diff --git a/tensordict/_td.py b/tensordict/_td.py
index a8f3ddce7..add07b1cf 100644
--- a/tensordict/_td.py
+++ b/tensordict/_td.py
@@ -1302,7 +1302,7 @@ def _apply_nest(
         nested_keys: bool = False,
         prefix: tuple = (),
         filter_empty: bool | None = None,
-        is_leaf: Callable = None,
+        is_leaf: Callable | None = None,
         out: TensorDictBase | None = None,
         **constructor_kwargs,
     ) -> T | None:
@@ -1319,9 +1319,18 @@ def _apply_nest(
                     "batch_size and out.batch_size must be equal when both are provided."
                 )
             if device is not NO_DEFAULT and device != out.device:
-                raise RuntimeError(
-                    "device and out.device must be equal when both are provided."
-                )
+                if not checked:
+                    raise RuntimeError(
+                        f"device and out.device must be equal when both are provided. Got device={device} and out.device={out.device}."
+                    )
+                else:
+                    device = torch.device(device)
+                    out._device = device
+                    for node in out.values(True, True, is_leaf=_is_tensor_collection):
+                        if is_tensorclass(node):
+                            node._tensordict._device = device
+                        else:
+                            node._device = device
         else:
 
             def make_result(names=names, batch_size=batch_size):
diff --git a/tensordict/base.py b/tensordict/base.py
index e8898a01a..1b328aaa1 100644
--- a/tensordict/base.py
+++ b/tensordict/base.py
@@ -10586,6 +10586,8 @@ def to(tensor):
             else:
                 apply_kwargs["device"] = device if device is not None else self.device
                 apply_kwargs["batch_size"] = batch_size
+                apply_kwargs["out"] = self if inplace else None
+                apply_kwargs["checked"] = True
                 if non_blocking_pin:
 
                     def to_pinmem(tensor, _to=to):
@@ -10595,7 +10597,19 @@ def to_pinmem(tensor, _to=to):
                         to_pinmem, propagate_lock=True, **apply_kwargs
                     )
                 else:
-                    result = result._fast_apply(to, propagate_lock=True, **apply_kwargs)
+                    # result = result._fast_apply(to, propagate_lock=True, **apply_kwargs)
+                    keys, tensors = self._items_list(True, True)
+                    tensors = [to(t) for t in tensors]
+                    items = dict(zip(keys, tensors))
+                    result = self._fast_apply(
+                        lambda name, val: items.get(name, val),
+                        named=True,
+                        nested_keys=True,
+                        is_leaf=_NESTED_TENSORS_AS_LISTS,
+                        propagate_lock=True,
+                        **apply_kwargs,
+                    )
+
         if batch_size is not None:
             result.batch_size = batch_size
         if (