diff --git a/tools/cabana/messageswidget.cc b/tools/cabana/messageswidget.cc
index 359fe10f50..8279d08a5c 100644
--- a/tools/cabana/messageswidget.cc
+++ b/tools/cabana/messageswidget.cc
@@ -182,11 +182,10 @@ void MessageListModel::sortMessages() {
 
 void MessageListModel::msgsReceived(const QHash<QString, CanData> *new_msgs) {
   int prev_row_count = msgs.size();
-  bool update_all = new_msgs->size() == can->can_msgs.size();
-  if (update_all || (filter_str.isEmpty() && msgs.size() != can->can_msgs.size())) {
+  if (filter_str.isEmpty() && msgs.size() != can->can_msgs.size()) {
     msgs = can->can_msgs.keys();
   }
-  if (update_all || msgs.size() != prev_row_count) {
+  if (msgs.size() != prev_row_count) {
     sortMessages();
     return;
   }