diff --git a/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py b/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
index ef02ed419d..74a44ca210 100644
--- a/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
+++ b/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
@@ -204,6 +204,30 @@ def _recursive_group(tr:LazyBuffer, st:ShapeTracker, r:LazyBuffer, children:Defa
     if len(st_childs:=dedup(s for s in tr_next.srcs if s.base == tr)) > 1: return group.add(r)
     _recursive_group(tr_next, st+st_childs[0].st, r, children, realizes, reduce_for_op, group, cache)
 
+def _get_isolated_children(r:LazyBuffer, reduce_for_op:Dict[LazyBuffer, LazyBuffer], children:Dict[LazyBuffer, Dict[LazyBuffer, None]],\
+    realizes:Dict[LazyBuffer, None], group:Set[LazyBuffer]) -> Set[LazyBuffer]:
+  # create a multi output kernel if the LazyBuffers can cleanly group
+  cache: Set[LazyBuffer] = set()
+  rc_parents, rc_children = deque(group), deque(group)
+  while rc_parents:
+    if (p:=rc_parents.pop()) in cache: continue
+    cache.add(p)
+    # max one reduceop per kernel
+    if p.op in ReduceOps: return set()
+    rc_parents.extend(x.base for x in p.srcs if x.base.realized is None and x.base is not r)
+  # search descendants of the reduceop that can cleanly group
+  cache.clear()
+  realized_descendants: Set[LazyBuffer] = set()
+  while rc_children:
+    if (c:=rc_children.pop()) in cache: continue
+    cache.add(c)
+    if c.op in ReduceOps or not c.st.contiguous or c.st.size != r.st.size or c in reduce_for_op:
+      realized_descendants.clear()
+      break
+    if c in realizes and c not in group: realized_descendants.add(c)
+    rc_children.extend(x for x in children[c] if x.realized is None and x.device == r.device)
+  return group.union(realized_descendants)
+
 def _graph_schedule(outs:List[LazyBuffer], seen:Set[LazyBuffer]):
   """create a graph for realizing the outputs"""
   # start by just realizing the buffers passed in
@@ -232,29 +256,7 @@ def _graph_schedule(outs:List[LazyBuffer], seen:Set[LazyBuffer]):
     # TODO: forced_realize exists because the scheduler is incapable of checking for self-contained DAGs
     forced_realize = r in group
     if not forced_realize and len(group) > 1:
-      # create a multi output kernel if the LazyBuffers can cleanly group
-      cache: Set[LazyBuffer] = set()
-      rc_parents, rc_children = deque(group), deque(group)
-      while rc_parents:
-        if (p:=rc_parents.pop()) in cache: continue
-        cache.add(p)
-        # max one reduceop per kernel
-        if p.op in ReduceOps:
-          forced_realize = True
-          break
-        rc_parents.extend(x.base for x in p.srcs if x.base.realized is None and x.base is not r)
-      # search descendants of the reduceop that can cleanly group
-      cache.clear()
-      realized_descendants: Set[LazyBuffer] = set()
-      while rc_children and not forced_realize:
-        if (c:=rc_children.pop()) in cache: continue
-        cache.add(c)
-        if c.op in ReduceOps or not c.st.contiguous or c.st.size != r.st.size or c in reduce_for_op:
-          realized_descendants.clear()
-          break
-        if c in realizes and c not in group: realized_descendants.add(c)
-        rc_children.extend(x for x in children[c] if x.realized is None and x.device == r.device)
-      group.update(realized_descendants)
+      group = _get_isolated_children(r, reduce_for_op, children, realizes, group)
     # can only fuse assign if no other assign_target is used in the kernel
     if not forced_realize and any(x.op is MetaOps.ASSIGN for x in group):
       parents = deque((r, *group))
@@ -263,7 +265,7 @@ def _graph_schedule(outs:List[LazyBuffer], seen:Set[LazyBuffer]):
           if p in assign_targets and assign_targets[p] not in group: forced_realize, can_chase = True, False
           continue
         parents.extend(p.srcs)
-    if forced_realize:
+    if forced_realize or not group:
       tr = r
       if can_chase:
         # can chase this down to contiguous children