diff --git a/test/imported/test_indexing.py b/test/imported/test_indexing.py
index 23ad967d07f9..e4b9264c5e9c 100644
--- a/test/imported/test_indexing.py
+++ b/test/imported/test_indexing.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ def consec(shape, start=1):
 def set_(reference: Tensor, shape, strides, offset):
   if reference.lazydata.base.realized is None: reference.realize()
   assert reference.lazydata.base.realized, "base has to be realized before setting it to strided's base"
-  strided = Tensor(reference.lazydata._view(ShapeTracker((View.create(shape=shape, strides=strides, offset=offset),))))
+  strided = Tensor(reference.lazydata.view(ShapeTracker((View.create(shape=shape, strides=strides, offset=offset),))))
   assert strided.lazydata.st.real_strides() == strides, "real_strides should equal strides for strided"
   return strided
 
diff --git a/test/test_lazybuffer.py b/test/test_lazybuffer.py
index 70e5c798e09a..a56b1d2b8349 100644
--- a/test/test_lazybuffer.py
+++ b/test/test_lazybuffer.py
@@ -63,12 +63,12 @@ def test_shrink_const_then_cast(self):
 
   def test_const_dtype(self):
     lb: LazyBuffer = Tensor([1], dtype=dtypes.int).lazydata
-    assert lb.const_like(1).base.arg == 1
-    assert type(lb.const_like(1).base.arg) is int
+    assert lb.const_like(1).const_arg == 1
+    assert type(lb.const_like(1).const_arg) is int
 
     lb: LazyBuffer = Tensor([1], dtype=dtypes.float).lazydata
-    assert lb.const_like(1).base.arg == 1.0
-    assert type(lb.const_like(1).base.arg) is float
+    assert lb.const_like(1).const_arg == 1.0
+    assert type(lb.const_like(1).const_arg) is float
 
   def test_forced_realized_alu(self):
     a = Tensor.randn(2, 2).realize()
diff --git a/tinygrad/engine/lazy.py b/tinygrad/engine/lazy.py
index a23c173fd2a2..868915eed185 100644
--- a/tinygrad/engine/lazy.py
+++ b/tinygrad/engine/lazy.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ def cast(self, dtype:DType, bitcast:bool=False, allow_buffer_view=True) -> LazyB
       new_shape = new_shape[:-1] + ((new_shape[-1]*self.dtype.itemsize) // dtype.itemsize,)
     elif getenv("CAST_BEFORE_VIEW", 1) and dtype.itemsize <= self.dtype.itemsize and self is not self.base:
       # TODO: applying this makes gpt2 slower
-      return self.base.cast(dtype, bitcast)._view(self.st)
+      return self.base.cast(dtype, bitcast).view(self.st)
     cast_op: Ops = (Ops.BUFFER_VIEW if self.can_view() and allow_buffer_view else Ops.BITCAST) if bitcast else Ops.CAST
     return create_lazybuffer(self.device, ShapeTracker.from_shape(new_shape), dtype, cast_op, None, (self,))
 
@@ -135,13 +135,13 @@ def copy_to_device(self, device:str, force:bool=False, clone:bool=False) -> Lazy
 
     # const doesn't have to be copied (issues with disk tensor)
     if self.is_unrealized_const():
-      return LazyBuffer.metaop(Ops.CONST, tuple(), self.dtype, device, arg=self.base.arg)._view(self.st)
+      return LazyBuffer.metaop(Ops.CONST, tuple(), self.dtype, device, arg=self.base.arg).view(self.st)
 
     # if it's a shrink, do the shrink before the copy with CONTIGUOUS
     if prod(self.st.shape) < prod(self.base.st.shape): return self.contiguous()._copy(device)
 
     # copy the base and apply the shapetracker on the new device
-    return self.base._copy(device)._view(self.st)
+    return self.base._copy(device).view(self.st)
 
   def clone(self) -> LazyBuffer: return self.copy_to_device(self.device, clone=True)
 
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ def alu(self, op:Ops, *in_srcs:LazyBuffer) -> LazyBuffer:
     srcs: List[LazyBuffer] = []
     for s in (self,)+in_srcs:
       if s == s.base and s.base.contiguous_child and (root:=s.base.contiguous_child[0]()) is not None:
-        srcs.append(root._view(s.base.contiguous_child[1]))
+        srcs.append(root.view(s.base.contiguous_child[1]))
       else:
         srcs.append(s)
     if not all_same(dts:=[x.dtype.base for x in (srcs[1:] if op is Ops.WHERE else srcs)]):
@@ -207,15 +207,15 @@ def r(self, op:Ops, axis:Tuple[int, ...]) -> LazyBuffer:
 
   # *** movement ops ***
 
-  def _view(self, new_st:ShapeTracker) -> LazyBuffer:
+  def view(self, new_st:ShapeTracker) -> LazyBuffer:
     if self.st.size == 0 or (new_st.views[-1].mask is not None and any((x[1]-x[0]) == 0 for x in new_st.views[-1].mask)):
       return self.const_with_shape(0, new_st.shape)
     if new_st.contiguous and self.base.shape == new_st.shape: return self.base
     return create_lazybuffer(self.device, new_st, self.dtype, base=self.base)
 
-  def reshape(self, arg:Tuple[sint, ...]): return self._view(self.st.reshape(arg))
-  def pad(self, arg:Tuple[Tuple[sint, sint], ...]): return self._view(self.st.pad(arg))
-  def expand(self, arg:Tuple[sint, ...]): return self._view(self.st.expand(arg))
-  def permute(self, arg:Tuple[int, ...]): return self._view(self.st.permute(arg))
-  def shrink(self, arg:Tuple[Tuple[sint, sint], ...]): return self._view(self.st.shrink(arg))
-  def stride(self, arg:Tuple[int, ...]): return self._view(self.st.stride(arg))
+  def reshape(self, arg:Tuple[sint, ...]): return self.view(self.st.reshape(arg))
+  def pad(self, arg:Tuple[Tuple[sint, sint], ...]): return self.view(self.st.pad(arg))
+  def expand(self, arg:Tuple[sint, ...]): return self.view(self.st.expand(arg))
+  def permute(self, arg:Tuple[int, ...]): return self.view(self.st.permute(arg))
+  def shrink(self, arg:Tuple[Tuple[sint, sint], ...]): return self.view(self.st.shrink(arg))
+  def stride(self, arg:Tuple[int, ...]): return self.view(self.st.stride(arg))