diff --git a/test/test_linearizer.py b/test/test_linearizer.py
index 8cb727a9cb..10222984e9 100644
--- a/test/test_linearizer.py
+++ b/test/test_linearizer.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import numpy as np
 import unittest
 
 from tinygrad.codegen.kernel import Opt, OptOps, tensor_cores
-from tinygrad.codegen.linearizer import Linearizer, UOp, UOps, expand_node
+from tinygrad.codegen.linearizer import Linearizer, UOp, UOps, expand_node, expand_idxs
 from tinygrad.device import Compiled, Device, Buffer
 from tinygrad.ops import BinaryOps, BufferOps, MemBuffer, ConstBuffer, LazyOp, LoadOps, TernaryOps
 from tinygrad.shape.shapetracker import ShapeTracker
@@ -699,5 +699,16 @@ class TestLinearizerHelper(unittest.TestCase):
     # this behavior was just copied from before, no idea why this should be true
     assert expand_node(s1, (a, b)) == [NumNode(x + y) for x in range(b.min, b.max + 1) for y in range(a.min, a.max + 1)]
 
+  def test_expand_nonpresent_var(self):
+    a = Variable("a", 1, 3)
+    n = NumNode(3) * Variable("b", 1, 3)
+    assert expand_node(n, (a,)) == [n, n, n]
+
+  def test_expand_idxs(self):
+    uidx0 = Variable("_uidx0", 0, 6)
+    uidx1 = Variable("_uidx1", 0, 1)
+    idxs = (uidx0 // 5, uidx0 * 5, uidx1)
+    assert expand_idxs(idxs) == (uidx0, NumNode(0), uidx1)
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
   unittest.main()
diff --git a/tinygrad/codegen/linearizer.py b/tinygrad/codegen/linearizer.py
index 68b80f02ac..6bb4b55fa5 100644
--- a/tinygrad/codegen/linearizer.py
+++ b/tinygrad/codegen/linearizer.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
-from typing import List, Tuple, Any, Optional, cast, DefaultDict, Dict, Union, Final, Set, Iterator
+from typing import List, Tuple, Any, Optional, cast, DefaultDict, Dict, Union, Final, Set, Iterator, Sequence
 import itertools, math, functools
 from collections import defaultdict
 
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ def get_grouped_dims(prefix, start_dim, local_dims, maxdim:int=0):
   return local_idxs, [x for x in loop_local_idxs if not isinstance(x, NumNode)]
 
 def expand_idx(node:Node) -> Union[Variable, NumNode]: return next((v for v in node.vars() if v.expr.startswith("_uidx")), NumNode(0))
+def expand_idxs(nodes:Sequence[Node]) -> Tuple[Union[Variable, NumNode], ...]:
+  eidxs = [expand_idx(node) for node in nodes]
+  return tuple([v if v not in eidxs[:j] else NumNode(0) for j, v in enumerate(eidxs)])  # take only first occurrence of expand variable
 def iter_idxs(idxs:Tuple[Union[Variable, NumNode], ...]) -> Iterator[Tuple[int,...]]:
   yield from (x[::-1] for x in itertools.product(*[[x for x in range(v.min, v.max + 1)] for v in idxs[::-1]]))
 
@@ -73,7 +76,7 @@ class Linearizer(Kernel):
     localtype = self.get_base_dtype(buf.dtype if acc is None else get_lazyop_info(self.reduceop).dtype)
     const = buf.val if isinstance(buf, ConstBuffer) else acc
 
-    expand_vars = tuple([expand_idx(idx) for j, idx in enumerate(idxs)])
+    expand_vars = expand_idxs(idxs)
 
     dim, amt = None, 1
     # float 4 grouping
@@ -131,12 +134,12 @@ class Linearizer(Kernel):
     buf_uop = self.buf_uops[i]
     assert buf_uop is not None, f"buffer {i} wasn't UOped"
 
-    expanded_nodes = [expand_node(idx) for idx in idxs]
-    _idxs = [x[::-1] for x in itertools.product(*expanded_nodes[::-1])]
+    expand_vars = expand_idxs(idxs)
+    _idxs = zip(*[expand_node(idx, expand_vars) for idx in idxs]) if idxs else [tuple()]  # transpose
     store_offset = dict(zip(_idxs, store))
 
     # float4 grouping
-    if len(upcast_dim := self.get_float4_upcast_dim(i)) == 1 and len(float4_expand := expanded_nodes[upcast_dim[0]]) in [2,4]:
+    if len(upcast_dim := self.get_float4_upcast_dim(i)) == 1 and len(float4_expand := expand_node(idxs[upcast_dim[0]])) in [2,4]:
       grouped_store_offset = defaultdict(list)
       for k in store_offset:
         _idx = k[:upcast_dim[0]] + (float4_expand[0],) + k[upcast_dim[0]+1:]