An embedded, strained epitaxial semiconductor material, i.e., an embedded stressor element, is formed at the footprint of at least one pre-fabricated field effect transistor that includes at least a patterned gate stack, a source region and a drain region. As a result, the metastability of the embedded, strained epitaxial semiconductor material is preserved and implant and anneal based relaxation mechanisms are avoided since the implants and anneals are performed prior to forming the embedded, strained epitaxial semiconductor material.