diff --git a/test/test_dtype.py b/test/test_dtype.py
index 42577acd..54f57a77 100644
--- a/test/test_dtype.py
+++ b/test/test_dtype.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from tinygrad.helpers import getenv, DEBUG, CI
 from tinygrad.dtype import DType, DTYPES_DICT, ImageDType, PtrDType, least_upper_float, least_upper_dtype
 from tinygrad import Device, Tensor, dtypes
 from tinygrad.tensor import _to_np_dtype
+from tinygrad.ops import truncate_fp16
 from hypothesis import given, settings, strategies as strat
 from test.helpers import is_dtype_supported, rand_for_dtype
 
@@ -382,6 +383,12 @@ class TestHelpers(unittest.TestCase):
         np.testing.assert_equal(dtypes.min(dt), False)
         np.testing.assert_equal(dtypes.max(dt), True)
 
+  def test_truncate_fp16(self):
+    self.assertEqual(truncate_fp16(1), 1)
+    self.assertEqual(truncate_fp16(65504), 65504)
+    self.assertEqual(truncate_fp16(65519.999), 65504)
+    self.assertEqual(truncate_fp16(65520), math.inf)
+
 class TestTypeSpec(unittest.TestCase):
   def setUp(self):
     self.old_default_int, self.old_default_float = dtypes.default_int, dtypes.default_float
diff --git a/tinygrad/ops.py b/tinygrad/ops.py
index ff3160d7..5fe880a3 100644
--- a/tinygrad/ops.py
+++ b/tinygrad/ops.py
@@ -459,10 +459,7 @@ python_alu: Dict[Op, Callable]  = {
   TernaryOps.MULACC: lambda x,y,z: (x*y)+z, TernaryOps.WHERE: lambda x,y,z: y if x else z}
 
 def truncate_fp16(x):
-  try:
-    x = float(x)
-    struct.pack("@e", x)
-    return x
+  try: return struct.unpack("@e", struct.pack("@e", float(x)))[0]
   except OverflowError: return math.copysign(math.inf, x)
 
 truncate: Dict[DType, Callable] = {dtypes.bool: bool,