diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index dfa32d516..e92335c7c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -901,9 +901,12 @@ ggml/src/ggml-metal.o: \
 ifdef GGML_METAL_EMBED_LIBRARY
 ggml/src/ggml-metal-embed.o: \
 	ggml/src/ggml-metal.metal \
-	ggml/src/ggml-common.h
+	ggml/src/ggml-common.h \
+	ggml/src/ggml-metal-impl.h
 	@echo "Embedding Metal library"
-	@sed -e '/#include "ggml-common.h"/r ggml/src/ggml-common.h' -e '/#include "ggml-common.h"/d' < ggml/src/ggml-metal.metal > ggml/src/ggml-metal-embed.metal
+	@sed -e '/#include "ggml-common.h"/r     ggml/src/ggml-common.h'     -e '/#include "ggml-common.h"/d'     < ggml/src/ggml-metal.metal           > ggml/src/ggml-metal-embed.metal.tmp
+	@sed -e '/#include "ggml-metal-impl.h"/r ggml/src/ggml-metal-impl.h' -e '/#include "ggml-metal-impl.h"/d' < ggml/src/ggml-metal-embed.metal.tmp > ggml/src/ggml-metal-embed.metal
+
 	$(eval TEMP_ASSEMBLY=$(shell mktemp -d))
 	@echo ".section __DATA, __ggml_metallib"            >  $(TEMP_ASSEMBLY)/ggml-metal-embed.s
 	@echo ".globl _ggml_metallib_start"                 >> $(TEMP_ASSEMBLY)/ggml-metal-embed.s
diff --git a/ggml/src/CMakeLists.txt b/ggml/src/CMakeLists.txt
index a05f8c505..670389569 100644
--- a/ggml/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ggml/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -62,9 +62,10 @@ if (GGML_METAL)
         add_compile_definitions(GGML_METAL_USE_BF16)
     endif()
 
-    # copy ggml-common.h and ggml-metal.metal to bin directory
-    configure_file(ggml-common.h    ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/ggml-common.h    COPYONLY)
-    configure_file(ggml-metal.metal ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/ggml-metal.metal COPYONLY)
+    # copy metal files to bin directory
+    configure_file(ggml-common.h      ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/ggml-common.h     COPYONLY)
+    configure_file(ggml-metal-impl.h  ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/ggml-metal-impl.h COPYONLY)
+    configure_file(ggml-metal.metal   ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/ggml-metal.metal  COPYONLY)
 
     if (GGML_METAL_EMBED_LIBRARY)
         enable_language(ASM)
@@ -72,25 +73,28 @@ if (GGML_METAL)
         add_compile_definitions(GGML_METAL_EMBED_LIBRARY)
 
         set(METALLIB_COMMON "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/ggml-common.h")
+        set(METALLIB_IMPL   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/ggml-metal-impl.h")
         set(METALLIB_SOURCE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/ggml-metal.metal")
 
         file(MAKE_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/autogenerated")
 
         # merge ggml-common.h and ggml-metal.metal into a single file
-        set(METALLIB_EMBED_ASM    "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/autogenerated/ggml-metal-embed.s")
-        set(METALLIB_SOURCE_EMBED "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/autogenerated/ggml-metal-embed.metal")
+        set(METALLIB_EMBED_ASM        "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/autogenerated/ggml-metal-embed.s")
+        set(METALLIB_SOURCE_EMBED     "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/autogenerated/ggml-metal-embed.metal")
+        set(METALLIB_SOURCE_EMBED_TMP "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/autogenerated/ggml-metal-embed.metal.tmp")
 
