diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index f8609df81ab1d..9ada02057ee39 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ jobs:
       - if: ${{ matrix.task == 'optimage' }}
         name: Test openpilot model compile and size
         run: |
-          PYTHONPATH="." DEBUG=2 ALLOWED_KERNEL_COUNT=208 FLOAT16=1 DEBUGCL=1 GPU=1 IMAGE=2 python examples/openpilot/compile2.py
+          PYTHONPATH="." DEBUG=2 ALLOWED_KERNEL_COUNT=208 ALLOWED_GATED_READ_IMAGE=530 FLOAT16=1 DEBUGCL=1 GPU=1 IMAGE=2 python examples/openpilot/compile2.py
           python -c 'import os; assert os.path.getsize("/tmp/output.thneed") < 100_000_000'
       - if: ${{ matrix.task == 'optimage' }}
         name: Test openpilot model correctness (float32)
diff --git a/examples/openpilot/compile2.py b/examples/openpilot/compile2.py
index 31615b3c87dce..a1b8caeadfb17 100644
--- a/examples/openpilot/compile2.py
+++ b/examples/openpilot/compile2.py
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ def to_ref(b:Buffer): return struct.pack("Q", id(b)).decode("latin_1")
 
   saved_binaries = set()
   binaries = []
+  gated_read_image_count = 0
   GlobalCounters.reset()
   with Context(DEBUG=max(DEBUG.value, 2)):
     for ei in eis:
@@ -173,6 +174,7 @@ def to_ref(b:Buffer): return struct.pack("Q", id(b)).decode("latin_1")
         jdat['binaries'].append({"name":prg.p.function_name, "length":len(prg.lib)})
         binaries.append(prg.lib)
         saved_binaries.add(prg.p.function_name)
+      gated_read_image_count += prg.p.src.count("?read_image")
       ei.run()
       jdat['kernels'].append({
         "name": prg.p.function_name,
@@ -184,6 +186,10 @@ def to_ref(b:Buffer): return struct.pack("Q", id(b)).decode("latin_1")
         "arg_size": [8]*len(ei.bufs),
       })
 
+  if (allowed_gated_read_image:=getenv("ALLOWED_GATED_READ_IMAGE", 0)):
+    assert gated_read_image_count <= allowed_gated_read_image, \
+      f"too many gated read_image! {gated_read_image_count=}, {allowed_gated_read_image=}"
+
   output_fn = sys.argv[2] if len(sys.argv) >= 3 else "/tmp/output.thneed"
   print(f"saving thneed to {output_fn} with {len(weights)} buffers and {len(binaries)} binaries")
   with open(output_fn, "wb") as f: