diff --git a/extra/models/rnnt.py b/extra/models/rnnt.py
index 8382aae6ac..e7ad0f54b9 100644
--- a/extra/models/rnnt.py
+++ b/extra/models/rnnt.py
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ class LSTM:
       return self.do_step(x_, hc_)
 
     if hc is None:
-      hc = Tensor.zeros(self.layers, 2 * x.shape[1], self.hidden_size, requires_grad=False)
+      hc = Tensor.zeros(self.layers, 2 * x.shape[1], self.hidden_size, requires_grad=False).contiguous().realize()
 
     output = None
     for t in range(x.shape[0]):
diff --git a/test/test_jit.py b/test/test_jit.py
index 265cee5fdd..7720d36dfc 100644
--- a/test/test_jit.py
+++ b/test/test_jit.py
@@ -414,12 +414,6 @@ class TestJit(unittest.TestCase):
     assert isinstance(jf.jit_cache[0].prg, graph_t)
     assert isinstance(jf.jit_cache[1].prg, graph_t)
 
-  def test_jit_const_inputs(self):
-    @TinyJit
-    def g(x,y,z): return (x+y+z).realize()
-    for i in range(5):
-      np.testing.assert_equal(g(Tensor([i]*3), Tensor.ones(3), Tensor.zeros(3)).numpy(), np.array([i+1]*3))
-
   def test_jitted_clone(self):
     def f(a): return a.clone().realize()
     jf = TinyJit(f)
@@ -496,9 +490,10 @@ class TestJit(unittest.TestCase):
 
     f(Tensor.empty(1))
     f(Tensor.empty(1))
-    # TODO: this should fail since input has a different size
-    f(Tensor(2.0)).item()
-    # TODO: this should not fail, and should return 3
+    # scalar const input is not allowed
+    with self.assertRaises(JitError):
+      f(Tensor(2.0)).item()
+    # list input has different view structure than empty(1)
     with self.assertRaises(JitError):
       f(Tensor([2.0])).item()
 
diff --git a/test/test_jit_footguns.py b/test/test_jit_footguns.py
index 24c6b3a643..f54838e54a 100644
--- a/test/test_jit_footguns.py
+++ b/test/test_jit_footguns.py
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ SILENT MISMATCHES (highest priority - wrong results, no error):
   output_buffer_reuse                MED    performance tradeoff, could add option or better docs
   python_constants_frozen            HARD   inherent to tracing JITs
   conditional_branches_frozen        HARD   inherent to tracing JITs
-  unrealized_const_input_frozen      HARD   unrealized const has no buffer to replace, values baked in
 
 ERRORS RAISED (lower priority - at least users know):
+  unrealized_const_input_error       EASY   raises JitError for unrealized const inputs
   non_tensor_outputs_error           EASY   raises JitError if return contains non-Tensor values
   positional_kwargs_cannot_mix       EASY   normalize positional args to kwargs using function signature
   duplicate_inputs_fail              MED    would need to handle aliasing in input_replace
@@ -140,16 +140,20 @@ class TestJitFootguns(unittest.TestCase):
     self.assertEqual(results[2], 20)   # should be 30!
     self.assertEqual(results[3], 20)   # should be 40!
 
-  def test_unrealized_const_input_frozen(self):
-    """Unrealized const tensors have no buffer to replace, so values are baked in at capture time."""
+  def test_unrealized_const_input_error(self):
+    """Const tensors have no buffer to replace, so JIT raises an error. Even explicit .realize() doesn't help."""
     @TinyJit
     def f(a, b): return (a * b).realize()
 
-    for i in range(1, 5):
-      result = f(Tensor([1, 2, 3]).realize(), Tensor(i))  # Tensor(i) is unrealized const
-      # value is frozen at capture (i=2), so i=3,4 give wrong results
-      expected = [2, 4, 6] if i >= 2 else [i, 2*i, 3*i]
-      np.testing.assert_equal(result.numpy(), expected)  # i=3,4 should be [3,6,9], [4,8,12]!
+    # unrealized const fails
+    with self.assertRaises(JitError):
+      f(Tensor([1, 2, 3]).realize(), Tensor(2))
+
+    # explicit .realize() on const still fails - const cannot be realized to have a buffer
+    @TinyJit
+    def g(a, b): return (a * b).realize()
+    with self.assertRaises(JitError):
+      g(Tensor([1, 2, 3]).realize(), Tensor(2).realize())
 
   def test_conditional_branches_frozen(self):
     """Only the branch taken during capture runs thereafter."""
diff --git a/test/test_symbolic_jit.py b/test/test_symbolic_jit.py
index ddc464661d..85c11ac5b9 100644
--- a/test/test_symbolic_jit.py
+++ b/test/test_symbolic_jit.py
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ class TestSymbolicJit(unittest.TestCase):
   def test_ones_sum(self):
     def f(a): return a.sum().realize()
     jf = TinyJit(f)
-    t = Tensor.ones(10)
+    t = Tensor.ones(10).contiguous()
     for i in range(1, 5):
       vi = Variable("i", 1, 10).bind(i)
       symbolic = jf(t[:vi]).item()
diff --git a/test/test_symbolic_ops.py b/test/test_symbolic_ops.py
index 6b7ea926ce..9efadc7625 100644
--- a/test/test_symbolic_ops.py
+++ b/test/test_symbolic_ops.py
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ class TestSymbolicOps(unittest.TestCase):
       np.testing.assert_allclose(symbolic, expected, atol=1e-6, rtol=1e-6)
 
   def test_ones_sum(self):
-    t = Tensor.ones(10)
+    t = Tensor.ones(10).contiguous()
     for i in range(1, 5):
       vi = Variable("i", 1, 10).bind(i)
       symbolic = t[:vi].sum().item()
diff --git a/tinygrad/engine/jit.py b/tinygrad/engine/jit.py
index 8c2363903e..00906c61f5 100644
--- a/tinygrad/engine/jit.py
+++ b/tinygrad/engine/jit.py
@@ -231,6 +231,8 @@ def _prepare_jit_inputs(args, kwargs):
   if len(unrealized_tensors := [x for x in tensors if not x.uop.is_realized]): Tensor.realize(*unrealized_tensors)
   # TODO: this multi unpack stuff is not well tested.
   lbs: list[UOp] = flatten([t.uop.src if t.uop.op is Ops.MULTI else [t.uop] for t in tensors])
+  if any(lb.base.op is Ops.CONST for lb in lbs):
+    raise JitError("JIT inputs cannot be const, create a buffer with .contiguous()")
   input_buffers: list[Buffer] = flatten([rb.bufs if isinstance(rb:=lb.base.realized, MultiBuffer) else [rb]
                                          for lb in lbs if lb.base.realized is not None])
   if len(set(input_buffers)) != len(input_buffers): raise JitError("duplicate inputs to JIT")