         add_custom_command(
             OUTPUT ${METALLIB_EMBED_ASM}
             COMMAND echo "Embedding Metal library"
-            COMMAND sed -e '/\#include \"ggml-common.h\"/r ${METALLIB_COMMON}' -e '/\#include \"ggml-common.h\"/d' < ${METALLIB_SOURCE} > ${METALLIB_SOURCE_EMBED}
+            COMMAND sed -e '/\#include \"ggml-common.h\"/r     ${METALLIB_COMMON}' -e '/\#include \"ggml-common.h\"/d'     < ${METALLIB_SOURCE}           > ${METALLIB_SOURCE_EMBED_TMP}
+            COMMAND sed -e '/\#include \"ggml-metal-impl.h\"/r ${METALLIB_IMPL}'   -e '/\#include \"ggml-metal-impl.h\"/d' < ${METALLIB_SOURCE_EMBED_TMP} > ${METALLIB_SOURCE_EMBED}
             COMMAND echo ".section __DATA,__ggml_metallib"          >  ${METALLIB_EMBED_ASM}
             COMMAND echo ".globl _ggml_metallib_start"              >> ${METALLIB_EMBED_ASM}
             COMMAND echo "_ggml_metallib_start:"                    >> ${METALLIB_EMBED_ASM}
             COMMAND echo ".incbin \\\"${METALLIB_SOURCE_EMBED}\\\"" >> ${METALLIB_EMBED_ASM}
             COMMAND echo ".globl _ggml_metallib_end"                >> ${METALLIB_EMBED_ASM}
             COMMAND echo "_ggml_metallib_end:"                      >> ${METALLIB_EMBED_ASM}
-            DEPENDS ggml-metal.metal ggml-common.h
+            DEPENDS ggml-metal.metal ggml-common.h ggml-metal-impl.h
             COMMENT "Generate assembly for embedded Metal library"
         )
 
@@ -128,8 +132,9 @@ if (GGML_METAL)
             COMMAND xcrun -sdk macosx metallib                ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/ggml-metal.air   -o ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/default.metallib
             COMMAND rm -f ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/ggml-metal.air
             COMMAND rm -f ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/ggml-common.h
+            COMMAND rm -f ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/ggml-metal-impl.h
             COMMAND rm -f ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/ggml-metal.metal
-            DEPENDS ggml-metal.metal ggml-common.h
+            DEPENDS ggml-metal.metal ggml-common.h ggml-metal-impl.h
             COMMENT "Compiling Metal kernels"
             )
 
diff --git a/ggml/src/ggml-common.h b/ggml/src/ggml-common.h
index d25100693..050161393 100644
--- a/ggml/src/ggml-common.h
+++ b/ggml/src/ggml-common.h
@@ -418,246 +418,6 @@ typedef struct {
 } block_iq4_xs;
 static_assert(sizeof(block_iq4_xs) == sizeof(ggml_half) + sizeof(uint16_t) + QK_K/64 + QK_K/2, "wrong iq4_xs block size/padding");
 
