diff --git a/test/test_schedule.py b/test/test_schedule.py
index 4cf16351c0..d38f48f1c5 100644
--- a/test/test_schedule.py
+++ b/test/test_schedule.py
@@ -1970,6 +1970,18 @@ class TestSchedule(unittest.TestCase):
     for X in range(1,N): root = root + bufs[X][vi] + bufs[X][vj]
     self.assertEqual(root.item(), N * 2)
 
+  def test_limit_bufs_kernelize(self):
+    N = 31
+    with Context(TRACK_MATCH_STATS=0, DEBUG=0):
+      bufs = [Tensor(i).contiguous().realize() for i in range(N)]
+    x = bufs[0]
+    for y in bufs[1:]: x = x+y
+    x.kernelize()
+    kcount = len([s for s in x.uop.toposort() if s.op is Ops.KERNEL])
+    z = x+Tensor.empty(1) # z only loads 2 buffers
+    sched = z.schedule()
+    self.assertEqual(len(sched), kcount+1)
+
 def swizzle_cnt(u:UOp) -> int:
   return len([x for x in u.toposort() if x.op is Ops.VIEW and len(x.src) != 0 and x.src[0].op not in {Ops.BUFFER, Ops.DEFINE_GLOBAL, Ops.ASSIGN}])
 
diff --git a/tinygrad/schedule/rangeify.py b/tinygrad/schedule/rangeify.py
index 2d401f4125..81baabc17a 100644
--- a/tinygrad/schedule/rangeify.py
+++ b/tinygrad/schedule/rangeify.py
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ def limit_bufs(ctx:RangeifyContext, root:UOp):
   bufs: set[UOp] = set()
   def gate_input(u:UOp):
     # TODO: add cache to fix n^2
-    if is_load:=(u.op in {Ops.BUFFERIZE, Ops.BUFFER, Ops.MSELECT, Ops.MSTACK, Ops.DEFINE_VAR}): bufs.add(u)
+    if is_load:=(u.op in {Ops.BUFFERIZE, Ops.ASSIGN, Ops.BUFFER, Ops.MSELECT, Ops.MSTACK, Ops.DEFINE_VAR}): bufs.add(u)
     return not is_load
   root.toposort(gate=gate_input)