diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f6d19d9e41..738a150b7e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ bin/
 config.json
 compile_commands.json
 compare_runtime*.html
-selfdrive/modeld/models/tg_compiled_flags.json
 
 # build artifacts
 selfdrive/pandad/pandad
diff --git a/selfdrive/modeld/SConscript b/selfdrive/modeld/SConscript
index f45dd4e7c6..bad1cdd500 100644
--- a/selfdrive/modeld/SConscript
+++ b/selfdrive/modeld/SConscript
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
-import glob
-import json
 import os
-from SCons.Script import Value
+import glob
 from openpilot.common.file_chunker import chunk_file, get_chunk_paths
-from tinygrad import Device
 
 Import('env', 'arch')
 chunker_file = File("#common/file_chunker.py")
@@ -16,51 +13,31 @@ tinygrad_files = ["#"+x for x in glob.glob(env.Dir("#tinygrad_repo").relpath + "
 def estimate_pickle_max_size(onnx_size):
   return 1.2 * onnx_size  + 10 * 1024 * 1024  # 20% + 10MB is plenty
 
+# compile warp
 # THREADS=0 is need to prevent bug: https://github.com/tinygrad/tinygrad/issues/14689
-# get fastest TG config
-available = set(Device.get_available_devices())
-if 'CUDA' in available:
-  tg_backend = 'CUDA'
-  tg_flags = f'DEV={tg_backend}'
-elif 'QCOM' in available:
-  tg_backend = 'QCOM'
-  tg_flags = f'DEV={tg_backend} FLOAT16=1 NOLOCALS=1 JIT_BATCH_SIZE=0'
-else:
-  tg_backend = 'CPU'
-  tg_flags = f'DEV={tg_backend} THREADS=0'
-
-def write_tg_compiled_flags(target, source, env):
-  with open(str(target[0]), "w") as f:
-    json.dump({"DEV": tg_backend}, f)
-    f.write("\n")
-
-compiled_flags_node = lenv.Command(
-  File("models/tg_compiled_flags.json").abspath,
-  tinygrad_files + [Value(tg_backend)],
-  write_tg_compiled_flags,
-)
-
-# tinygrad calls brew which needs a $HOME in the env
-mac_brew_string = f'HOME={os.path.expanduser("~")}' if arch == 'Darwin' else ''
+tg_flags = {
+    'larch64': 'DEV=QCOM FLOAT16=1 NOLOCALS=1 JIT_BATCH_SIZE=0',
+    'Darwin': f'DEV=CPU THREADS=0 HOME={os.path.expanduser("~")}', # tinygrad calls brew which needs a $HOME in the env
+}.get(arch, 'DEV=CPU:LLVM THREADS=0')
 
 # Get model metadata
 for model_name in ['driving_vision', 'driving_off_policy', 'driving_on_policy', 'dmonitoring_model']:
   fn = File(f"models/{model_name}").abspath
   script_files = [File(Dir("#selfdrive/modeld").File("get_model_metadata.py").abspath)]
-  cmd = f'{tg_flags} {mac_brew_string} python3 {Dir("#selfdrive/modeld").abspath}/get_model_metadata.py {fn}.onnx'
-  lenv.Command(fn + "_metadata.pkl", [fn + ".onnx"] + tinygrad_files + script_files + [compiled_flags_node], cmd)
+  cmd = f'{tg_flags} python3 {Dir("#selfdrive/modeld").abspath}/get_model_metadata.py {fn}.onnx'
+  lenv.Command(fn + "_metadata.pkl", [fn + ".onnx"] + tinygrad_files + script_files, cmd)
 
 image_flag = {
      'larch64': 'IMAGE=2',
 }.get(arch, 'IMAGE=0')
 script_files = [File(Dir("#selfdrive/modeld").File("compile_warp.py").abspath)]
-compile_warp_cmd = f'{tg_flags} {mac_brew_string} python3 {Dir("#selfdrive/modeld").abspath}/compile_warp.py '
+compile_warp_cmd = f'{tg_flags} python3 {Dir("#selfdrive/modeld").abspath}/compile_warp.py '
 from openpilot.common.transformations.camera import _ar_ox_fisheye, _os_fisheye
 warp_targets = []
 for cam in [_ar_ox_fisheye, _os_fisheye]:
   w, h = cam.width, cam.height
   warp_targets += [File(f"models/warp_{w}x{h}_tinygrad.pkl").abspath, File(f"models/dm_warp_{w}x{h}_tinygrad.pkl").abspath]
-lenv.Command(warp_targets, tinygrad_files + script_files + [compiled_flags_node], compile_warp_cmd)
+lenv.Command(warp_targets, tinygrad_files + script_files, compile_warp_cmd)
 
