It　is　well　known　that　due　to　the　mismatch　of　the　material　properties　there　exists　residual　stress　during　the　manufacture　process　of　piezoelectric　surface　acoustic　wave　devices.　On　the　other　hand,　to　prevent　the　piezoelectric　material　from　fragile　fracture,　the　piezoelectric　layered　structures　are　usually　pre-stressed　during　the　manufacture　process.　In　order　to　enable　the　electric　excitation　of　the　Love　waves,　a　piezoelectric　material　can　be　chosen　as　substrate　of　the　layered　structures.　The　propagation　of　Love　wave　in　a　layered　piezoelectric　half-space　with　initial　stress　is　taken　into　account　in　this　paper,　where　a　thin　elastic　film　as　the　guiding　layer　is　in　intimate　contact　with　a　piezoelectric　substrate.　The　phase　velocity　equations　of　Love　wave　propagation　are　obtained　for　electrical　open　and　shorted　cases　at　the　free　surface,　respectively.　It　is　seen　that　the　phase　velocity　of　Love　wave　decreases　and　the　electromechanical　coupling　factor　increases　remarkably　as　the　absolute　value　of　initial　stress　is　greater　than　100　MPa.　The　results　obtained　in　this　paper　are　meaningful　for　the　design　of　high　quality　surface　acoustic　wave　(SAW)　devices　in　the　microwave　technology.　©　2000　Trans　Tech　Publications.