diff --git a/test/test_uops.py b/test/test_uops.py
index b7392e46aa..24755f2e8c 100644
--- a/test/test_uops.py
+++ b/test/test_uops.py
@@ -389,12 +389,11 @@ class TestUOpMethod(unittest.TestCase):
 
   def test_uop_variables(self):
     a = UOp.variable("a", 1, 10)
-    uop_var = UOp.const(dtypes.int, a)
-    st_var = UOp(Ops.LOAD, dtypes.float, (UOp(Ops.DEFINE_GLOBAL, dtypes.float.ptr(), (), 0),
-                                           ShapeTracker.from_shape((2, a)).to_uop()))
-    ast_vars = (st_var+uop_var).variables()
-    self.assertEqual(len(ast_vars), 1)
-    self.assertEqual(ast_vars[0], a)
+    uop_var = Tensor(a.bind(1))
+    st_var = Tensor.empty((2, 1)).reshape((2, a.bind(1)))
+    _, var_vals = (uop_var+st_var).schedule_with_vars()
+    self.assertEqual(len(var_vals), 1)
+    self.assertEqual(list(var_vals)[0], a)
 
   def test_const_factor(self):
     gidx0 = UOp(Ops.SPECIAL, dtypes.int, (), ('gidx0', 8))
diff --git a/test/unit/test_verify_ast.py b/test/unit/test_verify_ast.py
index c078640aab..2dd103e975 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_verify_ast.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_verify_ast.py
@@ -88,11 +88,12 @@ class TestVerifyAST(unittest.TestCase):
     st = UOp.store(buf, ShapeTracker.from_shape((32, 1)).to_uop(), r.view(r.st.expand((32, 1)))+a)
     with self.assertRaisesRegex(InvalidASTException, "swizzle"): helper_test_verify_ast(st)
 
-  def test_flat_const_always_valid(self):
+  def test_const_view_always_valid(self):
     buf = UOp(Ops.DEFINE_GLOBAL, dtypes.float.ptr(), (), 0)
-    a = UOp.const(dtypes.int, 0).cast(dtypes.float)
-    st = UOp.store(buf, ShapeTracker.from_shape(()).to_uop(), a)
-    helper_test_verify_ast(st)
+    a = UOp.const(dtypes.int, 0).replace(src=(UOp(Ops.VIEW, dtypes.void, (UOp(Ops.DEVICE, arg="CLANG"),), ShapeTracker.from_shape(())),))
+    st = UOp.store(buf, ShapeTracker.from_shape(()).to_uop(), a.cast(dtypes.float))
+    # lowerer asserts because it does not remove ShapeTracker on CONST(VIEW(DEVICE))
+    with self.assertRaises(AssertionError): helper_test_verify_ast(st)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
   unittest.main()
diff --git a/tinygrad/codegen/kernel.py b/tinygrad/codegen/kernel.py
index 048bbf2e65..7ce68968c0 100644
--- a/tinygrad/codegen/kernel.py
+++ b/tinygrad/codegen/kernel.py
@@ -697,7 +697,8 @@ def _assert_valid_uop(uop:UOp, st:ShapeTracker, sts:dict[UOp, ShapeTracker]) ->
   if uop.op in {Ops.REDUCE_AXIS, Ops.WMMA}: st = ShapeTracker.from_shape(sts[uop.src[0]].reduce(uop.axis_arg))
   # movementops are pushed to VIEW
   elif uop.op is Ops.VIEW:
-    assert len(uop.src) == 0, f"can't swizzle in kernel yet {uop}"
+    # NOTE: we disallow VIEW in the middle of the AST, if it has a DEVICE source it's fine
+    assert len(uop.src) == 0 or uop.src[0].op is Ops.DEVICE, f"can't swizzle in kernel yet {uop}"
     st = uop.arg
   # everything else inherits shape
   else: