diff --git a/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py b/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
index 00747f789c..5f99e16f30 100644
--- a/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
+++ b/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
@@ -404,19 +404,18 @@ def create_schedule_with_vars(outs:List[LazyBuffer]) -> Tuple[List[ScheduleItem]
   graph: DefaultDict[LBScheduleItem, List[LBScheduleItem]] = defaultdict(list)
   in_degree: DefaultDict[LBScheduleItem, int] = defaultdict(int)
   for lsi in prescheduled:
-    if lsi not in in_degree: in_degree[lsi] = 0
-    # realize outputs after all parents are realized
-    scheduled_parents = dedup(schedule_targets[x] for x in lsi.inputs if x in schedule_targets)
-    for x in scheduled_parents:
-      graph[x].append(lsi)
-      in_degree[lsi] += 1
     # realize outputs before a parent is assigned to
     parents_assigns = dedup(schedule_targets[assign_targets[x]] for x in lsi.inputs if x in assign_targets)
     for assign in parents_assigns:
       graph[lsi].append(assign)
       in_degree[assign] += 1
+    # realize outputs after all parents are realized
+    scheduled_parents = dedup(xsi for x in lsi.inputs if (xsi:=schedule_targets.get(x)) is not None)
+    for x in scheduled_parents:
+      graph[x].append(lsi)
+      in_degree[lsi] += 1
 
-  queue = deque(lsi for lsi,deg in in_degree.items() if deg == 0)
+  queue = deque(lsi for lsi in prescheduled if in_degree[lsi] == 0)
   schedule: List[ScheduleItem] = []
   while queue:
     lsi = queue.popleft()