-#if defined(GGML_COMMON_DECL_METAL_KARGS)
-typedef struct {
-    int32_t  ne00;
-    int32_t  ne01;
-    int32_t  ne02;
-    int32_t  ne03;
-    uint64_t nb00;
-    uint64_t nb01;
-    uint64_t nb02;
-    uint64_t nb03;
-    int32_t  ne10;
-    int32_t  ne11;
-    int32_t  ne12;
-    int32_t  ne13;
-    uint64_t nb10;
-    uint64_t nb11;
-    uint64_t nb12;
-    uint64_t nb13;
-    int32_t  ne0;
-    int32_t  ne1;
-    int32_t  ne2;
-    int32_t  ne3;
-    uint64_t nb0;
-    uint64_t nb1;
-    uint64_t nb2;
-    uint64_t nb3;
-    int32_t  dim;
-} ggml_metal_kargs_concat;
-
-typedef struct {
-    int32_t  ne00;
-    int32_t  ne01;
-    int32_t  ne02;
-    int32_t  ne03;
-    uint64_t nb00;
-    uint64_t nb01;
-    uint64_t nb02;
-    uint64_t nb03;
-    int32_t  ne10;
-    int32_t  ne11;
-    int32_t  ne12;
-    int32_t  ne13;
-    uint64_t nb10;
-    uint64_t nb11;
-    uint64_t nb12;
-    uint64_t nb13;
-    int32_t  ne0;
-    int32_t  ne1;
-    int32_t  ne2;
-    int32_t  ne3;
-    uint64_t nb0;
-    uint64_t nb1;
-    uint64_t nb2;
-    uint64_t nb3;
-    uint64_t offs;
-} ggml_metal_kargs_bin;
-
-typedef struct {
-    int32_t  ne00;
-    int32_t  ne01;
-    int32_t  ne02;
-    int32_t  ne03;
-    uint64_t nb00;
-    uint64_t nb01;
-    uint64_t nb02;
-    uint64_t nb03;
-    int32_t  ne0;
-    int32_t  ne1;
-    int32_t  ne2;
-    int32_t  ne3;
-    uint64_t nb0;
-    uint64_t nb1;
-    uint64_t nb2;
-    uint64_t nb3;
-} ggml_metal_kargs_repeat;
-
-typedef struct {
-    int64_t  ne00;
-    int64_t  ne01;
-    int64_t  ne02;
-    int64_t  ne03;
-    uint64_t nb00;
-    uint64_t nb01;
-    uint64_t nb02;
-    uint64_t nb03;
-    int64_t  ne0;
-    int64_t  ne1;
-    int64_t  ne2;
-    int64_t  ne3;
-    uint64_t nb0;
-    uint64_t nb1;
-    uint64_t nb2;
-    uint64_t nb3;
-} ggml_metal_kargs_cpy;
-
-typedef struct {
-    int32_t  ne00;
-    int32_t  ne01;
-    int32_t  ne02;
-    int32_t  ne03;
-    uint64_t nb00;
-    uint64_t nb01;
-    uint64_t nb02;
-    uint64_t nb03;
-    int32_t  ne0;
-    int32_t  ne1;
-    int32_t  ne2;
-    int32_t  ne3;
-    uint64_t nb0;
-    uint64_t nb1;
-    uint64_t nb2;
-    uint64_t nb3;
-    int32_t  n_past;
-    int32_t  n_dims;
-    int32_t  n_ctx_orig;
-    float    freq_base;
-    float    freq_scale;
-    float    ext_factor;
-    float    attn_factor;
-    float    beta_fast;
-    float    beta_slow;
-} ggml_metal_kargs_rope;
-
-typedef struct {
-    int32_t  ne01;
-    int32_t  ne02;
-    int32_t  ne03;
-    uint64_t nb01;
-    uint64_t nb02;
-    uint64_t nb03;
-    int32_t  ne11;
-    int32_t  ne_12_2; // assume K and V are same shape
-    int32_t  ne_12_3;
-    uint64_t nb_12_1;
-    uint64_t nb_12_2;
-    uint64_t nb_12_3;
-    uint64_t nb31;
-    int32_t  ne1;
-    int32_t  ne2;
-    float    scale;
-    float    max_bias;
-    float    m0;
-    float    m1;
-    uint16_t n_head_log2;
-    float    logit_softcap;
-} ggml_metal_kargs_flash_attn_ext;
-
-typedef struct {
-    int32_t  ne00;
-    int32_t  ne02;
-    uint64_t nb01;
-    uint64_t nb02;
-    uint64_t nb03;
-    int32_t  ne12;
-    uint64_t nb10;
-    uint64_t nb11;
-    uint64_t nb12;
-    uint64_t nb13;
-    int32_t  ne0;
-    int32_t  ne1;
-    int16_t  r2;
-    int16_t  r3;
-} ggml_metal_kargs_mul_mm;
-
-typedef struct {
-    int32_t  ne00;
-    int32_t  ne01;
-    int32_t  ne02;
-    uint64_t nb00;
-    uint64_t nb01;
-    uint64_t nb02;
-    uint64_t nb03;
-    int32_t  ne10;
-    int32_t  ne11;
-    int32_t  ne12;
-    uint64_t nb10;
-    uint64_t nb11;
-    uint64_t nb12;
-    uint64_t nb13;
-    int32_t  ne0;
-    int32_t  ne1;
-    int16_t  r2;
-    int16_t  r3;
-} ggml_metal_kargs_mul_mv;
-
-typedef struct {
-    int32_t  nei0;
-    int32_t  nei1;
-    uint64_t nbi1;
-    int32_t  ne00;
-    int32_t  ne02;
-    uint64_t nb01;
-    uint64_t nb02;
-    int32_t  ne11;
-    int32_t  ne12;
-    int32_t  ne13;
-    uint64_t nb10;
-    uint64_t nb11;
-    uint64_t nb12;
-    int32_t  ne0;
-    int32_t  ne1;
-} ggml_metal_kargs_mul_mm_id;
-
-typedef struct {
-    int32_t  nei0;
-    int32_t  nei1;
-    uint64_t nbi1;
-    int32_t  ne00;
-    int32_t  ne01;
-    int32_t  ne02;
-    uint64_t nb00;
-    uint64_t nb01;
-    uint64_t nb02;
-    int32_t  ne10;
-    int32_t  ne11;
-    int32_t  ne12;
-    int32_t  ne13;
-    uint64_t nb10;
-    uint64_t nb11;
-    uint64_t nb12;
-    int32_t  ne0;
-    int32_t  ne1;
-    uint64_t nb1;
-} ggml_metal_kargs_mul_mv_id;
-
-typedef struct {
-    int32_t  ne00;
-    int32_t  ne00_4;
-    uint64_t nb01;
-    float    eps;
-} ggml_metal_kargs_norm;
-
-typedef struct {
-    int32_t  ne00;
-    int32_t  ne00_4;
-    uint64_t nb01;
-    float    eps;
-} ggml_metal_kargs_rms_norm;
-#endif
-
 #endif // GGML_COMMON_DECL
 #endif // GGML_COMMON_DECL
 
