diff --git a/selfdrive/common/util.cc b/selfdrive/common/util.cc
index e6fabc2b95..aa5474ce2b 100644
--- a/selfdrive/common/util.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/common/util.cc
@@ -156,10 +156,6 @@ std::string dir_name(std::string const &path) {
   return path.substr(0, pos);
 }
 
-bool is_valid_dongle_id(std::string const& dongle_id) {
-  return !dongle_id.empty() && dongle_id != "UnregisteredDevice";
-}
-
 struct tm get_time() {
   time_t rawtime;
   time(&rawtime);
diff --git a/selfdrive/common/util.h b/selfdrive/common/util.h
index 1637a8380a..03e6064471 100644
--- a/selfdrive/common/util.h
+++ b/selfdrive/common/util.h
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ std::string tohex(const uint8_t* buf, size_t buf_size);
 std::string hexdump(const std::string& in);
 std::string base_name(std::string const& path);
 std::string dir_name(std::string const& path);
-bool is_valid_dongle_id(std::string const& dongle_id);
 
 // **** file fhelpers *****
 std::string read_file(const std::string& fn);
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/api.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/api.cc
index bfb3d8a1dd..4d42ab3c54 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/api.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/api.cc
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include "selfdrive/common/params.h"
 #include "selfdrive/common/util.h"
 #include "selfdrive/hardware/hw.h"
+#include "selfdrive/ui/qt/util.h"
 
 namespace CommaApi {
 
@@ -48,9 +49,8 @@ QByteArray rsa_sign(const QByteArray &data) {
 QString create_jwt(const QJsonObject &payloads, int expiry) {
   QJsonObject header = {{"alg", "RS256"}};
 
-  QString dongle_id = QString::fromStdString(Params().get("DongleId"));
   auto t = QDateTime::currentSecsSinceEpoch();
-  QJsonObject payload = {{"identity", dongle_id}, {"nbf", t}, {"iat", t}, {"exp", t + expiry}};
+  QJsonObject payload = {{"identity", getDongleId().value_or("")}, {"nbf", t}, {"iat", t}, {"exp", t + expiry}};
   for (auto it = payloads.begin(); it != payloads.end(); ++it) {
     payload.insert(it.key(), it.value());
   }
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/maps/map_settings.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/maps/map_settings.cc
index 4e5d4ea483..0b18f75e94 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/maps/map_settings.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/maps/map_settings.cc
@@ -93,19 +93,18 @@ MapPanel::MapPanel(QWidget* parent) : QWidget(parent) {
 
   clear();
 
-  std::string dongle_id = params.get("DongleId");
-  if (util::is_valid_dongle_id(dongle_id)) {
+  if (auto dongle_id = getDongleId()) {
     // Fetch favorite and recent locations
     {
-      std::string url = "https://api.commadotai.com/v1/navigation/" + dongle_id + "/locations";
-      RequestRepeater* repeater = new RequestRepeater(this, QString::fromStdString(url), "ApiCache_NavDestinations", 30, true);
+      QString url = "https://api.commadotai.com/v1/navigation/" + *dongle_id + "/locations";
+      RequestRepeater* repeater = new RequestRepeater(this, url, "ApiCache_NavDestinations", 30, true);
       QObject::connect(repeater, &RequestRepeater::receivedResponse, this, &MapPanel::parseResponse);
       QObject::connect(repeater, &RequestRepeater::failedResponse, this, &MapPanel::failedResponse);
     }
 
     // Destination set while offline
     {
-      QString url = QString::fromStdString("https://api.commadotai.com/v1/navigation/" + dongle_id + "/next");
+      QString url = "https://api.commadotai.com/v1/navigation/" + *dongle_id + "/next";
       RequestRepeater* repeater = new RequestRepeater(this, url, "", 10, true);
       HttpRequest* deleter = new HttpRequest(this);
 
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/offroad/settings.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/offroad/settings.cc
index 427aa52de6..d53a2f46ac 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/offroad/settings.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/offroad/settings.cc
@@ -95,9 +95,7 @@ TogglesPanel::TogglesPanel(QWidget *parent) : QWidget(parent) {
 DevicePanel::DevicePanel(QWidget* parent) : QWidget(parent) {
   QVBoxLayout *main_layout = new QVBoxLayout(this);
   Params params = Params();
-
-  QString dongle = QString::fromStdString(params.get("DongleId", false));
-  main_layout->addWidget(new LabelControl("Dongle ID", dongle));
+  main_layout->addWidget(new LabelControl("Dongle ID", getDongleId().value_or("")));
   main_layout->addWidget(horizontal_line());
 
   QString serial = QString::fromStdString(params.get("HardwareSerial", false));
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/offroad/wifiManager.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/offroad/wifiManager.cc
index f0ca79a06d..cd3bdbd293 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/offroad/wifiManager.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/offroad/wifiManager.cc
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 #include "selfdrive/common/params.h"
 #include "selfdrive/common/swaglog.h"
+#include "selfdrive/ui/qt/util.h"
 
 template <typename T>
 T get_response(QDBusMessage response) {
@@ -35,9 +36,8 @@ WifiManager::WifiManager(QWidget* parent) : QWidget(parent) {
 