 def tg_compile(flags, model_name):
   pythonpath_string = 'PYTHONPATH="${PYTHONPATH}:' + env.Dir("#tinygrad_repo").abspath + '"'
@@ -70,7 +47,7 @@ def tg_compile(flags, model_name):
   chunk_targets = get_chunk_paths(pkl, estimate_pickle_max_size(os.path.getsize(onnx_path)))
   compile_node = lenv.Command(
     pkl,
-    [onnx_path] + tinygrad_files + [chunker_file, compiled_flags_node],
+    [onnx_path] + tinygrad_files + [chunker_file],
     f'{pythonpath_string} {flags} {image_flag} python3 {Dir("#tinygrad_repo").abspath}/examples/openpilot/compile3.py {fn}.onnx {pkl}',
   )
   def do_chunk(target, source, env):
diff --git a/selfdrive/modeld/dmonitoringmodeld.py b/selfdrive/modeld/dmonitoringmodeld.py
index d5901e8943..efd8214b9f 100755
--- a/selfdrive/modeld/dmonitoringmodeld.py
+++ b/selfdrive/modeld/dmonitoringmodeld.py
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 import os
-from openpilot.selfdrive.modeld.tinygrad_helpers import MODELS_DIR, set_tinygrad_backend_from_compiled_flags
-set_tinygrad_backend_from_compiled_flags()
-
+from openpilot.system.hardware import TICI
+os.environ['DEV'] = 'QCOM' if TICI else 'CPU'
 from tinygrad.tensor import Tensor
 import time
 import pickle
 import numpy as np
+from pathlib import Path
 
 from cereal import messaging
 from cereal.messaging import PubMaster, SubMaster
@@ -21,8 +21,9 @@ from openpilot.selfdrive.modeld.parse_model_outputs import sigmoid, safe_exp
 
 PROCESS_NAME = "selfdrive.modeld.dmonitoringmodeld"
 SEND_RAW_PRED = os.getenv('SEND_RAW_PRED')
-MODEL_PKL_PATH = MODELS_DIR / 'dmonitoring_model_tinygrad.pkl'
-METADATA_PATH = MODELS_DIR / 'dmonitoring_model_metadata.pkl'
+MODEL_PKL_PATH = Path(__file__).parent / 'models/dmonitoring_model_tinygrad.pkl'
+METADATA_PATH = Path(__file__).parent / 'models/dmonitoring_model_metadata.pkl'
+MODELS_DIR = Path(__file__).parent / 'models'
 
 class ModelState:
   inputs: dict[str, np.ndarray]
diff --git a/selfdrive/modeld/modeld.py b/selfdrive/modeld/modeld.py
index a93bdd23ef..73425b9e5a 100755
--- a/selfdrive/modeld/modeld.py
+++ b/selfdrive/modeld/modeld.py
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 import os
-from openpilot.selfdrive.modeld.tinygrad_helpers import MODELS_DIR, set_tinygrad_backend_from_compiled_flags
-set_tinygrad_backend_from_compiled_flags()
-
+from openpilot.system.hardware import TICI
+os.environ['DEV'] = 'QCOM' if TICI else 'CPU'
 USBGPU = "USBGPU" in os.environ
 if USBGPU:
   os.environ['DEV'] = 'AMD'
@@ -13,6 +12,7 @@ import pickle
 import numpy as np
 import cereal.messaging as messaging
 from cereal import car, log
+from pathlib import Path
 from cereal.messaging import PubMaster, SubMaster
 from msgq.visionipc import VisionIpcClient, VisionStreamType, VisionBuf
 from opendbc.car.car_helpers import get_demo_car_params
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ from openpilot.sunnypilot.modeld_v2.modeld_base import ModelStateBase
 PROCESS_NAME = "selfdrive.modeld.modeld"
 SEND_RAW_PRED = os.getenv('SEND_RAW_PRED')
 
+MODELS_DIR = Path(__file__).parent / 'models'
 VISION_PKL_PATH = MODELS_DIR / 'driving_vision_tinygrad.pkl'
 VISION_METADATA_PATH = MODELS_DIR / 'driving_vision_metadata.pkl'
 ON_POLICY_PKL_PATH = MODELS_DIR / 'driving_on_policy_tinygrad.pkl'
diff --git a/selfdrive/modeld/tinygrad_helpers.py b/selfdrive/modeld/tinygrad_helpers.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e833c20968..0000000000
--- a/selfdrive/modeld/tinygrad_helpers.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-import json
-import os
-from pathlib import Path
-
-MODELS_DIR = Path(__file__).parent / 'models'
-COMPILED_FLAGS_PATH = MODELS_DIR / 'tg_compiled_flags.json'
-
-
-def set_tinygrad_backend_from_compiled_flags() -> None:
-  with open(COMPILED_FLAGS_PATH) as f:
-    os.environ['DEV'] = str(json.load(f)['DEV'])