diff --git a/tools/joystick/joystickd.py b/tools/joystick/joystickd.py
index b778a9b2c8..6226038d51 100755
--- a/tools/joystick/joystickd.py
+++ b/tools/joystick/joystickd.py
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 import os
-import time
 import argparse
+import threading
 from inputs import get_gamepad
 
 import cereal.messaging as messaging
+from common.realtime import Ratekeeper
 from common.numpy_fast import interp, clip
 from common.params import Params
 from tools.lib.kbhit import KBHit
@@ -17,6 +18,8 @@ class Keyboard:
     self.axes_map = {'w': 'gb', 's': 'gb',
                      'a': 'steer', 'd': 'steer'}
     self.axes_values = {'gb': 0., 'steer': 0.}
+    self.axes_order = ['gb', 'steer']
+    self.cancel = False
 
   def update(self):
     key = self.kb.getch().lower()
@@ -41,13 +44,17 @@ class Joystick:
     self.max_axis_value = {'ABS_Y': 1023., 'ABS_RZ': 255.}
     self.cancel_button = 'BTN_TRIGGER'
     self.axes_values = {'ABS_Y': 0., 'ABS_RZ': 0.}  # gb, steer
+    self.axes_order = ['ABS_Y', 'ABS_RZ']
+    self.cancel = False
 
   def update(self):
     joystick_event = get_gamepad()[0]
     event = (joystick_event.code, joystick_event.state)
-    self.cancel = False
-    if event[0] == self.cancel_button and event[1] == 0:  # state 0 is falling edge
-      self.cancel = True
+    if event[0] == self.cancel_button:
+      if event[1] == 1:
+        self.cancel = True
+      elif event[1] == 0:   # state 0 is falling edge
+        self.cancel = False
     elif event[0] in self.axes_values:
       self.max_axis_value[event[0]] = max(event[1], self.max_axis_value[event[0]])
       self.min_axis_value[event[0]] = min(event[1], self.min_axis_value[event[0]])
@@ -59,25 +66,26 @@ class Joystick:
     return True
 
 
+def send_thread(joystick):
+  joystick_sock = messaging.pub_sock('testJoystick')
+  rk = Ratekeeper(100, print_delay_threshold=None)
+  while 1:
+    dat = messaging.new_message('testJoystick')
+    dat.testJoystick.axes = [joystick.axes_values[a] for a in joystick.axes_order]
+    dat.testJoystick.buttons = [joystick.cancel]
+    joystick_sock.send(dat.to_bytes())
+    print('\n' + ', '.join(f'{name}: {round(v, 3)}' for name, v in joystick.axes_values.items()))
+    if "WEB" in os.environ:
+      import requests
+      requests.get("http://"+os.environ["WEB"]+":5000/control/%f/%f" % tuple([joystick.axes_values[a] for a in joystick.axes_order][::-1]))
+    rk.keep_time()
+
 def joystick_thread(use_keyboard):
   Params().put_bool('JoystickDebugMode', True)
-  joystick_sock = messaging.pub_sock('testJoystick')
   joystick = Keyboard() if use_keyboard else Joystick()
-
-  last_update = 0
+  threading.Thread(target=send_thread, args=(joystick,), daemon=True).start()
   while True:
-    ret = joystick.update()
-    if ret:
-      dat = messaging.new_message('testJoystick')
-      dat.testJoystick.axes = [joystick.axes_values[a] for a in joystick.axes_values]
-      dat.testJoystick.buttons = [joystick.cancel]
-      joystick_sock.send(dat.to_bytes())
-      print('\n' + ', '.join(f'{name}: {round(v, 3)}' for name, v in joystick.axes_values.items()))
-      if "WEB" in os.environ and (last_update + 0.02) < time.time():
-        import requests
-        requests.get("http://"+os.environ["WEB"]+":5000/control/%f/%f" % (joystick.axes_values['ABS_RZ'], joystick.axes_values['ABS_Y']))
-        last_update = time.time()
-
+    joystick.update()
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
   parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Publishes events from your joystick to control your car.\n' +