diff --git a/ggml/src/ggml-metal-impl.h b/ggml/src/ggml-metal-impl.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..53c135496
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ggml/src/ggml-metal-impl.h
@@ -0,0 +1,249 @@
+#ifndef GGML_METAL_IMPL
+#define GGML_METAL_IMPL
+
+// kernel argument structs
+//
+// - element counters (e.g. ne00) typically use int32_t to reduce register usage
+//   however, be careful from int overflows when using those in the kernel implementation
+//
+// - strides (e.g. nb00) use uint64_t
+
+typedef struct {
+    int32_t  ne00;
+    int32_t  ne01;
+    int32_t  ne02;
+    int32_t  ne03;
+    uint64_t nb00;
+    uint64_t nb01;
+    uint64_t nb02;
+    uint64_t nb03;
+    int32_t  ne10;
+    int32_t  ne11;
+    int32_t  ne12;
+    int32_t  ne13;
+    uint64_t nb10;
+    uint64_t nb11;
+    uint64_t nb12;
+    uint64_t nb13;
+    int32_t  ne0;
+    int32_t  ne1;
+    int32_t  ne2;
+    int32_t  ne3;
+    uint64_t nb0;
+    uint64_t nb1;
+    uint64_t nb2;
+    uint64_t nb3;
+    int32_t  dim;
+} ggml_metal_kargs_concat;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int32_t  ne00;
+    int32_t  ne01;
+    int32_t  ne02;
+    int32_t  ne03;
+    uint64_t nb00;
+    uint64_t nb01;
+    uint64_t nb02;
+    uint64_t nb03;
+    int32_t  ne10;
+    int32_t  ne11;
+    int32_t  ne12;
+    int32_t  ne13;
+    uint64_t nb10;
+    uint64_t nb11;
+    uint64_t nb12;
+    uint64_t nb13;
+    int32_t  ne0;
+    int32_t  ne1;
+    int32_t  ne2;
+    int32_t  ne3;
+    uint64_t nb0;
+    uint64_t nb1;
+    uint64_t nb2;
+    uint64_t nb3;
+    uint64_t offs;
+} ggml_metal_kargs_bin;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int32_t  ne00;
+    int32_t  ne01;
+    int32_t  ne02;
+    int32_t  ne03;
+    uint64_t nb00;
+    uint64_t nb01;
+    uint64_t nb02;
+    uint64_t nb03;
+    int32_t  ne0;
+    int32_t  ne1;
+    int32_t  ne2;
+    int32_t  ne3;
+    uint64_t nb0;
+    uint64_t nb1;
+    uint64_t nb2;
+    uint64_t nb3;
+} ggml_metal_kargs_repeat;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int64_t  ne00;
+    int64_t  ne01;
+    int64_t  ne02;
+    int64_t  ne03;
+    uint64_t nb00;
+    uint64_t nb01;
+    uint64_t nb02;
+    uint64_t nb03;
+    int64_t  ne0;
+    int64_t  ne1;
+    int64_t  ne2;
+    int64_t  ne3;
+    uint64_t nb0;
+    uint64_t nb1;
+    uint64_t nb2;
+    uint64_t nb3;
+} ggml_metal_kargs_cpy;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int32_t  ne00;
+    int32_t  ne01;
+    int32_t  ne02;
+    int32_t  ne03;
+    uint64_t nb00;
+    uint64_t nb01;
+    uint64_t nb02;
+    uint64_t nb03;
+    int32_t  ne0;
+    int32_t  ne1;
+    int32_t  ne2;
+    int32_t  ne3;
+    uint64_t nb0;
+    uint64_t nb1;
+    uint64_t nb2;
+    uint64_t nb3;
+    int32_t  n_past;
+    int32_t  n_dims;
+    int32_t  n_ctx_orig;
+    float    freq_base;
+    float    freq_scale;
+    float    ext_factor;
+    float    attn_factor;
+    float    beta_fast;
+    float    beta_slow;
+} ggml_metal_kargs_rope;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int32_t  ne01;
+    int32_t  ne02;
+    int32_t  ne03;
+    uint64_t nb01;
+    uint64_t nb02;
