(
-          feature, [None, 1], default_value=-1)
-      # Reshaping from a batch of vectors of size 1 to a batch of scalars and
-      # adding a bucketized version.
-      feature = tf.squeeze(feature, axis=1)
+      feature = fill_in_missing(feature)
       result[name] = feature
       result[name + '_bucketized'] = tft.bucketize(feature, _NUM_BUCKETS)
     for name in _CATEGORICAL_COLUMN_NAMES:
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/testing/benchmarks/cloudml/criteo_tft/criteo_test.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/testing/benchmarks/cloudml/criteo_tft/criteo_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..00743c3fa7cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/testing/benchmarks/cloudml/criteo_tft/criteo_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+#
+# Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one or more
+# contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file distributed with
+# this work for additional information regarding copyright ownership.
+# The ASF licenses this file to You 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.
+#
+
+import unittest
+
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+
+try:
+  import tensorflow_transform as tft
+  import tensorflow as tf
+  from apache_beam.testing.benchmarks.cloudml.criteo_tft.criteo import fill_in_missing
+except ImportError:
+  tft = None
+
+if not tft:
+  raise unittest.SkipTest('tensorflow_transform is not installed.')
+
+
+@pytest.mark.uses_tft
+@unittest.skipIf(tft is None or tf is None, 'Missing dependencies. ')
+class FillInMissingTest(unittest.TestCase):
+  def test_fill_in_missing(self):
+    # Create a rank 2 sparse tensor with missing values
+    indices = np.array([[0, 0], [0, 2], [1, 1], [2, 0]])
+    values = np.array([1, 2, 3, 4])
+    dense_shape = np.array([3, 3])
+    sparse_tensor = tf.sparse.SparseTensor(indices, values, dense_shape)
+
+    # Fill in missing values with -1
+    filled_tensor = tf.Tensor()
+    if fill_in_missing is not None:
+      filled_tensor = fill_in_missing(sparse_tensor, -1)
+
+    # Convert to a dense tensor and check the values
+    expected_output = np.array([1, -1, 2, -1, -1, -1, 4, -1, -1])
+    actual_output = filled_tensor.numpy()
+    self.assertEqual(expected_output, actual_output)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+  unittest.main()