diff --git a/test/external/process_replay/process_replay.py b/test/external/process_replay/process_replay.py
index 2ebb8c17c2..15fa660ced 100755
--- a/test/external/process_replay/process_replay.py
+++ b/test/external/process_replay/process_replay.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def replay_get_rangeify_map(ret:dict[UOp, UOp], big_sink:UOp) -> tuple[str, str,
 def replay_get_program(p:ProgramSpec, ast:UOp, renderer:Renderer, opts:list[Opt]|None=None) -> tuple[str, str, tuple[Any, ...]]:
   # the ast.arg is non None if we are inside of search.py
   sink_arg = ast.arg or KernelInfo(opts_to_apply=tuple(opts) if opts is not None else p.applied_opts if BEAM>=1 else None)
-  input_ast = ast.replace(arg=replace(sink_arg, name=p.name))
+  input_ast = ast if ast.op is Ops.PROGRAM else ast.replace(arg=replace(sink_arg, name=p.name))
   p2 = get_program(input_ast, renderer=renderer)
   def to_str(ret:ProgramSpec) -> str:
     # PYTHON renderer pickles UOps, first unpickle and decode here