diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/layouts/sidebar.py b/selfdrive/ui/layouts/sidebar.py
index c499d35d4d..4ba7f2aa13 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/layouts/sidebar.py
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/layouts/sidebar.py
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class Sidebar(Widget):
 
     device_state = sm['deviceState']
 
-    self._recording_audio = sm.alive['rawAudioData']
+    self._recording_audio = ui_state.recording_audio
     self._update_network_status(device_state)
     self._update_temperature_status(device_state)
     self._update_connection_status(device_state)
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/ui_state.py b/selfdrive/ui/ui_state.py
index f4b9e1a9be..3ac9dbea17 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/ui_state.py
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/ui_state.py
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ class UIState:
     self.is_metric: bool = self.params.get_bool("IsMetric")
     self.started: bool = False
     self.ignition: bool = False
+    self.recording_audio: bool = False
     self.panda_type: log.PandaState.PandaType = log.PandaState.PandaType.unknown
     self.personality: log.LongitudinalPersonality = log.LongitudinalPersonality.standard
     self.has_longitudinal_control: bool = False
@@ -128,6 +129,11 @@ class UIState:
     # Update started state
     self.started = self.sm["deviceState"].started and self.ignition
 
+    # Update recording audio state
+    self.recording_audio = self.params.get_bool("RecordAudio") and self.started
+
+    self.is_metric = self.params.get_bool("IsMetric")
+
   def _update_status(self) -> None:
     if self.started and self.sm.updated["selfdriveState"]:
       ss = self.sm["selfdriveState"]
@@ -157,8 +163,7 @@ class UIState:
       self._started_prev = self.started
 
   def update_params(self) -> None:
-    self.is_metric = self.params.get_bool("IsMetric")
-
+    # For slower operations
     # Update longitudinal control state
     CP_bytes = self.params.get("CarParamsPersistent")
     if CP_bytes is not None: