diff --git a/llama_index/vector_stores/pinecone.py b/llama_index/vector_stores/pinecone.py
index d88f71d1ed3cb..accffebdc1af9 100644
--- a/llama_index/vector_stores/pinecone.py
+++ b/llama_index/vector_stores/pinecone.py
@@ -82,30 +82,34 @@ def build_sparse_dict(input_batch: List[List[int]]) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
     return sparse_emb
 
 
-def encode_batch(
-    sparse_encoder: VectorStoreSparseEncoder, context_batch: List[str], query_mode: bool
-) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
+def initialize_sparse_encoder(sparse_encoder_type: VectorStoreSparseEncoder) -> Any:
     try:
         import pinecone_text.sparse
 
-        encoder_class_name = f"{sparse_encoder}Encoder"
+        encoder_class_name = f"{sparse_encoder_type}Encoder"
         encoder_class = getattr(pinecone_text.sparse, encoder_class_name)
-        encoder = (
+        return (
             encoder_class()
-            if sparse_encoder != VectorStoreSparseEncoder.BM25
+            if sparse_encoder_type != VectorStoreSparseEncoder.BM25
             else encoder_class().default()
         )
-        if query_mode:
-            sparse_vectors = encoder.encode_queries(context_batch)
-        else:
-            sparse_vectors = encoder.encode_documents(context_batch)
-        return sparse_vectors
     except ImportError:
         raise ImportError(import_err_msg_pinecone_text)
 
 
+def encode_batch(
+    sparse_encoder: Any, context_batch: List[str], query_mode: bool
+) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
+    if query_mode:
+        sparse_vectors = sparse_encoder.encode_queries(context_batch)
+    else:
+        sparse_vectors = sparse_encoder.encode_documents(context_batch)
+    return sparse_vectors
+
+
 def generate_sparse_vectors(
-    sparse_encoder: VectorStoreSparseEncoder,
+    sparse_encoder_type: VectorStoreSparseEncoder,
+    sparse_encoder: Any,
     context_batch: List[str],
     tokenizer: Callable,
     query_mode: bool = False,
@@ -113,7 +117,7 @@ def generate_sparse_vectors(
     """
     Generate sparse vectors from a batch of contexts.
     """
-    if sparse_encoder == VectorStoreSparseEncoder.SPARSE_DICT:
+    if sparse_encoder_type == VectorStoreSparseEncoder.SPARSE_DICT:
         sparse_vectors = build_sparse_dict(tokenizer(context_batch)["input_ids"])
     else:
         sparse_vectors = encode_batch(sparse_encoder, context_batch, query_mode)
@@ -155,13 +159,14 @@ class PineconeVectorStore(BasePydanticVectorStore):
     namespace: Optional[str]
     insert_kwargs: Optional[Dict]
     add_sparse_vector: bool
-    sparse_vector_encoder: Optional[VectorStoreSparseEncoder]
+    sparse_encoder_type: Optional[VectorStoreSparseEncoder]
     text_key: str
     batch_size: int
     remove_text_from_metadata: bool
 
     _pinecone_index: Any = PrivateAttr()
     _tokenizer: Optional[Callable] = PrivateAttr()
+    _sparse_encoder: Optional[Any] = PrivateAttr()
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -172,9 +177,10 @@ def __init__(
         namespace: Optional[str] = None,
         insert_kwargs: Optional[Dict] = None,
         add_sparse_vector: bool = False,
-        sparse_vector_encoder: Optional[
+        sparse_encoder_type: Optional[
             VectorStoreSparseEncoder
         ] = DEFAULT_SPARSE_VECTOR_ENCODER,
+        sparse_encoder: Optional[Any] = None,
         tokenizer: Optional[Callable] = None,
         text_key: str = DEFAULT_TEXT_KEY,
         batch_size: int = DEFAULT_BATCH_SIZE,
@@ -205,6 +211,14 @@ def __init__(
             tokenizer = get_default_tokenizer()
         self._tokenizer = tokenizer
 
+        if (
+            add_sparse_vector
+            and sparse_encoder is None
+            and sparse_encoder_type != VectorStoreSparseEncoder.SPARSE_DICT
+        ):
+            sparse_encoder = initialize_sparse_encoder(sparse_encoder_type)
+        self._sparse_encoder = sparse_encoder
+
         super().__init__(
             index_name=index_name,
             environment=environment,
@@ -212,7 +226,8 @@ def __init__(
             namespace=namespace,
             insert_kwargs=insert_kwargs,
             add_sparse_vector=add_sparse_vector,
-            sparse_vector_encoder=sparse_vector_encoder,
+            sparse_encoder_type=sparse_encoder_type,
+            sparse_encoder=sparse_encoder,
             text_key=text_key,
             batch_size=batch_size,
             remove_text_from_metadata=remove_text_from_metadata,
@@ -227,9 +242,10 @@ def from_params(
         namespace: Optional[str] = None,
         insert_kwargs: Optional[Dict] = None,
         add_sparse_vector: bool = False,
-        sparse_vector_encoder: Optional[
+        sparse_encoder_type: Optional[
             VectorStoreSparseEncoder
         ] = DEFAULT_SPARSE_VECTOR_ENCODER,
+        sparse_encoder: Optional[Any] = None,
         tokenizer: Optional[Callable] = None,
         text_key: str = DEFAULT_TEXT_KEY,
         batch_size: int = DEFAULT_BATCH_SIZE,
@@ -252,7 +268,8 @@ def from_params(
             namespace=namespace,
             insert_kwargs=insert_kwargs,
             add_sparse_vector=add_sparse_vector,
-            sparse_vector_encoder=sparse_vector_encoder,
+            sparse_encoder_type=sparse_encoder_type,
+            sparse_encoder=sparse_encoder,
             tokenizer=tokenizer,
             text_key=text_key,
             batch_size=batch_size,
@@ -294,7 +311,8 @@ def add(
 
             if self.add_sparse_vector and self._tokenizer is not None:
                 sparse_vector = generate_sparse_vectors(
-                    self.sparse_vector_encoder,  # type: ignore
+                    self.sparse_encoder_type,
+                    self._sparse_encoder,  # type: ignore
                     [node.get_content(metadata_mode=MetadataMode.EMBED)],
                     self._tokenizer,
                 )[0]
@@ -360,7 +378,8 @@ def query(self, query: VectorStoreQuery, **kwargs: Any) -> VectorStoreQueryResul
                 )
 
             sparse_vector = generate_sparse_vectors(
-                self.sparse_vector_encoder,  # type: ignore
+                self.sparse_encoder_type,
+                self._sparse_encoder,  # type: ignore
                 [query.query_str],
                 self._tokenizer,
                 query_mode=True,