diff --git a/system/ui/spinner.py b/system/ui/spinner.py
index 9c1882cf5f..cc07c97e3b 100755
--- a/system/ui/spinner.py
+++ b/system/ui/spinner.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import pyray as rl
 import os
 import threading
+import time
 
 from openpilot.common.basedir import BASEDIR
 from openpilot.system.ui.lib.application import gui_app
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ def clamp(value, min_value, max_value):
   return max(min(value, max_value), min_value)
 
 
-class Spinner:
+class SpinnerRenderer:
   def __init__(self):
     self._comma_texture = gui_app.load_texture_from_image(os.path.join(BASEDIR, "selfdrive/assets/img_spinner_comma.png"), TEXTURE_SIZE, TEXTURE_SIZE)
     self._spinner_texture = gui_app.load_texture_from_image(os.path.join(BASEDIR, "selfdrive/assets/img_spinner_track.png"), TEXTURE_SIZE, TEXTURE_SIZE,
@@ -84,9 +85,55 @@ class Spinner:
                         FONT_SIZE, 0.0, rl.WHITE)
 
 
+class Spinner:
+  def __init__(self):
+    self._renderer: SpinnerRenderer | None = None
+    self._stop_event = threading.Event()
+    self._thread = threading.Thread(target=self._run)
+    self._thread.start()
+
+    # wait for renderer to be initialized
+    while self._renderer is None and self._thread.is_alive():
+      time.sleep(0.01)
+
+  def update(self, spinner_text: str):
+    if self._renderer is not None:
+      self._renderer.set_text(spinner_text)
+
+  def update_progress(self, cur: float, total: float):
+    self.update(str(round(100 * cur / total)))
+
+  def _run(self):
+    if os.getenv("CI") is not None:
+      return
+    gui_app.init_window("Spinner")
+    self._renderer = renderer = SpinnerRenderer()
+    try:
+      for _ in gui_app.render():
+        if self._stop_event.is_set():
+          break
+        renderer.render()
+    finally:
+      gui_app.close()
+
+  def __enter__(self):
+    return self
+
+  def close(self):
+    if self._thread.is_alive():
+      self._stop_event.set()
+      self._thread.join(timeout=2.0)
+      if self._thread.is_alive():
+        print("WARNING: failed to join spinner thread")
+
+  def __del__(self):
+    self.close()
+
+  def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb):
+    self.close()
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-  gui_app.init_window("Spinner")
-  spinner = Spinner()
-  spinner.set_text("Spinner text")
-  for _ in gui_app.render():
-    spinner.render()
+  with Spinner() as s:
+    s.update("Spinner text")
+    time.sleep(5)