diff --git a/selfdrive/modeld/dmonitoringmodeld.py b/selfdrive/modeld/dmonitoringmodeld.py
index 0187184a7acf44..774ac9567cb4a0 100755
--- a/selfdrive/modeld/dmonitoringmodeld.py
+++ b/selfdrive/modeld/dmonitoringmodeld.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def run(self, buf:VisionBuf, calib:np.ndarray) -> tuple[np.ndarray, float]:
     input_data[:] = buf_data[v_offset:v_offset+MODEL_HEIGHT, h_offset:h_offset+MODEL_WIDTH]
 
     t1 = time.perf_counter()
-    self.model.setInputBuffer("input_img", self.inputs['input_img'].view(np.float32))
+    self.model.setInputBuffer("input_img", self.inputs['input_img'])
     self.model.execute()
     t2 = time.perf_counter()
     return self.output, t2 - t1
diff --git a/selfdrive/modeld/modeld.py b/selfdrive/modeld/modeld.py
index de5c70bd02b7a7..6eb076c5ff1b18 100755
--- a/selfdrive/modeld/modeld.py
+++ b/selfdrive/modeld/modeld.py
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ def __init__(self, context: CLContext):
       'lateral_control_params': np.zeros(ModelConstants.LATERAL_CONTROL_PARAMS_LEN, dtype=np.float32),
       'prev_desired_curv': np.zeros(ModelConstants.PREV_DESIRED_CURV_LEN * (ModelConstants.HISTORY_BUFFER_LEN+1), dtype=np.float32),
       'features_buffer': np.zeros(ModelConstants.HISTORY_BUFFER_LEN * ModelConstants.FEATURE_LEN, dtype=np.float32),
-      'input_imgs': np.zeros(MODEL_FRAME_SIZE*2, dtype=np.uint8),
-      'big_input_imgs': np.zeros(MODEL_FRAME_SIZE*2, dtype=np.uint8),
+      'input_imgs': None,
+      'big_input_imgs': None,
     }
 
     with open(METADATA_PATH, 'rb') as f:
diff --git a/selfdrive/modeld/runners/runmodel_pyx.pyx b/selfdrive/modeld/runners/runmodel_pyx.pyx
index a2d6fc79a87792..8ef41ea17f7971 100644
--- a/selfdrive/modeld/runners/runmodel_pyx.pyx
+++ b/selfdrive/modeld/runners/runmodel_pyx.pyx
@@ -22,11 +22,12 @@ cdef class RunModel:
     else:
       self.model.addInput(name, NULL, 0)
 
-  def setInputBuffer(self, string name, float[:] buffer):
-    if buffer is not None:
-      self.model.setInputBuffer(name, &buffer[0], len(buffer))
-    else:
-      self.model.setInputBuffer(name, NULL, 0)
+  def setInputBuffer(self, string name, unsigned char[:] input_buffer):
+    cdef int num_floats = len(input_buffer) // sizeof(float)
+    cdef float* float_ptr = <float*> &input_buffer[0]
+    cdef float[:] float_buffer_view = <float[:num_floats]> float_ptr
+    if float_buffer_view is not None:
+      self.model.setInputBuffer(name, &float_buffer_view[0], num_floats)
 
   def getCLBuffer(self, string name):
     cdef void * cl_buf = self.model.getCLBuffer(name)