diff --git a/test/test_tensor.py b/test/test_tensor.py
index 9ec42a6f57..a053549781 100644
--- a/test/test_tensor.py
+++ b/test/test_tensor.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import torch
 import unittest, copy, mmap, random, math, array
 from tinygrad import Tensor, Device, dtypes
 from tinygrad.tensor import _METADATA
-from tinygrad.helpers import getenv, temp, mv_address
+from tinygrad.helpers import Context, getenv, temp, mv_address
 from extra.gradcheck import numerical_jacobian, jacobian, gradcheck
 from hypothesis import given, settings, strategies as strat
 from tinygrad.device import is_dtype_supported
@@ -846,6 +846,16 @@ class TestTensorMetadata(unittest.TestCase):
     #self.assertEqual(len(bw), 1)
     #self.assertEqual(bw[0].name, "sigmoid")
 
+  def test_tracemeta_0(self):
+    with Context(TRACEMETA=0):
+      x = Tensor.rand(3, requires_grad=True)
+      y = Tensor.rand(3, requires_grad=True)
+      out = (x.relu() * y.sigmoid()).sum()
+      self.assertIsNone(out.uop.metadata)
+      self.assertIsNone(out.uop.src[0].metadata)
+      si = out.schedule()[-1]
+      self.assertEqual(si.metadata, ())
+
 class TestIdxUpcast(unittest.TestCase):
   def _find_op(self, ast: UOp, op: Ops):
     if ast.op is op: return ast
diff --git a/tinygrad/tensor.py b/tinygrad/tensor.py
index b0eedcaf80..a6b86ae080 100644
--- a/tinygrad/tensor.py
+++ b/tinygrad/tensor.py
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ class Tensor(OpMixin):
 
   def _apply_uop(self, fxn:Callable, *x:Tensor, extra_args=(), **kwargs) -> Tensor:
     new_uop: UOp = fxn(*[t.uop for t in (self,)+x], *extra_args, **kwargs)
-    if (metadata:=_METADATA.get()) is not None: all_metadata[new_uop] = (metadata,)
+    if (metadata:=_METADATA.get()) is not None and TRACEMETA >= 1: all_metadata[new_uop] = (metadata,)
     needs_input_grad = [t.requires_grad for t in (self,)+x]
     return Tensor(new_uop, device=new_uop.device, requires_grad=True if any(needs_input_grad) else None if None in needs_input_grad else False)
 
@@ -4178,7 +4178,7 @@ _METADATA: _ContextVar[Metadata|None] = _ContextVar(default=None)
 
 def _metadata_wrapper(fn: Callable[P, T]) -> Callable[P, T]:
   def _wrapper(*args: P.args, **kwargs: P.kwargs) -> T:
-    if _METADATA.get() is not None: return fn(*args, **kwargs)
+    if TRACEMETA < 1 or _METADATA.get() is not None: return fn(*args, **kwargs)
 
     if TRACEMETA >= 2:
       caller_frame = sys._getframe(frame := 1)