diff --git a/test/external/fuzz_schedule.py b/test/external/fuzz_schedule.py
index 26a50102af..5c7b888256 100644
--- a/test/external/fuzz_schedule.py
+++ b/test/external/fuzz_schedule.py
@@ -20,29 +20,30 @@ def fuzz_schedule(outs: List[LazyBuffer]):
       if ts not in toposorts: toposorts[ts] = (dict(zip([v.key for v in ctx_vars], combination)), prescheduled)
   if DEBUG >= 1: print(colored(f"fuzzing {len(toposorts)} schedule permutations", "yellow"))
 
-  # setup ground truth
   ground_truth: Dict[LazyBuffer, memoryview] = {}
   # IMPORTANT: freeze prerealized bufs before ScheduleItem exec
   prerealized: Dict[LazyBuffer, memoryview] = {}
-  seed, first = Tensor._seed, list(toposorts.items())[0]
-  for key in first[0]:
-    for out in (ps:=first[1][1][key]).outputs:
-      # freeze assign state before exec
-      if out.op is LoadOps.ASSIGN: prerealized[out] = out.buffer.as_buffer()
-    for x in ps.inputs:
-      if x not in ground_truth and x.device != "NPY": prerealized[x] = x.buffer.as_buffer()
-    si = ScheduleItem(ps.ast, tuple(x.buffer for x in ps.outputs if x.size != 0), tuple(x.buffer for x in ps.inputs if x.size != 0))
-    _exec_si(si, seed)
-    for out in ps.outputs:
-      ground_truth[out] = out.buffer.as_buffer()
-      del out.srcs # only schedule the LazyBuffer in this fuzz run
+  seed = Tensor._seed
 
-  # exec and validate each permutation with new Buffers
   for i, (ts, (ctx, prescheduled)) in enumerate(toposorts.items()):
-    if i == 0: continue
     if DEBUG >= 1: print(colored(f"testing permutation {i} {ctx}", "yellow"))
     rawbufs: Dict[LazyBuffer, Buffer] = {}
     for key in ts:
+      # setup ground truth
+      if i == 0:
+        for out in (ps:=prescheduled[key]).outputs:
+          # freeze assign state before exec
+          if out.op is LoadOps.ASSIGN: prerealized[out] = out.buffer.as_buffer()
+        for x in ps.inputs:
+          if x not in ground_truth and x.device != "NPY": prerealized[x] = x.buffer.as_buffer()
+        si = ScheduleItem(ps.ast, tuple(x.buffer for x in ps.outputs if x.size != 0), tuple(x.buffer for x in ps.inputs if x.size != 0))
+        _exec_si(si, seed)
+        for out in ps.outputs:
+          ground_truth[out] = out.buffer.as_buffer()
+          del out.srcs # only schedule the LazyBuffer in this fuzz run
+        continue
+
+      # exec and validate the permutation with new Buffers
       for out in (ps:=prescheduled[key]).outputs:
         rawbufs[out] = Buffer(out.buffer.device, out.buffer.size, out.buffer.dtype)
         if out.op is LoadOps.ASSIGN: rawbufs[out].ensure_allocated().copyin(prerealized[out])