diff --git a/test/external/process_replay/process_replay.py b/test/external/process_replay/process_replay.py
index b0f35738..61908bd8 100755
--- a/test/external/process_replay/process_replay.py
+++ b/test/external/process_replay/process_replay.py
@@ -120,19 +120,21 @@ def process_replay():
   if COMPARE_SCHEDULE:
     conn = db_connection()
     cur = conn.cursor()
-    try: row_count = cur.execute(f"select count(*) from 'schedule_diff_{VERSION}'").fetchone()[0]
+    try: has_diff = cur.execute(f"select name from sqlite_master where type='table' and name='schedule_diff_{VERSION}'").fetchone()
     except sqlite3.OperationalError:
       logging.warning(f"schedule_diff_{VERSION} isn't accessible in master, did DB_VERSION change?")
       exit(0)
-    conn.commit()
-    cur.close()
-    processes = []
-    changed = multiprocessing.Manager().Value('b', False)
-    for i in tqdm(range(0, row_count, PAGE_SIZE)):
-      processes.append(p:=multiprocessing.Process(target=print_ast_diff, args=(i,)))
-      p.start()
-    for p in processes: p.join()
-    if row_count != 0 and ASSERT_DIFF: raise Exception("scheduler process replay detected changes")
+    if has_diff:
+      row_count = cur.execute(f"select count(*) from 'schedule_diff_{VERSION}'").fetchone()[0]
+      conn.commit()
+      cur.close()
+      processes = []
+      changed = multiprocessing.Manager().Value('b', False)
+      for i in tqdm(range(0, row_count, PAGE_SIZE)):
+        processes.append(p:=multiprocessing.Process(target=print_ast_diff, args=(i,)))
+        p.start()
+      for p in processes: p.join()
+      if ASSERT_DIFF: raise Exception("scheduler process replay detected changes")
 
   # *** kernel diff
   conn = db_connection()
diff --git a/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py b/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
index fc098371..7e6723f3 100644
--- a/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
+++ b/tinygrad/engine/schedule.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import sys, pickle, atexit
+import sys, pickle, atexit, importlib
 from collections import defaultdict, deque
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from typing import Tuple, List, Dict, Optional, Set, DefaultDict, cast, get_args
@@ -379,8 +379,9 @@ def create_schedule_with_vars(outs:List[LazyBuffer], seen:Optional[Set[LazyBuffe
   if seen is None: seen = set()
   graph, in_degree = _graph_schedule(outs, seen)
   if getenv("RUN_PROCESS_REPLAY"):
-    from test.external.process_replay.diff_schedule import process_replay
-    process_replay(outs, graph, in_degree)
+    try: importlib.import_module("test.external.process_replay.diff_schedule").process_replay(outs, graph, in_degree)
+    except ImportError: print("can't access test.external.process_replay.diff_schedule, hint: process relpay needs PYTHONPATH=.")
+
   queue = deque(lsi for lsi,deg in in_degree.items() if deg == 0)
   schedule: List[ScheduleItem] = []
   var_vals: Dict[Variable, int] = {}