diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/omx_encoder.cc b/selfdrive/loggerd/omx_encoder.cc
index 8b75a1d5e0..b96d340f01 100644
--- a/selfdrive/loggerd/omx_encoder.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/omx_encoder.cc
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ extern ExitHandler do_exit;
 
 // ***** OMX callback functions *****
 
-void OmxEncoder::set_state_blocking(OMX_STATETYPE state) {
-  OMX_CHECK(OMX_SendCommand(this->handle, OMX_CommandStateSet, state, NULL));
+void OmxEncoder::wait_for_state(OMX_STATETYPE state) {
   pthread_mutex_lock(&this->state_lock);
   while (this->state != state) {
     pthread_cond_wait(&this->state_cv, &this->state_lock);
@@ -305,7 +304,7 @@ OmxEncoder::OmxEncoder(const char* filename, int width, int height, int fps, int
   //   printf("profile %d level 0x%x\n", params.eProfile, params.eLevel);
   // }
 
-  set_state_blocking(OMX_StateIdle);
+  OMX_CHECK(OMX_SendCommand(this->handle, OMX_CommandStateSet, OMX_StateIdle, NULL));
 
   for (auto &buf : this->in_buf_headers) {
     OMX_CHECK(OMX_AllocateBuffer(this->handle, &buf, PORT_INDEX_IN, this,
@@ -317,7 +316,11 @@ OmxEncoder::OmxEncoder(const char* filename, int width, int height, int fps, int
                              out_port.nBufferSize));
   }
 
-  set_state_blocking(OMX_StateExecuting);
+  wait_for_state(OMX_StateIdle);
+
+  OMX_CHECK(OMX_SendCommand(this->handle, OMX_CommandStateSet, OMX_StateExecuting, NULL));
+
+  wait_for_state(OMX_StateExecuting);
 
   // give omx all the output buffers
   for (auto &buf : this->out_buf_headers) {
@@ -590,8 +593,11 @@ void OmxEncoder::encoder_close() {
 OmxEncoder::~OmxEncoder() {
   assert(!this->is_open);
 
-  set_state_blocking(OMX_StateIdle);
-  set_state_blocking(OMX_StateLoaded);
+  OMX_CHECK(OMX_SendCommand(this->handle, OMX_CommandStateSet, OMX_StateIdle, NULL));
+
+  wait_for_state(OMX_StateIdle);
+
+  OMX_CHECK(OMX_SendCommand(this->handle, OMX_CommandStateSet, OMX_StateLoaded, NULL));
 
   for (auto &buf : this->in_buf_headers) {
     OMX_CHECK(OMX_FreeBuffer(this->handle, PORT_INDEX_IN, buf));
@@ -601,6 +607,8 @@ OmxEncoder::~OmxEncoder() {
     OMX_CHECK(OMX_FreeBuffer(this->handle, PORT_INDEX_OUT, buf));
   }
 
+  wait_for_state(OMX_StateLoaded);
+
   OMX_CHECK(OMX_FreeHandle(this->handle));
 
   OMX_BUFFERHEADERTYPE *out_buf;
diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/omx_encoder.h b/selfdrive/loggerd/omx_encoder.h
index 470da3ee8a..ee27ef7cd1 100644
--- a/selfdrive/loggerd/omx_encoder.h
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/omx_encoder.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public:
                                         OMX_BUFFERHEADERTYPE *buffer);
 
 private:
-  void set_state_blocking(OMX_STATETYPE state);
+  void wait_for_state(OMX_STATETYPE state);
   static void handle_out_buf(OmxEncoder *e, OMX_BUFFERHEADERTYPE *out_buf);
 
   pthread_mutex_t lock;