diff --git a/tools/replay/lib/ui_helpers.py b/tools/replay/lib/ui_helpers.py
index 8940071e5e..f94adbdddb 100644
--- a/tools/replay/lib/ui_helpers.py
+++ b/tools/replay/lib/ui_helpers.py
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 import itertools
 from typing import Any, Dict, Tuple
 
-import matplotlib
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import numpy as np
 import pygame  # pylint: disable=import-error
 
+from matplotlib.backends.backend_agg import FigureCanvasAgg
+
 from common.transformations.camera import (eon_f_frame_size, eon_f_focal_length,
                                            tici_f_frame_size, tici_f_focal_length,
                                            get_view_frame_from_calib_frame)
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ def draw_path(path, color, img, calibration, top_down, lid_color=None, z_off=0):
         img[y + a, x + b] = color
 
 
-def init_plots(arr, name_to_arr_idx, plot_xlims, plot_ylims, plot_names, plot_colors, plot_styles, bigplots=False):
+def init_plots(arr, name_to_arr_idx, plot_xlims, plot_ylims, plot_names, plot_colors, plot_styles):
   color_palette = { "r": (1, 0, 0),
                     "g": (0, 1, 0),
                     "b": (0, 0, 1),
@@ -115,10 +116,9 @@ def init_plots(arr, name_to_arr_idx, plot_xlims, plot_ylims, plot_names, plot_co
                     "p": (0, 1, 1),
                     "m": (1, 0, 1)}
 
-  if bigplots:
-    fig = plt.figure(figsize=(6.4, 7.0))
-  else:
-    fig = plt.figure()
+  dpi = 90
+  fig = plt.figure(figsize=(575 / dpi, 600 / dpi), dpi=dpi)
+  canvas = FigureCanvasAgg(fig)
 
   fig.set_facecolor((0.2, 0.2, 0.2))
 
@@ -149,12 +149,7 @@ def init_plots(arr, name_to_arr_idx, plot_xlims, plot_ylims, plot_names, plot_co
     if i < len(plot_ylims) - 1:
       axs[i].set_xticks([])
 
-  fig.canvas.draw()
-
-  renderer = fig.canvas.get_renderer()
-
-  if matplotlib.get_backend() == "MacOSX":
-    fig.draw(renderer)
+  canvas.draw()
 
   def draw_plots(arr):
     for ax in axs:
@@ -163,19 +158,8 @@ def init_plots(arr, name_to_arr_idx, plot_xlims, plot_ylims, plot_names, plot_co
       plots[i].set_ydata(arr[:, idxs[i]])
       axs[plot_select[i]].draw_artist(plots[i])
 
-    if matplotlib.get_backend() == "QT4Agg":
-      fig.canvas.update()
-      fig.canvas.flush_events()
-
-    raw_data = renderer.tostring_rgb()
-    x, y = fig.canvas.get_width_height()
-
-    # Handle 2x scaling
-    if len(raw_data) == 4 * x * y * 3:
-      plot_surface = pygame.image.frombuffer(raw_data, (2*x, 2*y), "RGB").convert()
-      plot_surface = pygame.transform.scale(plot_surface, (x, y))
-    else:
-      plot_surface = pygame.image.frombuffer(raw_data, fig.canvas.get_width_height(), "RGB").convert()
+    raw_data = canvas.buffer_rgba()
+    plot_surface = pygame.image.frombuffer(raw_data, canvas.get_width_height(), "RGBA").convert()
     return plot_surface
 
   return draw_plots
diff --git a/tools/replay/ui.py b/tools/replay/ui.py
index 8cbd2e1f65..50f3b7e65a 100755
--- a/tools/replay/ui.py
+++ b/tools/replay/ui.py
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@ import argparse
 import os
 import sys
 
-os.environ["OMP_NUM_THREADS"] = "1"
-
 import cv2  # pylint: disable=import-error
 import numpy as np
 import pygame  # pylint: disable=import-error
@@ -26,7 +24,8 @@ os.environ['BASEDIR'] = BASEDIR
 
 ANGLE_SCALE = 5.0
 
-def ui_thread(addr, frame_address):
+def ui_thread(addr):
+  cv2.setNumThreads(1)
   pygame.init()
   pygame.font.init()
   assert pygame_modules_have_loaded()
@@ -57,7 +56,7 @@ def ui_thread(addr, frame_address):
   top_down_surface = pygame.surface.Surface((UP.lidar_x, UP.lidar_y), 0, 8)
 
   sm = messaging.SubMaster(['carState', 'longitudinalPlan', 'carControl', 'radarState', 'liveCalibration', 'controlsState',
-                            'liveTracks', 'modelV2', 'liveParameters', 'lateralPlan', 'roadCameraState'], addr=addr)
+                            'liveTracks', 'modelV2', 'liveParameters', 'lateralPlan'], addr=addr)
 
   img = np.zeros((480, 640, 3), dtype='uint8')
   imgff = None
@@ -99,7 +98,7 @@ def ui_thread(addr, frame_address):
                  ["-", "-", "-", "-"],
                  ["-", "-"]]
 
-  draw_plots = init_plots(plot_arr, name_to_arr_idx, plot_xlims, plot_ylims, plot_names, plot_colors, plot_styles, bigplots=True)
+  draw_plots = init_plots(plot_arr, name_to_arr_idx, plot_xlims, plot_ylims, plot_names, plot_colors, plot_styles)
 
   vipc_client = VisionIpcClient("camerad", VisionStreamType.VISION_STREAM_RGB_BACK, True)
   while 1:
@@ -132,7 +131,7 @@ def ui_thread(addr, frame_address):
       img.fill(0)
       intrinsic_matrix = np.eye(3)
 
-    sm.update()
+    sm.update(0)
 
     w = sm['controlsState'].lateralControlState.which()
     if w == 'lqrState':
@@ -232,4 +231,4 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     os.environ["ZMQ"] = "1"
     messaging.context = messaging.Context()
 
-  ui_thread(args.ip_address, args.frame_address)
+  ui_thread(args.ip_address)