diff --git a/examples/sdv2.py b/examples/sdv2.py
index 29b1abb8fd..856cf239ad 100644
--- a/examples/sdv2.py
+++ b/examples/sdv2.py
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
   parser.add_argument('--timing',      action='store_true', help="Print timing per step")
   parser.add_argument('--noshow',      action='store_true', help="Don't show the image")
   parser.add_argument('--fp16',        action='store_true', help="Cast the weights to float16")
+  parser.add_argument('--fakeweights', action='store_true', help="Skip loading checkpoints and use fake weights")
   args = parser.parse_args()
 
   N = 1
@@ -112,19 +113,22 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
 
   model = StableDiffusionV2(**params)
 
-  default_weights_url = 'https://huggingface.co/stabilityai/stable-diffusion-2-1/resolve/main/v2-1_768-ema-pruned.safetensors'
-  weights_fn = args.weights_fn
-  if not weights_fn:
-    weights_url = args.weights_url if args.weights_url else default_weights_url
-    weights_fn  = fetch(weights_url, os.path.basename(str(weights_url)))
-
   with WallTimeEvent(BenchEvent.LOAD_WEIGHTS):
-    load_state_dict(model, safe_load(weights_fn), strict=False)
+    if not args.fakeweights:
+      default_weights_url = 'https://huggingface.co/stabilityai/stable-diffusion-2-1/resolve/main/v2-1_768-ema-pruned.safetensors'
+      weights_fn = args.weights_fn
+      if not weights_fn:
+        weights_url = args.weights_url if args.weights_url else default_weights_url
+        weights_fn  = fetch(weights_url, os.path.basename(str(weights_url)))
+
+        load_state_dict(model, safe_load(weights_fn), strict=False)
 
     if args.fp16:
       for k,v in get_state_dict(model).items():
         if k.startswith("model"):
-          v.replace(v.cast(dtypes.float16).realize())
+          v.replace(v.cast(dtypes.float16))
+
+    Tensor.realize(*get_state_dict(model).values())
 
   c  = { "crossattn": model.cond_stage_model(args.prompt) }
   uc = { "crossattn": model.cond_stage_model("") }
diff --git a/examples/stable_diffusion.py b/examples/stable_diffusion.py
index 644c524476..4650b7e1d9 100644
--- a/examples/stable_diffusion.py
+++ b/examples/stable_diffusion.py
@@ -263,14 +263,16 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
   parser.add_argument('--timing', action='store_true', help="Print timing per step")
   parser.add_argument('--seed', type=int, help="Set the random latent seed")
   parser.add_argument('--guidance', type=float, default=7.5, help="Prompt strength")
+  parser.add_argument('--fakeweights', action='store_true', help="Skip loading checkpoints and use fake weights")
   args = parser.parse_args()
 
   model = StableDiffusion()
 
   # load in weights
   with WallTimeEvent(BenchEvent.LOAD_WEIGHTS):
-    model_bin = fetch('https://huggingface.co/CompVis/stable-diffusion-v-1-4-original/resolve/main/sd-v1-4.ckpt', 'sd-v1-4.ckpt')
-    load_state_dict(model, torch_load(model_bin)['state_dict'], verbose=False, strict=False, realize=False)
+    if not args.fakeweights:
+      model_bin = fetch('https://huggingface.co/CompVis/stable-diffusion-v-1-4-original/resolve/main/sd-v1-4.ckpt', 'sd-v1-4.ckpt')
+      load_state_dict(model, torch_load(model_bin)['state_dict'], verbose=False, strict=False, realize=False)
 
     if args.fp16:
       for k,v in get_state_dict(model).items():