   // Set tethering ssid as "weedle" + first 4 characters of a dongle id
   tethering_ssid = "weedle";
-  std::string bytes = Params().get("DongleId");
-  if (bytes.length() >= 4) {
-    tethering_ssid += "-" + QString::fromStdString(bytes.substr(0,4));
+  if (auto dongle_id = getDongleId()) {
+    tethering_ssid += "-" + dongle_id->left(4);
   }
 
   adapter = getAdapter();
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/util.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/util.cc
index 1091624aca..f352fedac3 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/util.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/util.cc
@@ -16,6 +16,17 @@ QString getBrandVersion() {
   return getBrand() + " v" + QString::fromStdString(Params().get("Version")).left(14).trimmed();
 }
 
+std::optional<QString> getDongleId() {
+  static QString dongleId;
+  if (dongleId.isEmpty()) {
+    std::string id = Params().get("DongleId");
+    if (!id.empty() && id != "UnregisteredDevice") {
+      dongleId = QString::fromStdString(id);
+    }
+  }
+  return !dongleId.isEmpty() ? std::make_optional(dongleId) : std::nullopt;
+}
+
 void configFont(QPainter &p, const QString &family, int size, const QString &style) {
   QFont f(family);
   f.setPixelSize(size);
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/util.h b/selfdrive/ui/qt/util.h
index 4928eae229..1c4e4b5f4c 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/util.h
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/util.h
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include <optional>
+
 #include <QDateTime>
 #include <QLayout>
 #include <QMouseEvent>
@@ -9,6 +11,7 @@
 
 QString getBrand();
 QString getBrandVersion();
+std::optional<QString> getDongleId();
 void configFont(QPainter &p, const QString &family, int size, const QString &style);
 void clearLayout(QLayout* layout);
 void setQtSurfaceFormat();
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/widgets/drive_stats.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/widgets/drive_stats.cc
index 573e9b044d..09c271feb4 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/widgets/drive_stats.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/widgets/drive_stats.cc
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "selfdrive/common/params.h"
 #include "selfdrive/ui/qt/request_repeater.h"
+#include "selfdrive/ui/qt/util.h"
 
 const double MILE_TO_KM = 1.60934;
 
@@ -46,10 +47,9 @@ DriveStats::DriveStats(QWidget* parent) : QFrame(parent) {
   main_layout->addStretch();
   add_stats_layouts("PAST WEEK", week_);
 
-  std::string dongle_id = Params().get("DongleId");
-  if (util::is_valid_dongle_id(dongle_id)) {
-    std::string url = "https://api.commadotai.com/v1.1/devices/" + dongle_id + "/stats";
-    RequestRepeater* repeater = new RequestRepeater(this, QString::fromStdString(url), "ApiCache_DriveStats", 30);
+  if (auto dongleId = getDongleId()) {
+    QString url = "https://api.commadotai.com/v1.1/devices/" + *dongleId + "/stats";
+    RequestRepeater* repeater = new RequestRepeater(this, url, "ApiCache_DriveStats", 30);
     QObject::connect(repeater, &RequestRepeater::receivedResponse, this, &DriveStats::parseResponse);
   }
 
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/widgets/prime.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/widgets/prime.cc
index a27e6aaa39..dc2c5039d7 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/widgets/prime.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/widgets/prime.cc
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <QrCode.hpp>
 
 #include "selfdrive/ui/qt/request_repeater.h"
+#include "selfdrive/ui/qt/util.h"
 
 using qrcodegen::QrCode;
 
@@ -109,10 +110,9 @@ PrimeUserWidget::PrimeUserWidget(QWidget* parent) : QWidget(parent) {
   mainLayout->addStretch();
 
   // set up API requests
-  std::string dongleId = Params().get("DongleId");
-  if (util::is_valid_dongle_id(dongleId)) {
-    std::string url = "https://api.commadotai.com/v1/devices/" + dongleId + "/owner";
-    RequestRepeater *repeater = new RequestRepeater(this, QString::fromStdString(url), "ApiCache_Owner", 6);
+  if (auto dongleId = getDongleId()) {
+    QString url = "https://api.commadotai.com/v1/devices/" + *dongleId + "/owner";
+    RequestRepeater *repeater = new RequestRepeater(this, url, "ApiCache_Owner", 6);
     QObject::connect(repeater, &RequestRepeater::receivedResponse, this, &PrimeUserWidget::replyFinished);
   }
 }
@@ -255,10 +255,9 @@ SetupWidget::SetupWidget(QWidget* parent) : QFrame(parent) {
   setSizePolicy(sp_retain);
 
   // set up API requests
-  std::string dongleId = Params().get("DongleId");
-  if (util::is_valid_dongle_id(dongleId)) {
-    std::string url = "https://api.commadotai.com/v1.1/devices/" + dongleId + "/";
-    RequestRepeater* repeater = new RequestRepeater(this, QString::fromStdString(url), "ApiCache_Device", 5);
+  if (auto dongleId = getDongleId()) {
+    QString url = "https://api.commadotai.com/v1.1/devices/" + *dongleId + "/";
+    RequestRepeater* repeater = new RequestRepeater(this, url, "ApiCache_Device", 5);
 
     QObject::connect(repeater, &RequestRepeater::receivedResponse, this, &SetupWidget::replyFinished);
     QObject::connect(repeater, &RequestRepeater::failedResponse, this, &SetupWidget::parseError);