diff --git a/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py b/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
index a34ff44597..39376821e2 100644
--- a/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
+++ b/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
@@ -439,10 +439,12 @@ def realize_view(ctx:ScheduleContext, view:UOp, src:UOp, b:UOp, **kwargs) -> Non
   # otherwise safety check pads
   return None if (all(v.mask is None for v in st.views) or can_pad(src, ctx.realizes, set())) else realize(ctx, b, src)
 
-def fold_img_cast(ctx:ScheduleContext, xb:UOp, view:UOp, b:UOp, to_cast:UOp, **kwargs) -> UOp|None:
-  if not isinstance(xb.dtype, ImageDType) or b not in ctx.realizes or xb not in ctx.realizes or uval(to_cast).op in GroupOp.Meta: return None
+def fold_img_cast(ctx:ScheduleContext, b:UOp, base:UOp, root:UOp, src:UOp, view:UOp):
+  if not isinstance(b.dtype, ImageDType) or not isinstance(src.buf_uop.dtype, ImageDType): return None
+  if b not in ctx.realizes: return None
+  if not src.is_realized and src.base.op is Ops.COPY: return None
   del ctx.realizes[b]
-  return to_cast.view(unwrap(view.st))
+  return src.view(unwrap(view.st))
 
 def sink_outputs(ctx:ScheduleContext, sink:UOp) -> None:
   for x in sink.src: realize(ctx, x.buf_uop, x)
@@ -461,7 +463,7 @@ do_realize = PatternMatcher([
   # realize before expand or unsafe pad ops
   (UPatScheduled(name="src").view(name="view"), realize_view),
   # don't realize image to image casts
-  (UPatScheduled(Ops.CAST, src=(UPat(Ops.VIEW, src=(UPat.var("xb"), UPat()), name="to_cast"),), dtype=dtypes.float).view(name="view"), fold_img_cast),
+  (UPat(Ops.VIEW, name="view", src=(UPatScheduled(Ops.CAST, name="root", src=(UPat.var("src"),)),)), fold_img_cast),
   # realize before COPY or BUFFER_VIEW
   (UPat(Ops.COPY, src=(UPat(), UPat.any(UPatScheduled(), UPatScheduled().view()),)), realize),
   (UPat(Ops.BUFFER_VIEW, src=(UPat.any(UPatScheduled(), UPatScheduled().view()),)), realize),