diff --git a/test/opt/test_tensor_cores.py b/test/opt/test_tensor_cores.py
index 4d58bafb52..da9bbf80ea 100644
--- a/test/opt/test_tensor_cores.py
+++ b/test/opt/test_tensor_cores.py
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ class TestTensorCores(unittest.TestCase):
       helper_tc_ensure_uops_and_opts_count(tc.dims[0]//4, tc.dims[1], tc.dims[2], tc.dtype_in, tc.dtype_out, tc_opt=2, ensure_triggered=False)
       helper_tc_ensure_uops_and_opts_count(tc.dims[0], tc.dims[1]//4, tc.dims[2], tc.dtype_in, tc.dtype_out, tc_opt=2, ensure_triggered=False)
       if not AMX: # AMX tc.dims[2] == 1
-        helper_tc_ensure_uops_and_opts_count(tc.dims[0], tc.dims[1], tc.dims[2]//4, tc.dtype_in, tc.dtype_out, tc_opt=2, ensure_triggered=False)
+        helper_tc_ensure_uops_and_opts_count(tc.dims[0], tc.dims[1], tc.dims[2]//8, tc.dtype_in, tc.dtype_out, tc_opt=2, ensure_triggered=False)
 
   @unittest.skipIf(Device.DEFAULT == "PYTHON", "not generated on EMULATED device")
   @unittest.skipIf(CI and Device.DEFAULT in {"AMD"}, "AMD CI is really slow here")
diff --git a/tinygrad/codegen/opt/postrange.py b/tinygrad/codegen/opt/postrange.py
index d25a67cab9..cb08fb8cd6 100644
--- a/tinygrad/codegen/opt/postrange.py
+++ b/tinygrad/codegen/opt/postrange.py
@@ -185,7 +185,9 @@ class Scheduler:
       check(self._apply_tc_opt(use_tensor_cores, cast(int, opt.axis), tc_select, tc_opt), "no tensor core available")
     elif opt.op is OptOps.PADTO:
       check(rng.src[0].op is Ops.CONST, "only pad const")
-      replaced_rng = UOp.range(round_up(rng.vmax+1, cast(int, opt.arg)), *rng.arg)
+      new_sz = round_up(rng.vmax+1, cast(int, opt.arg))
+      check(rng.vmax+1 > new_sz//4, "pad adds more than quadruple the work")
+      replaced_rng = UOp.range(new_sz, *rng.arg)
       replaces = {rng:replaced_rng}
       for b in self.bufs:
         if rng in b.src[1].sparents:
@@ -239,10 +241,12 @@ class Scheduler:
           # do optimizations and save the ranges
           try:
             for i,a in enumerate(axes):
-              # apply_opt should return the updated range?
               idx = self.rngs.index(a)
-              self.apply_opt(Opt(OptOps.PADTO, idx, tc.dims[i]), append_opt=False) # PADTO might fail
-              axes[i] = self.rngs[idx]
+              if (a.vmax+1) % tc.dims[i] != 0:
+                if opt_level < 2: raise KernelOptError("tc padding requires opt_level >= 2")
+                # apply_opt should return the updated range?
+                self.apply_opt(Opt(OptOps.PADTO, idx, tc.dims[i]), append_opt=False) # PADTO might fail
+                axes[i] = self.rngs[idx]
           except KernelOptError: continue
 
           ne: list[UOp] = []