diff --git a/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/gpu_clique_key.cc b/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/gpu_clique_key.cc
index decd4d46b71d4..049afc36747d9 100644
--- a/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/gpu_clique_key.cc
+++ b/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/gpu_clique_key.cc
@@ -78,20 +78,24 @@ bool GpuCliqueKey::IsSubsetOf(const CliqueKey& other) const {
          });
 }
 
-GpuCliqueKey GpuCliqueKey::GetSubKey(int64_t nroots, int64_t root_seq_id) const {
-  CHECK(root_seq_id < nroots);
-  GpuCliqueKey subkey(*this);
+std::vector<GpuCliqueKey> GpuCliqueKey::GetSubKeys(int64_t nroots) const {
   const auto& devs = devices();
   int64_t nranks = devs.size();
   CHECK(nroots <= nranks);
   int64_t rank_per_root = nranks / nroots;
-  int64_t rank_remainder = nranks % nroots;
-  if (root_seq_id < rank_remainder) {
-    subkey.root_device_ = devs[root_seq_id * (rank_per_root + 1)];
-  } else {
-    subkey.root_device_ = devs[rank_remainder * (rank_per_root + 1) + (root_seq_id - rank_remainder) * rank_per_root];
+  int64_t rank_rem = nranks % nroots;
+  std::vector<GpuCliqueKey> subkeys;
+  for (int64_t i = 0; i < nroots; ++i) {
+    GpuCliqueKey subkey(*this);
+    if (i < rank_rem) {
+      subkey.root_device_ = devs[i * (rank_per_root + 1)];
+    } else {
+      subkey.root_device_ = devs[rank_rem * (rank_per_root + 1)
+                                 + (i - rank_rem) * rank_per_root];
+    }
+    subkeys.push_back(subkey);
   }
-  return subkey;
+  return subkeys;
 }
 
 std::string GpuCliqueKey::ToString() const {
diff --git a/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/gpu_clique_key.h b/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/gpu_clique_key.h
index 1f19a177547f6..30d066ac0f277 100644
--- a/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/gpu_clique_key.h
+++ b/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/gpu_clique_key.h
@@ -75,9 +75,12 @@ class GpuCliqueKey : public CliqueKey {
   // same `stream_id` and all clique devices are part of `other` clique.
   bool IsSubsetOf(const CliqueKey& other) const final;
 
-  // Returns a copy of the key (subkey) with the root device properly set given
-  // nroots and root_seq_id. The subkey is used to generate a NcclCliqueId.
-  GpuCliqueKey GetSubKey(int64_t nroots, int64_t root_seq_id) const;
+
+  // For multi-root initialization, generate `nroots` copies (subkeys) of the
+  // key each with a different root device. Root devices are distributed evenly
+  // accross the ranks. The subkeys are used to exchange the CliqueIds during
+  // clique initialization.
+  std::vector<GpuCliqueKey> GetSubKeys(int64_t nroots) const;
 
   // Returns the stream kind for this clique key, stream kind will be used to
   // specify what configuration to pass for each type of operation.
diff --git a/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/gpu_cliques.cc b/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/gpu_cliques.cc
index 3eb958a17a07e..670060f78dc9f 100644
--- a/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/gpu_cliques.cc
+++ b/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/gpu_cliques.cc
@@ -221,8 +221,8 @@ InitializeGpuClique(GpuCollectives* collectives, se::StreamExecutor* device,
     tsl::profiler::TraceMe trace("InitializeGpuClique");
 
     CliqueIds clique_ids;
-    for (int64_t i = 0; i < nroots; ++i) {
-      GpuCliqueKey subkey = clique_key.GetSubKey(nroots, i);
+    const auto& subkeys = clique_key.GetSubKeys(nroots);
+    for (const auto& subkey : subkeys) {
       VLOG(3) << absl::StreamFormat(
           "Get CliqueId for sub clique key %s; nroots=%lld",
           subkey.ToString(), nroots);
diff --git a/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/nccl_collectives.cc b/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/nccl_collectives.cc
index 6e9572b4adb5e..b475ddf6fde69 100644
--- a/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/nccl_collectives.cc
+++ b/xla/backends/gpu/collectives/nccl_collectives.cc
@@ -133,8 +133,8 @@ NcclCollectives::CreateCommunicators(const CliqueKey& clique_key,
                                      const std::optional<CliqueIds>& clique_ids,
                                      absl::Span<const DeviceRank> ranks,
                                      const Collectives::Config& config) {
-  // With NCCL backend we rely on host to exchange unique clique id.
-  if (!clique_ids.has_value()) {
+  // With NCCL backend we rely on host to exchange unique clique ids.
+  if (!clique_ids.has_value() || clique_ids->data().empty()) {
     return InvalidArgument("CliqueId is required to create NCCL communicators");
   }
 
@@ -154,7 +154,8 @@ NcclCollectives::CreateCommunicators(const CliqueKey& clique_key,
   for (size_t i = 0; i < ranks.size(); ++i) {
     VLOG(1) << "Initialize NCCL communicator for rank #" << ranks[i].rank
             << " of " << clique_key.num_devices()
-            << "; fingerprint(id)=" << clique_ids->fingerprint();
+            << "; fingerprint(id)=" << clique_ids->fingerprint()
+            << "; size(id)=" << clique_ids->data().size();
     TF_ASSIGN_OR_RETURN(auto* device, TryCast(ranks[i].device));
     auto activate_context = device->stream_executor()->Activate();
 
diff --git a/xla/core/collectives/clique_id.h b/xla/core/collectives/clique_id.h
index b129f73d974cf..18642cc835885 100644
--- a/xla/core/collectives/clique_id.h
+++ b/xla/core/collectives/clique_id.h
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ H AbslHashValue(H h, const CliqueId& id) {
   return H::combine(std::move(h), id.data());
 }
 
-// Collection of CliqueIds
+// An evenly distributed list of root ranks (cliqueIds) to spread communication
+// during clique setup.
 class CliqueIds {
  public:
   CliqueIds() = default;