diff --git a/test/test_outerworld.py b/test/test_outerworld.py
index 1d3f39cf53..795b77ee84 100644
--- a/test/test_outerworld.py
+++ b/test/test_outerworld.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class TestOuterRange(unittest.TestCase):
     vi = UOp.variable("i", i.vmin, i.vmax).bind(i)
     out = Tensor(acc.uop.after(acc_i.store(acc_i + a[:, vi].uop).end(i)))
     out.realize()
-    assert all(x == 10.0 for x in out.tolist())
+    self.assertEqual(out.tolist(), [10.0]*10)
 
   def test_range_matmul(self):
     vec = Tensor.randn(1, 10).realize()
diff --git a/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py b/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
index 8616e1ce15..d5607fff0f 100644
--- a/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
+++ b/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ from tinygrad.engine.realize import ExecItem
 
 # **** schedule linearizer
 
-# ScheduleItem = tuple[AST, buffer UOps, metadata, fixedvars, bound_ranges]
-ScheduleItem = tuple[UOp, tuple[UOp, ...], tuple[Metadata, ...], dict[str, int], tuple[UOp, ...]]
+# ScheduleItem = tuple[AST, buffer UOps, metadata, bound_ranges]
+ScheduleItem = tuple[UOp, tuple[UOp, ...], tuple[Metadata, ...], tuple[UOp, ...]]
 
 # unwrap VIEW/CAST/etc to find the actual data source (kernel output, buffer, or multi-device op)
 def _unwrap_src(s: UOp) -> UOp:
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ def create_schedule(sched_sink:UOp) -> tuple[list[ExecItem], UOp]:
     for k,v in in_degree.items():
       if v == 0: queue.append(k)
 
-    schedule: list[ScheduleItem|UOp] = []  # ScheduleItem for kernels, UOp for RANGE/END
+    schedule: list[UOp] = []  # RANGE, KERNEL, or END UOps
+    sched_item: dict[UOp, ScheduleItem] = {}
     while len(queue):
       k = rk = queue.popleft()
       if k.op is Ops.END: k = k.src[0]
@@ -61,32 +62,34 @@ def create_schedule(sched_sink:UOp) -> tuple[list[ExecItem], UOp]:
         ast = (kernel:=cast(Kernel, k.arg)).ast
         buf_uops = tuple(_unwrap_src(s).buf_uop for s in k.src if s.op is not Ops.BIND)
         bound_ranges = tuple(s for s in k.src if s.op is Ops.BIND and len(s.src) > 1 and s.src[1].op is Ops.RANGE)
-        schedule.append((ast, buf_uops, kernel.metadata, {}, bound_ranges))
+        sched_item[k] = (ast, buf_uops, kernel.metadata, bound_ranges)
+        schedule.append(k)
         if rk.op is Ops.END: schedule.append(rk)
       for x in children.get(rk, []):
         in_degree[x] -= 1
         if in_degree[x] == 0: queue.append(x)
 
   with cpu_profile(TracingKey("unroll outer ranges")):
-    pre_schedule, buf_uops_list = unroll_outer_ranges(schedule)
+    pre_schedule, buf_uops_list = unroll_outer_ranges(schedule, sched_item)
   return pre_schedule, UOp.sink(*buf_uops_list)
 
-def unroll_outer_ranges(schedule:list[ScheduleItem|UOp]) -> tuple[list[ExecItem], list[UOp]]:
+def unroll_outer_ranges(schedule:list[UOp], sched_item:dict[UOp, ScheduleItem]) -> tuple[list[ExecItem], list[UOp]]:
   pre_schedule: list[ExecItem] = []
   buf_uops_list: list[UOp] = []
   sched_ptr, in_ranges, range_ptrs = 0, dict[UOp, int](), dict[UOp, int]()
   while sched_ptr < len(schedule):
-    if isinstance(si := schedule[sched_ptr], UOp):
-      if si.op is Ops.RANGE:
-        in_ranges[si] = 0
-        range_ptrs[si] = sched_ptr + 1
-      elif si.op is Ops.END:
-        if in_ranges[si.src[1]] < si.src[1].vmax:
-          in_ranges[si.src[1]] += 1
-          sched_ptr = range_ptrs[si.src[1]]
-          continue
+    si = schedule[sched_ptr]
+    if si.op is Ops.RANGE:
+      in_ranges[si] = 0
+      range_ptrs[si] = sched_ptr + 1
+    elif si.op is Ops.END:
+      if in_ranges[si.src[1]] < si.src[1].vmax:
+        in_ranges[si.src[1]] += 1
+        sched_ptr = range_ptrs[si.src[1]]
+        continue
     else:
-      ast, buf_uops, metadata, _, bound_ranges = si
+      assert si.op is Ops.KERNEL, f"unexpected op in schedule: {si.op}"
+      ast, buf_uops, metadata, bound_ranges = sched_item[si]
       fixedvars = {s.src[0].arg[0]:in_ranges[s.src[1]] for s in bound_ranges}
       pre_schedule.append(ExecItem(ast, [], metadata, fixedvars))
       buf_uops_list.append(UOp.sink(*buf_uops))