diff --git a/selfdrive/car/__init__.py b/selfdrive/car/__init__.py
index 356c09430b..3ef586b02b 100644
--- a/selfdrive/car/__init__.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/__init__.py
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ def create_button_events(cur_btn: int, prev_btn: int, buttons_dict: Dict[int, ca
     return events
 
   # Add events for button presses, handling when a button switches without going to unpressed
-  if prev_btn != unpressed_btn:
-    events.append(car.CarState.ButtonEvent(pressed=False,
-                                           type=buttons_dict.get(prev_btn, ButtonType.unknown)))
-  if cur_btn != unpressed_btn:
-    events.append(car.CarState.ButtonEvent(pressed=True,
-                                           type=buttons_dict.get(cur_btn, ButtonType.unknown)))
+  for pressed, btn in ((False, prev_btn), (True, cur_btn)):
+    if btn == unpressed_btn:
+      continue
+
+    events.append(car.CarState.ButtonEvent(pressed=pressed,
+                                           type=buttons_dict.get(btn, ButtonType.unknown)))
 
   return events