diff --git a/test/test_viz.py b/test/test_viz.py
index c5a4bace74..d14fd7d97a 100644
--- a/test/test_viz.py
+++ b/test/test_viz.py
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ class TestViz(unittest.TestCase):
     self.assertIs(ret[0], a.sqrt().sin()) # only rewrite
 
   # NOTE: calling graph_rewrite when the function isn't decorated with track_rewrites should not VIZ
-  @unittest.expectedFailure
   def test_rewrite_without_context(self):
     def untracked_graph_rewrite(sink): return graph_rewrite(sink, symbolic)
     @track_rewrites(named=True)
diff --git a/tinygrad/ops.py b/tinygrad/ops.py
index 96ecf4f623..be97248936 100644
--- a/tinygrad/ops.py
+++ b/tinygrad/ops.py
@@ -878,11 +878,11 @@ class TrackedPatternMatcher(PatternMatcher):
           match_stats[p][0] += 1
           match_stats[p][3] += (et:=time.perf_counter()-st)
           if TRACK_MATCH_STATS >= 3: print(f"{et*1e6:7.2f} us -- ", p.printable())
-          if TRACK_MATCH_STATS >= 2 and isinstance(ret, UOp):
+          if TRACK_MATCH_STATS >= 2 and isinstance(ret, UOp) and len(tracked_ctxs) != 0:
             with Context(PICKLE_BUFFERS=0): tracked_ctxs[-1][-1].matches.append((pickle.dumps(uop), pickle.dumps(ret), p, et))
           return ret # NOTE: if it returns None, we keep trying to match
       match_stats[p][2] += time.perf_counter()-st
-    if TRACK_MATCH_STATS >= 2:
+    if TRACK_MATCH_STATS >= 2 and len(tracked_ctxs) != 0:
       with Context(PICKLE_BUFFERS=0): tracked_ctxs[-1][-1].matches.append((pickle.dumps(uop), None, None, 0))
     return None
 
@@ -934,7 +934,7 @@ class RewriteContext:
     return ret
 
 def graph_rewrite(sink:UOp, pm:PatternMatcher, ctx=None, bottom_up=False) -> UOp:
-  if TRACK_MATCH_STATS >= 2 and not bottom_up: # TODO: make viz work with bottom_up=True
+  if TRACK_MATCH_STATS >= 2 and not bottom_up and len(tracked_ctxs) != 0: # TODO: make viz work with bottom_up=True
     with Context(PICKLE_BUFFERS=0):
       tracked_ctxs[-1].append(TrackedGraphRewrite(((frm:=sys._getframe(1)).f_code.co_filename, frm.f_lineno), pickle.dumps(sink)))
   return RewriteContext(pm, ctx).bottom_up_rewrite(sink) if bottom_up else RewriteContext(pm, ctx).rewrite(sink)