diff --git a/docs/abstractions2.py b/docs/abstractions2.py
index 3c19e4631f..f5748a6208 100644
--- a/docs/abstractions2.py
+++ b/docs/abstractions2.py
@@ -59,11 +59,11 @@ st_0 = UOp(Ops.STORE, dtypes.void, (output_buf.view(ShapeTracker.from_shape((1,)
 s = UOp(Ops.SINK, dtypes.void, (st_0,))
 
 # convert the computation to a "linearized" format (print the format)
-from tinygrad.engine.realize import get_kernel, CompiledRunner
-kernel = get_kernel(Device[DEVICE].renderer, s).linearize()
+from tinygrad.engine.realize import get_program, CompiledRunner
+program = get_program(Device[DEVICE].renderer, s)
 
 # compile a program (and print the source)
-fxn = CompiledRunner(kernel.to_program())
+fxn = CompiledRunner(program)
 print(fxn.p.src)
 # NOTE: fxn.clprg is the CPUProgram
 
diff --git a/test/external/external_uop_gc.py b/test/external/external_uop_gc.py
index 03f6169b7f..f27f33be3c 100644
--- a/test/external/external_uop_gc.py
+++ b/test/external/external_uop_gc.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import gc
 from tinygrad import Tensor, UOp, Device
 from tinygrad.shape.shapetracker import views_to_indexed_uops
-from tinygrad.engine.realize import method_cache, get_kernel
+from tinygrad.engine.realize import method_cache, get_program
 
 def uops_allocated(): return sum([isinstance(x, UOp) for x in gc.get_objects()])
 def print_uops():
@@ -14,12 +14,10 @@ def two_plus_two(): Tensor([2])+Tensor([2])
 def two_plus_two_schedule(): (Tensor([2])+Tensor([2])).schedule()
 def two_plus_two_kernel():
   si = (Tensor([2])+Tensor([2])).schedule()[-1]
-  get_kernel(Device.default.renderer, si.ast)
+  get_program(Device.default.renderer, si.ast)
 def two_plus_two_linearize():
   si = (Tensor([2])+Tensor([2])).schedule()[-1]
-  k = get_kernel(Device.default.renderer, si.ast)
-  k.get_optimized_ast()
-  #k.linearize()
+  get_program(Device.default.renderer, si.ast)
 def two_plus_two_realize(): (Tensor([2])+Tensor([2])).realize()
 def two_plus_two_item(): (Tensor([2])+Tensor([2])).item()
 def gradient_test():
@@ -36,7 +34,7 @@ def kernel_matmul():
   y = Tensor([[2.0,0,-2.0]], requires_grad=True)
   z = y.matmul(x)
   si = z.schedule()[-1]
-  get_kernel(Device.default.renderer, si.ast)
+  get_program(Device.default.renderer, si.ast)
 def realized_matmul():
   x = Tensor.eye(3, requires_grad=True)
   y = Tensor([[2.0,0,-2.0]], requires_grad=True)
diff --git a/test/test_uops.py b/test/test_uops.py
index cff71ff0c4..2f5ca3ea49 100644
--- a/test/test_uops.py
+++ b/test/test_uops.py
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@ import numpy as np
 from tinygrad.shape.shapetracker import ShapeTracker
 from tinygrad.shape.view import View # noqa F401
 from tinygrad.tensor import Tensor, _to_np_dtype
-from tinygrad.helpers import CI, DEBUG, getenv, Context, Timing
+from tinygrad.helpers import CI, DEBUG, getenv, Timing
 from tinygrad.dtype import dtypes, DType
 from tinygrad.device import Buffer, Device
 from tinygrad.uop.ops import Ops, UOp, UPat, KernelInfo, exec_alu # noqa F401
 from tinygrad.uop.spec import spec
 from tinygrad.renderer import ProgramSpec
 from tinygrad.engine.grouper import fix_kernel_ops
-from tinygrad.engine.realize import CompiledRunner, get_kernel
+from tinygrad.engine.realize import CompiledRunner
 from tinygrad.codegen import full_rewrite
 from tinygrad.uop.symbolic import sym
 from tinygrad.device import is_dtype_supported
@@ -461,13 +461,6 @@ class TestUOpStr(unittest.TestCase):
     assert len(str(a)) < 10_000, "exponential string growth"
     assert str(eval(str(a))) == str(a)
 
-    t = Tensor.arange(10)
-    t = t + t * Tensor.rand(10)
-    # nice big complicated uop
-    with Context(NOOPT=1):
-      sink = UOp(Ops.SINK, dtypes.void, (get_kernel(Device[Device.DEFAULT].renderer, t.schedule()[-1].ast).linearize().uops[-1],))
-    self.assertEqual(sink, eval(str(sink)))
-
   def test_vectorized_str(self):
     vec = UOp(Ops.VECTORIZE, dtypes.int.vec(4), tuple(UOp.const(dtypes.int, x) for x in range(4)))
     assert str(eval(str(vec))) == str(vec)
diff --git a/tinygrad/engine/realize.py b/tinygrad/engine/realize.py
index fc4352d11e..db0b0fc7fe 100644
--- a/tinygrad/engine/realize.py
+++ b/tinygrad/engine/realize.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ from tinygrad.engine.schedule import ScheduleItem
 # **************** Program Creation ****************
 
 logkerns, logkerns_level = open(getenv("LOGKERNS", ""), "a") if getenv("LOGKERNS", "") else None, getenv("LOGKERNS_LEVEL", 1)
-def get_kernel(renderer:Renderer, ast:UOp) -> Kernel:
+def get_program(renderer:Renderer, ast:UOp) -> ProgramSpec:
   k = Kernel(ast, opts=renderer)
   if not NOOPT:
     if not k.apply_tensor_cores(getenv("TC", 1)): k.apply_opts(hand_coded_optimizations(k))
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ def get_kernel(renderer:Renderer, ast:UOp) -> Kernel:
       rawbufs = bufs_from_lin(kb, allocate=False)
       k = beam_search(kb, rawbufs, BEAM.value, bool(getenv("BEAM_ESTIMATE", 1)))
   if logkerns is not None: logkerns.writelines([f"{(k.ast, k.applied_opts)}\n"])
-  return k
+  return k.to_program()
 
 # **************** Runners ****************
 
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ def get_runner(device:str, ast:UOp) -> CompiledRunner:
   if bret:=method_cache.get(bkey):
     method_cache[ckey] = ret = CompiledRunner(replace(bret.p, device=device), bret.lib)
   else:
-    prg: ProgramSpec = get_kernel(Device[device].renderer, ast).to_program()
+    prg: ProgramSpec = get_program(Device[device].renderer, ast)
     method_cache[ckey] = method_cache[bkey] = ret = CompiledRunner(replace(prg, device=device))
   return ret