diff --git a/selfdrive/car/car_helpers.py b/selfdrive/car/car_helpers.py
index e99d61e4c1..5ffe043734 100644
--- a/selfdrive/car/car_helpers.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/car_helpers.py
@@ -27,12 +27,17 @@ def load_interfaces(brand_names):
   for brand_name in brand_names:
     path = ('selfdrive.car.%s' % brand_name)
     CarInterface = __import__(path + '.interface', fromlist=['CarInterface']).CarInterface
+
+    if os.path.exists(BASEDIR + '/' + path.replace('.', '/') + '/carstate.py'):
+      CarState = __import__(path + '.carstate', fromlist=['CarState']).CarState
+    else:
+      CarState = None
+
     if os.path.exists(BASEDIR + '/' + path.replace('.', '/') + '/carcontroller.py'):
       CarController = __import__(path + '.carcontroller', fromlist=['CarController']).CarController
-      CarState = __import__(path + '.carstate', fromlist=['CarState']).CarState
     else:
       CarController = None
-      CarState = None
+
     for model_name in brand_names[brand_name]:
       ret[model_name] = (CarInterface, CarController, CarState)
   return ret