diff --git a/test/test_gc.py b/test/test_gc.py
index a51c7adf18..9e7d540116 100644
--- a/test/test_gc.py
+++ b/test/test_gc.py
@@ -86,15 +86,28 @@ class TestGC(unittest.TestCase):
     a.realize()
     real_buf = a.lazydata.buffer
     # after the Tensor UOp is deleted there shouldn't be any references on the Buffer
-    with self.assertRaises(AssertionError):
-      self.assertEqual(real_buf.lb_refcount, 1)
+    self.assertEqual(real_buf.lb_refcount, 1)
     self.assertEqual(bufs_allocated()-init, 1)
     del a.lazydata
-    with self.assertRaises(AssertionError):
-      self.assertEqual(real_buf.lb_refcount, 0)
+    self.assertEqual(real_buf.lb_refcount, 0)
     self.assertEqual(bufs_allocated()-init, 1) # keep the buffer alive
     del real_buf
     self.assertEqual(bufs_allocated()-init, 0)
 
+  def test_assign_refcount(self):
+    init = bufs_allocated()
+    a = Tensor.full((4,), 1.).contiguous()
+    a.realize()
+    real_buf = a.lazydata.buffer
+    self.assertEqual(real_buf.lb_refcount, 1)
+    a.assign(Tensor.full((4,), 2.))
+    self.assertIs(a.lazydata.src[0].buffer, real_buf)
+    # NOTE: this is still 1, we don't count the ASSIGN
+    self.assertEqual(real_buf.lb_refcount, 1)
+    a.realize()
+    del a
+    self.assertEqual(real_buf.lb_refcount, 0) # no UOps for this Buffer
+    self.assertEqual(bufs_allocated()-init, 1) # Buffer is alive
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
   unittest.main()
diff --git a/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py b/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
index ada1aa6d8f..e2d45d7446 100644
--- a/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
+++ b/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
@@ -474,8 +474,6 @@ def create_schedule_with_vars(big_sink:UOp) -> tuple[list[ScheduleItem], dict[Va
     # TODO: move this to create_kernels
     k = fix_kernel_ast(u.src[1], var_vals)
     schedule.append(ScheduleItem(k.arg.ast, tuple(s.buf_uop.buffer for s in k.src), k.arg.metadata))
-    # increment the refcount of the target buf (this is required by the JIT and memory planner) TODO: this does not belong here
-    k.src[0].buffer.ref(1)
     for x in children.get(u, []):
       in_degree[x] -= 1
       if in_degree[x] == 0: queue.append(x)
diff --git a/tinygrad/ops.py b/tinygrad/ops.py
index c592e63925..554428f927 100644
--- a/tinygrad/ops.py
+++ b/tinygrad/ops.py
@@ -535,6 +535,7 @@ class UOp(MathTrait, metaclass=UOpMetaClass):
     from tinygrad.device import Buffer
     assert isinstance(self.device, str), f"buffer not supported on multi {self.device}"
     buffers[self] = ret = Buffer(self.device, self.size, self.dtype if isinstance(self.dtype, ImageDType) else self.dtype.base)
+    ret.ref(1)
     return ret
   @property
   def realized(self) -> Optional[Buffer]: return self.buffer if self.op is Ops.BUFFER and self.buffer.is_allocated() else None