diff --git a/tinygrad/runtime/support/am/ip.py b/tinygrad/runtime/support/am/ip.py
index b7a8e46307..59e0fa4301 100644
--- a/tinygrad/runtime/support/am/ip.py
+++ b/tinygrad/runtime/support/am/ip.py
@@ -449,8 +449,8 @@ class AM_SDMA(AM_IP):
     reg, inst = ("regSDMA_GFX", pipe*4+queue) if self.adev.ip_ver[am.SDMA0_HWIP][:2] == (4,4) else (f"regSDMA{pipe}_QUEUE{queue}", 0)
 
     self.adev.reg(f"{reg}_MINOR_PTR_UPDATE").write(0x1, inst=inst)
-    self.adev.wreg_pair(f"{reg}_RB_RPTR", "", "_HI", 0, inst=inst)
-    self.adev.wreg_pair(f"{reg}_RB_WPTR", "", "_HI", 0, inst=inst)
+    if not self.adev.partial_boot: self.adev.wreg_pair(f"{reg}_RB_RPTR", "", "_HI", 0, inst=inst)
+    if not self.adev.partial_boot: self.adev.wreg_pair(f"{reg}_RB_WPTR", "", "_HI", 0, inst=inst)
     self.adev.wreg_pair(f"{reg}_RB_BASE", "", "_HI", ring_addr >> 8, inst=inst)
     self.adev.wreg_pair(f"{reg}_RB_RPTR_ADDR", "_LO", "_HI", rptr_addr, inst=inst)
     self.adev.wreg_pair(f"{reg}_RB_WPTR_POLL_ADDR", "_LO", "_HI", wptr_addr, inst=inst)