diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc
index 4499cc3da9..48f6f1e07a 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ void Sidebar::updateState(const UIState &s) {
 
   auto deviceState = sm["deviceState"].getDeviceState();
   setProperty("netType", network_type[deviceState.getNetworkType()]);
-  setProperty("netStrength", (int)deviceState.getNetworkStrength());
+  int strength = (int)deviceState.getNetworkStrength();
+  setProperty("netStrength", strength > 0 ? strength + 1 : 0);
 
   auto last_ping = deviceState.getLastAthenaPingTime();
   if (last_ping == 0) {