diff --git a/tools/cabana/chartswidget.cc b/tools/cabana/chartswidget.cc
index 56346c6d6e..72c9c40570 100644
--- a/tools/cabana/chartswidget.cc
+++ b/tools/cabana/chartswidget.cc
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ void ChartsWidget::showChart(const QString &id, const Signal *sig, bool show) {
     charts_layout->insertWidget(0, chart);
     charts.push_back(chart);
     emit chartOpened(chart->id, chart->signal);
+    updateState();
   }
   updateTitleBar();
 }
diff --git a/tools/cabana/messageswidget.cc b/tools/cabana/messageswidget.cc
index 205e5347ce..e80a66bce9 100644
--- a/tools/cabana/messageswidget.cc
+++ b/tools/cabana/messageswidget.cc
@@ -147,6 +147,11 @@ QVariant MessageListModel::data(const QModelIndex &index, int role) const {
   return {};
 }
 
+void MessageListModel::setFilterString(const QString &string) { 
+  filter_str = string;
+  updateState(true);
+}
+
 bool MessageListModel::updateMessages(bool sort) {
   if (msgs.size() == can->can_msgs.size() && filter_str.isEmpty() && !sort)
     return false;
diff --git a/tools/cabana/messageswidget.h b/tools/cabana/messageswidget.h
index a3d4d860b2..255dce7dc8 100644
--- a/tools/cabana/messageswidget.h
+++ b/tools/cabana/messageswidget.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public:
   int rowCount(const QModelIndex &parent = QModelIndex()) const override { return msgs.size(); }
   void sort(int column, Qt::SortOrder order = Qt::AscendingOrder) override;
   void updateState(bool sort = false);
-  void setFilterString(const QString &string) { filter_str = string; }
+  void setFilterString(const QString &string);
 
 private:
   bool updateMessages(bool sort);