diff --git a/tinygrad/codegen/__init__.py b/tinygrad/codegen/__init__.py
index 24456a2a4d..9ee02e682b 100644
--- a/tinygrad/codegen/__init__.py
+++ b/tinygrad/codegen/__init__.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from tinygrad.codegen.devectorizer import load_store_folding, load_store_indexin
   ReduceContext, correct_load_store, pm_render
 from tinygrad.codegen.optional import get_late_rewrite_patterns
 from tinygrad.codegen.linearize import block_create, pm_blockend_merge, block_merge, pm_finalize, BlockContext
+from tinygrad.opt import pm_optimize
 
 @dataclass
 class RewriteStep:
@@ -42,6 +43,10 @@ def get_rewrites_for_renderer(opts:Renderer, linearizer:bool=True) -> list[Rewri
 def _get_rewrites_for_renderer(opts:Renderer, linearizer:bool, _QUANTIZE, _DEVECTORIZE, _TRANSCENDENTAL) -> list[RewriteStep]:
   # ** lowerer (rewrite_shapetracker_with_index) **
   ret: list[RewriteStep] = []
+
+  # this is kernel.py
+  ret.append(RewriteStep(pm_optimize, ctx=lambda _: opts, name="optimize ast"))
+
   if _QUANTIZE and opts.device in {"CPU", "DSP"}: ret.append(RewriteStep(pm_quant, name="quantize"))
   ret.append(RewriteStep(pm_lowerer, get_index, name="lowerer", bottom_up=True))
 
diff --git a/tinygrad/engine/realize.py b/tinygrad/engine/realize.py
index f4cd06c5bf..388f7d33e8 100644
--- a/tinygrad/engine/realize.py
+++ b/tinygrad/engine/realize.py
@@ -7,9 +7,7 @@ from tinygrad.uop.ops import Ops, PatternMatcher, UOp, UPat, Variable, sym_infer
 from tinygrad.device import Device, Buffer
 from tinygrad.renderer import Renderer, ProgramSpec, Estimates
 from tinygrad.engine.schedule import ScheduleItem
-from tinygrad.opt import get_optimized_ast
 from tinygrad.codegen import full_rewrite
-from tinygrad.uop.spec import type_verify
 
 # **************** Program Creation ****************
 
@@ -27,16 +25,13 @@ def get_program(ast:UOp, renderer:Renderer) -> ProgramSpec:
   """
 
   if getenv("VIZ"): graph_rewrite(ast, PatternMatcher([]), name="View Base AST")
-  modified_ast = get_optimized_ast(ast, renderer) if ast.arg is None or ast.arg.opts_to_apply is not None else ast
-  if __debug__: type_verify(list(modified_ast.toposort()))
 
   # linearize
   try:
-    uops = full_rewrite(modified_ast, renderer)
+    uops = full_rewrite(ast, renderer)
   except RuntimeError:
     print("***** LINEARIZE FAILURE *****")
     print(f"ast = {ast}")
-    print(f"opts = {modified_ast.arg.applied_opts}")
     raise
   assert uops[-1].op is Ops.SINK, "last uop must be sink"
 
diff --git a/tinygrad/opt/__init__.py b/tinygrad/opt/__init__.py
index 934b9f0749..6128b21a5b 100644
--- a/tinygrad/opt/__init__.py
+++ b/tinygrad/opt/__init__.py
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@
 
 from tinygrad.opt.kernel import Kernel
 from tinygrad.opt.heuristic import hand_coded_optimizations
-from tinygrad.uop.ops import UOp
+from tinygrad.uop.ops import UOp, PatternMatcher, UPat, Ops
 from tinygrad.helpers import NOOPT, BEAM, USE_TC, getenv
 from tinygrad.renderer import Renderer
+from tinygrad.uop.spec import type_verify
 
 def get_optimized_ast(ast:UOp, renderer:Renderer) -> UOp:
   """
@@ -27,4 +28,11 @@ def get_optimized_ast(ast:UOp, renderer:Renderer) -> UOp:
       kb = Kernel(ast, opts=renderer)
       rawbufs = bufs_from_lin(kb, allocate=False)
       k = beam_search(kb, rawbufs, BEAM.value, bool(getenv("BEAM_ESTIMATE", 1)))
-  return k.get_optimized_ast()
+  ret = k.get_optimized_ast()
+  if __debug__: type_verify(list(ret.toposort()))
+  return ret
+
+pm_optimize = PatternMatcher([
+  (UPat(Ops.SINK, name="ast"), lambda ctx,ast:
+   get_optimized_ast(ast, ctx) if (ast.arg is None or ast.arg.opts_to_apply is not None) and ast.src[0].st is not None else None),
+])