diff --git a/tinygrad/device.py b/tinygrad/device.py
index 770a842a3c..e7c1aad366 100644
--- a/tinygrad/device.py
+++ b/tinygrad/device.py
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ class _Device:
 Device: _Device = _Device()
 atexit.register(lambda: [Device[dn].finalize() for dn in Device._opened_devices])
 
+def canonicalize_device(device:str|tuple|list|None) -> str|tuple[str, ...]:
+  if not isinstance(device, (tuple, list)): return Device.canonicalize(device)
+  return canonical[0] if len(canonical:=tuple(Device.canonicalize(d) for d in device)) == 1 else canonical
+
 # **************** Profile ****************
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
diff --git a/tinygrad/tensor.py b/tinygrad/tensor.py
index da45cd4c14..3123cf95d9 100644
--- a/tinygrad/tensor.py
+++ b/tinygrad/tensor.py
@@ -14,15 +14,10 @@ from tinygrad.mixin import OpMixin
 from tinygrad.uop.ops import smax, smin, resolve, UOp, Ops, sint, identity_element, all_metadata, _index_to_concrete_int, sint_to_uop, Variable
 from tinygrad.uop.ops import _broadcast_shape
 from tinygrad.engine.schedule import ExecItem, complete_create_schedule_with_vars
-from tinygrad.device import Buffer
+from tinygrad.device import Buffer, canonicalize_device
 from tinygrad.engine.realize import run_schedule
 from tinygrad.engine.allocations import transform_to_call
 
-def canonicalize_device(device:str|tuple|list|None) -> str|tuple[str, ...]:
-  from tinygrad.device import Device
-  if not isinstance(device, (tuple, list)): return Device.canonicalize(device)
-  return canonical[0] if len(canonical:=tuple(Device.canonicalize(d) for d in device)) == 1 else canonical
-
 # *** all in scope Tensors are here. this gets relevant UOps ***
 
 all_tensors: dict[weakref.ref[Tensor], None] = {}
diff --git a/tinygrad/uop/ops.py b/tinygrad/uop/ops.py
index f7a89ad3be..eac45c59f5 100644
--- a/tinygrad/uop/ops.py
+++ b/tinygrad/uop/ops.py
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ from enum import Enum, auto
 from tinygrad.uop import Ops, GroupOp
 from tinygrad.dtype import ConstType, ImageDType, dtypes, DType, truncate, PtrDType, least_upper_dtype, Invalid, AddrSpace, ConstFloat, PyConst
 from tinygrad.dtype import storage_fmt_for_dtype, to_storage_scalar, from_storage_scalar
+from tinygrad.device import Buffer, MultiBuffer
 from tinygrad.helpers import ContextVar, all_int, prod, getenv, all_same, Context, partition, temp, unwrap, T, argfix, Metadata, flatten, TRACEMETA
 from tinygrad.helpers import PROFILE, dedup, cdiv, cmod, diskcache_put, to_function_name, cpu_profile, TracingKey, VIZ, SPEC, CAPTURE_PROCESS_REPLAY
 from tinygrad.helpers import strip_parens, colored, ansilen, printable
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
-  from tinygrad.device import Buffer, MultiBuffer
   from tinygrad.renderer import Estimates
 
 class AxisType(Enum):
@@ -713,7 +713,6 @@ class UOp(OpMixin, metaclass=UOpMetaClass):
 
   @property
   def buffer(self) -> Buffer|MultiBuffer:
-    from tinygrad.device import Buffer, MultiBuffer
     if self.op in {Ops.CONTIGUOUS, Ops.RESHAPE, Ops.DETACH, Ops.AFTER}: return self.src[0].buffer
     # this buffer can process disk tensors and simple movement ops
     if self is not self.base: