diff --git a/tinygrad/tensor.py b/tinygrad/tensor.py
index ab0b784007db..3acd10be9f21 100644
--- a/tinygrad/tensor.py
+++ b/tinygrad/tensor.py
@@ -1151,8 +1151,8 @@ def round(self: Tensor) -> Tensor:
   def lerp(self, end: Tensor, weight: Union[Tensor, float]) -> Tensor: return self + (end - self) * weight
   def square(self): return self*self
   def clip(self, min_, max_): return self.maximum(min_).minimum(max_)
-  def abs(self): return self.relu() + (-self).relu()
-  def sign(self): return ((self.float()) / (self.float().abs() + 1e-12)).cast(self.dtype)
+  def abs(self): return (self < 0).detach().where(-self, self)
+  def sign(self): return (self == 0).detach().where(0, self / self.abs()).cast(self.dtype)
   def reciprocal(self): return F.Reciprocal.apply(self.cast(least_upper_float(self.dtype)))
 
   # ***** activation functions (unary) *****