diff --git a/RELEASES.md b/RELEASES.md
index b3c5b1d6da..096fa691ac 100644
--- a/RELEASES.md
+++ b/RELEASES.md
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-Version 0.9.6 (2024-02-22)
+Version 0.9.7 (2024-XX-XX)
+========================
+* New driving model
+
+Version 0.9.6 (2024-02-27)
 ========================
 * New driving model
   * Vision model trained on more data
diff --git a/common/version.h b/common/version.h
index 787bc897d7..177882e31d 100644
--- a/common/version.h
+++ b/common/version.h
@@ -1 +1 @@
-#define COMMA_VERSION "0.9.6"
+#define COMMA_VERSION "0.9.7"
diff --git a/selfdrive/boardd/pandad.py b/selfdrive/boardd/pandad.py
index 672678778b..a87613c803 100755
--- a/selfdrive/boardd/pandad.py
+++ b/selfdrive/boardd/pandad.py
@@ -93,6 +93,11 @@ def main() -> NoReturn:
       cloudlog.event("pandad.flash_and_connect", count=count)
       params.remove("PandaSignatures")
 
+      # TODO: remove this in the next AGNOS
+      # wait until USB is up before counting
+      if time.monotonic() < 25.:
+        no_internal_panda_count = 0
+
       # Handle missing internal panda
       if no_internal_panda_count > 0:
         if no_internal_panda_count == 3: