diff --git a/selfdrive/athena/athenad.py b/selfdrive/athena/athenad.py
index 5740c8f647..28ddbb1998 100755
--- a/selfdrive/athena/athenad.py
+++ b/selfdrive/athena/athenad.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def jsonrpc_handler(end_event):
         cloudlog.debug(f"athena.jsonrpc_handler.call_method {data}")
         response = JSONRPCResponseManager.handle(data, dispatcher)
         send_queue.put_nowait(response.json)
-      elif "result" in data and "id" in data:
+      elif "id" in data and ("result" in data or "error" in data):
         log_recv_queue.put_nowait(data)
       else:
         raise Exception("not a valid request or response")
@@ -311,47 +311,55 @@ def log_handler(end_event):
   last_scan = 0
   while not end_event.is_set():
     try:
-      try:
-        result = json.loads(log_recv_queue.get(timeout=1))
-        log_success = result.get("success")
-        log_entry = result.get("id")
-        log_path = os.path.join(SWAGLOG_DIR, log_entry)
-        if log_entry and log_success:
-          try:
-            setxattr(log_path, LOG_ATTR_NAME, LOG_ATTR_VALUE_MAX_UNIX_TIME)
-          except OSError:
-            pass  # file could be deleted by log rotation
-
-      except queue.Empty:
-        pass
-
       curr_scan = sec_since_boot()
       if curr_scan - last_scan > 10:
         log_files = get_logs_to_send_sorted()
         last_scan = curr_scan
 
-      # never send last log file because it is the active log
-      # and only send one log file at a time (most recent first)
-      if not len(log_files) or not log_send_queue.empty():
-        continue
-
-      log_entry = log_files.pop()
-      try:
-        curr_time = int(time.time())
-        log_path = os.path.join(SWAGLOG_DIR, log_entry)
-        setxattr(log_path, LOG_ATTR_NAME, int.to_bytes(curr_time, 4, sys.byteorder))
-        with open(log_path, "r") as f:
-          jsonrpc = {
-            "method": "forwardLogs",
-            "params": {
-              "logs": f.read()
-            },
-            "jsonrpc": "2.0",
-            "id": log_entry
-          }
-          log_send_queue.put_nowait(json.dumps(jsonrpc))
-      except OSError:
-        pass  # file could be deleted by log rotation
+      # send one log
+      curr_log = None
+      if len(log_files) > 0:
+        log_entry = log_files.pop()
+        cloudlog.debug(f"athena.log_handler.forward_request {log_entry}")
+        try:
+          curr_time = int(time.time())
+          log_path = os.path.join(SWAGLOG_DIR, log_entry)
+          setxattr(log_path, LOG_ATTR_NAME, int.to_bytes(curr_time, 4, sys.byteorder))
+          with open(log_path, "r") as f:
+            jsonrpc = {
+              "method": "forwardLogs",
+              "params": {
+                "logs": f.read()
+              },
+              "jsonrpc": "2.0",
+              "id": log_entry
+            }
+            log_send_queue.put_nowait(json.dumps(jsonrpc))
+            curr_log = log_entry
+        except OSError:
+          pass  # file could be deleted by log rotation
+
+      # wait for response up to ~100 seconds
+      # always read queue at least once to process any old responses that arrive
+      for _ in range(100):
+        if end_event.is_set():
+          break
+        try:
+          log_resp = json.loads(log_recv_queue.get(timeout=1))
+          log_entry = log_resp.get("id")
+          log_success = "result" in log_resp and log_resp["result"].get("success")
+          cloudlog.debug(f"athena.log_handler.forward_response {log_entry} {log_success}")
+          if log_entry and log_success:
+            log_path = os.path.join(SWAGLOG_DIR, log_entry)
+            try:
+              setxattr(log_path, LOG_ATTR_NAME, LOG_ATTR_VALUE_MAX_UNIX_TIME)
+            except OSError:
+              pass  # file could be deleted by log rotation
+          if curr_log == log_entry:
+            break
+        except queue.Empty:
+          if curr_log is None:
+            break
 
     except Exception:
       cloudlog.exception("athena.log_handler.exception")