+    uint64_t nb03;
+    int32_t  ne11;
+    int32_t  ne_12_2; // assume K and V are same shape
+    int32_t  ne_12_3;
+    uint64_t nb_12_1;
+    uint64_t nb_12_2;
+    uint64_t nb_12_3;
+    uint64_t nb31;
+    int32_t  ne1;
+    int32_t  ne2;
+    float    scale;
+    float    max_bias;
+    float    m0;
+    float    m1;
+    uint16_t n_head_log2;
+    float    logit_softcap;
+} ggml_metal_kargs_flash_attn_ext;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int32_t  ne00;
+    int32_t  ne02;
+    uint64_t nb01;
+    uint64_t nb02;
+    uint64_t nb03;
+    int32_t  ne12;
+    uint64_t nb10;
+    uint64_t nb11;
+    uint64_t nb12;
+    uint64_t nb13;
+    int32_t  ne0;
+    int32_t  ne1;
+    int16_t  r2;
+    int16_t  r3;
+} ggml_metal_kargs_mul_mm;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int32_t  ne00;
+    int32_t  ne01;
+    int32_t  ne02;
+    uint64_t nb00;
+    uint64_t nb01;
+    uint64_t nb02;
+    uint64_t nb03;
+    int32_t  ne10;
+    int32_t  ne11;
+    int32_t  ne12;
+    uint64_t nb10;
+    uint64_t nb11;
+    uint64_t nb12;
+    uint64_t nb13;
+    int32_t  ne0;
+    int32_t  ne1;
+    int16_t  r2;
+    int16_t  r3;
+} ggml_metal_kargs_mul_mv;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int32_t  nei0;
+    int32_t  nei1;
+    uint64_t nbi1;
+    int32_t  ne00;
+    int32_t  ne02;
+    uint64_t nb01;
+    uint64_t nb02;
+    int32_t  ne11;
+    int32_t  ne12;
+    int32_t  ne13;
+    uint64_t nb10;
+    uint64_t nb11;
+    uint64_t nb12;
+    int32_t  ne0;
+    int32_t  ne1;
+} ggml_metal_kargs_mul_mm_id;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int32_t  nei0;
+    int32_t  nei1;
+    uint64_t nbi1;
+    int32_t  ne00;
+    int32_t  ne01;
+    int32_t  ne02;
+    uint64_t nb00;
+    uint64_t nb01;
+    uint64_t nb02;
+    int32_t  ne10;
+    int32_t  ne11;
+    int32_t  ne12;
+    int32_t  ne13;
+    uint64_t nb10;
+    uint64_t nb11;
+    uint64_t nb12;
+    int32_t  ne0;
+    int32_t  ne1;
+    uint64_t nb1;
+} ggml_metal_kargs_mul_mv_id;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int32_t  ne00;
+    int32_t  ne00_4;
+    uint64_t nb01;
+    float    eps;
+} ggml_metal_kargs_norm;
+
+typedef struct {
+    int32_t  ne00;
+    int32_t  ne00_4;
+    uint64_t nb01;
+    float    eps;
+} ggml_metal_kargs_rms_norm;
+
+#endif // GGML_METAL_IMPL
diff --git a/ggml/src/ggml-metal.m b/ggml/src/ggml-metal.m
index 6af5ef2d1..d9060400f 100644
--- a/ggml/src/ggml-metal.m
+++ b/ggml/src/ggml-metal.m
@@ -2,10 +2,7 @@
 
 #import "ggml-impl.h"
 #import "ggml-backend-impl.h"
-
-#define GGML_COMMON_DECL_C
-#define GGML_COMMON_DECL_METAL_KARGS
-#include "ggml-common.h"
+#import "ggml-metal-impl.h"
 
 #import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
 
diff --git a/ggml/src/ggml-metal.metal b/ggml/src/ggml-metal.metal
index a0b4dfaff..90a7bccf9 100644
--- a/ggml/src/ggml-metal.metal
+++ b/ggml/src/ggml-metal.metal
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #define GGML_COMMON_DECL_METAL
-#define GGML_COMMON_DECL_METAL_KARGS
 #define GGML_COMMON_IMPL_METAL
 #include "ggml-common.h"
+#include "ggml-metal-impl.h"
 
 #include <metal_stdlib>