diff --git a/test/unit/test_assign.py b/test/unit/test_assign.py
index d8dca74602..eb1f97a6cf 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_assign.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_assign.py
@@ -745,7 +745,6 @@ class TestAssignOrdering(unittest.TestCase):
     np.testing.assert_equal(a.numpy(), [5, 6, 7, 8])
     np.testing.assert_equal(b.numpy(), [1, 2, 3, 4])
 
-  @unittest.expectedFailure  # NOTE: we don't support binding to two different values in one schedule
   def test_variable_slice_ordering(self):
     """Variable-indexed slices - tests symbolic dependency tracking."""
     v_i = Variable("i", 0, 3)
diff --git a/tinygrad/tensor.py b/tinygrad/tensor.py
index ac927b9a85..f52228a0cd 100644
--- a/tinygrad/tensor.py
+++ b/tinygrad/tensor.py
@@ -271,34 +271,24 @@ class Tensor(OpMixin):
   @disable_gc()
   def realize(self, *lst:Tensor, do_update_stats=True) -> Tensor:
     """Triggers the computation needed to create these Tensor(s)."""
-    schedules: list[tuple[list[ExecItem], dict[str, int]]] = []
-    # collect pending assigns for relevant buffers
+    # side-realize pending assigns for buffers referenced by these tensors
     if _pending_assigns:
-      def _collect_pending(buf:UOp):
+      def _realize_pending(buf):
         for assign_uop in _pending_assigns.pop(buf, []):
           # recursively realize pending assigns that this assign's value depends on
           for u in assign_uop.toposort():
-            if u.op is Ops.BUFFER and u in _pending_assigns: _collect_pending(u)
+            if u.op is Ops.BUFFER and u in _pending_assigns: _realize_pending(u)
           becomes_map, schedule, var_vals = complete_create_schedule_with_vars(UOp.sink(assign_uop))
           _apply_map_to_tensors(becomes_map, name="Apply Pending Assign")
-          schedules.append((schedule, var_vals))
+          run_schedule(schedule, var_vals, do_update_stats=do_update_stats)
           # update remaining pending assigns so they reference realized buffers instead of stale lazy graphs
           if becomes_map:
             for assigns in _pending_assigns.values():
               for i in range(len(assigns)): assigns[i] = assigns[i].substitute(becomes_map)
       for buf in {u for t in (self,)+lst for u in t.uop.toposort() if u.op is Ops.BUFFER}:
-        if buf in _pending_assigns: _collect_pending(buf)
-
+        if buf in _pending_assigns: _realize_pending(buf)
     if len(to_realize:=[x for x in (self,)+lst if not x.uop.has_buffer_identity()]):
-      schedules.append(Tensor.schedule_with_vars(*to_realize))
-
-    exec_items: list[ExecItem] = []
-    merged_var_vals: dict[str, int] = {}
-    for schedule, var_vals in schedules:
-      exec_items.extend(schedule)
-      merged_var_vals = merge_dicts((merged_var_vals, var_vals))
-
-    run_schedule(exec_items, merged_var_vals, do_update_stats=do_update_stats)
+      run_schedule(*Tensor.schedule_with_vars(*to_realize), do_update_stats=do_update_stats)
     return self
 
   def replace(self, x:Tensor) -> Tensor: