diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index ea0870666e..9883fb1b99 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Test one op in torch tests
       run: PYTHONPATH=. DEBUG=2 python3 extra/torch_backend/torch_tests.py TestTinyBackendPRIVATEUSE1.test_unary_log_tiny_float32
     - name: Test beautiful_mnist in torch with TINY_BACKEND
-      run: PYTHONPATH=. TARGET_EVAL_ACC_PCT=96.0 TINY_BACKEND=1 python3 examples/other_mnist/beautiful_mnist_torch.py
+      run: PYTHONPATH=. LLVM=1 TARGET_EVAL_ACC_PCT=96.0 TINY_BACKEND=1 python3 examples/other_mnist/beautiful_mnist_torch.py
     - name: Test Ops with TINY_BACKEND (expect failure)
       run: PYTHONPATH=. LLVM=1 LLVMOPT=0 TINY_BACKEND=1 python3 -m pytest -n auto test/test_ops.py || true
     - name: Test some torch tests (expect failure)
diff --git a/extra/torch_backend/backend.py b/extra/torch_backend/backend.py
index f3e14d03e2..7c0b9ccf8e 100644
--- a/extra/torch_backend/backend.py
+++ b/extra/torch_backend/backend.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ from tinygrad import Tensor, dtypes
 from tinygrad.helpers import DEBUG, getenv, prod
 import torch.lib
 TORCH_DEBUG = getenv("TORCH_DEBUG")
-import torch, pathlib, math, operator
+import torch, pathlib, math, operator, functools
 torch.autograd.grad_mode.set_multithreading_enabled(False)
 from tinygrad.dtype import _from_torch_dtype, _to_torch_dtype
 
@@ -40,18 +40,22 @@ def masked_select(self, mask):
   # err, bad
   return wrap(Tensor(self.cpu().numpy()[mask.cpu().numpy()]))
 
+@functools.lru_cache(None)
+def cached_to_movement_ops(shape, st) -> list:
+  mops = to_movement_ops(st)
+  if mops[0] == (MovementOps.RESHAPE, shape): mops = mops[1:]
+  return mops
+
 from tinygrad.shape.shapetracker import ShapeTracker, View
 from extra.to_movement_ops import to_movement_ops, apply_mop, MovementOps
 @torch.library.impl("aten::as_strided", "privateuseone")
 def as_strided(tensor:torch.Tensor, size, stride, storage_offset=None):
   # TODO: this is heavyweight
-  st = ShapeTracker([View.create(tuple(tensor.shape)), View.create(tuple(size), tuple(stride), 0 if storage_offset is None else storage_offset)])
+  st = ShapeTracker((View.create(tuple(tensor.shape)), View.create(tuple(size), tuple(stride), 0 if storage_offset is None else storage_offset)))
   ret = unwrap(tensor)
   if prod(size) == 1: return wrap(ret.flatten()[storage_offset].reshape(size))
   if TORCH_DEBUG >= 1: print("**** as_strided", tensor.shape, size, stride, st)
-  mops = to_movement_ops(st)
-  if mops[0] == (MovementOps.RESHAPE, tuple(tensor.shape)): mops = mops[1:]
-  for mo in mops: ret = apply_mop(ret, mo)
+  for mo in cached_to_movement_ops(tuple(tensor.shape), st): ret = apply_mop(ret, mo)
   return wrap(ret)
 
 @torch.library.impl("aten::empty_strided", "privateuseone")
@@ -75,11 +79,10 @@ def max_pool2d_with_indices(self:Tensor, kernel_size, stride=None, padding=0, di
 
 @torch.library.impl("aten::max_pool2d_with_indices_backward", "privateuseone")
 def max_pool2d_with_indices_backward(grad_out:Tensor, self:Tensor, kernel_size, stride=None, padding=0, dilation=1, ceil_mode=False, indices=None):
-  grad_out, self, indices = unwrap(grad_out), unwrap(self), unwrap(indices)
   # TODO: utilize input indices once they are correct
-  self = self.detach().clone().requires_grad_(True)
-  Tensor.max_pool2d(self, kernel_size, stride, dilation, padding, ceil_mode).backward(grad_out)
-  return wrap(self.grad)
+  grad_out, self = unwrap(grad_out), unwrap(self)
+  out = Tensor.max_pool2d(self, kernel_size, stride, dilation, padding, ceil_mode)
+  return wrap(out.gradient(self, gradient=grad_out)[0])
 
 @torch.library.impl("aten::arange", "privateuseone")
 def arange(end, dtype=None, device=None, pin_memory=None):
@@ -117,19 +120,15 @@ def convolution_overrideable(input, weight, bias, stride, padding, dilation, tra
     print(f"convolution {input.shape=} {weight.shape=} {stride=} {padding=} {dilation=} {transposed=} {output_padding=} {groups=}")
   return wrap(unwrap(input).conv2d(unwrap(weight), unwrap(bias) if bias is not None else None,
                                    groups=groups, stride=stride, dilation=dilation, padding=padding))
-  #raise NotImplementedError("need convolution")
 
 @torch.library.impl("aten::convolution_backward_overrideable", "privateuseone")
 def convolution_backward_overrideable(grad_out, input, weight, stride, padding, dilation, transposed, output_padding, groups, output_mask):
   if TORCH_DEBUG >= 1:
     print(f"convolution_backward {input.shape=} {weight.shape=} {stride=} {padding=} {dilation=} {transposed=} {output_padding=} {groups=}")
-  grad_out, input, weight = unwrap(grad_out), unwrap(input), unwrap(weight)
-  input = input.detach().clone().requires_grad_(output_mask[0])
-  weight = weight.detach().clone().requires_grad_(output_mask[1])
-  bias = Tensor.zeros(weight.shape[0]).requires_grad_(output_mask[2])
-  Tensor.conv2d(input, weight, bias, groups=groups, stride=stride, dilation=dilation, padding=padding).backward(grad_out)
-  return tuple(wrap(x.grad) if x.grad is not None else None for x in [input, weight, bias])
-  #raise NotImplementedError("need convolution")
+  grad_out, input, weight, bias = unwrap(grad_out), unwrap(input), unwrap(weight), Tensor.zeros(weight.shape[0])
+  out = Tensor.conv2d(input, weight, bias, groups=groups, stride=stride, dilation=dilation, padding=padding)
+  grads = out.gradient(*[t for t,m in zip([input, weight, bias], output_mask) if m], gradient=grad_out)
+  return tuple([wrap(grads.pop(0)) if m else None for m in output_mask])
 
 @torch.library.impl("aten::_copy_from", "privateuseone")
 def _copy_from(src, dest, non_blocking=False):
@@ -141,9 +140,6 @@ def _copy_from(src, dest, non_blocking=False):
     dest.copy_(torch.from_numpy(unwrap(src).numpy()))
   elif str(src.device) == "cpu" and str(dest.device) == "tiny":
     unwrap(dest).assign(Tensor(src.numpy()))
-    #if 0 in dest.stride():
-    #  print(dest.shape, dest.stride())
-    #  exit(0)
   else:
     raise NotImplementedError(f"can't copy from {src.device} -> {dest.device}")