diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/bootlog.cc b/selfdrive/loggerd/bootlog.cc
index c5897091dc..a723124847 100644
--- a/selfdrive/loggerd/bootlog.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/bootlog.cc
@@ -51,8 +51,6 @@ static kj::Array<capnp::word> build_boot_log() {
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
-  clear_locks(LOG_ROOT);
-
   const std::string path = LOG_ROOT + "/boot/" + logger_get_route_name() + ".bz2";
   LOGW("bootlog to %s", path.c_str());
 
diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/logger.cc b/selfdrive/loggerd/logger.cc
index 81cfd131f6..6ba520d162 100644
--- a/selfdrive/loggerd/logger.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/logger.cc
@@ -267,15 +267,3 @@ void lh_close(LoggerHandle* h) {
   }
   pthread_mutex_unlock(&h->lock);
 }
-
-int clear_locks_fn(const char* fpath, const struct stat *sb, int tyupeflag) {
-  const char* dot = strrchr(fpath, '.');
-  if (dot && strcmp(dot, ".lock") == 0) {
-    unlink(fpath);
-  }
-  return 0;
-}
-
-void clear_locks(const std::string log_root) {
-  ftw(log_root.c_str(), clear_locks_fn, 16);
-}
diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/logger.h b/selfdrive/loggerd/logger.h
index e85d7810e0..bdda9d6917 100644
--- a/selfdrive/loggerd/logger.h
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/logger.h
@@ -96,4 +96,3 @@ void logger_log(LoggerState *s, uint8_t* data, size_t data_size, bool in_qlog);
 
 void lh_log(LoggerHandle* h, uint8_t* data, size_t data_size, bool in_qlog);
 void lh_close(LoggerHandle* h);
-void clear_locks(const std::string log_root);
diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/loggerd_tests_common.py b/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/loggerd_tests_common.py
index 1a16e343e6..59952fd2c3 100644
--- a/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/loggerd_tests_common.py
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/loggerd_tests_common.py
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ def create_random_file(file_path, size_mb, lock=False):
       pass
 
     lock_path = file_path + ".lock"
-    os.close(os.open(lock_path, os.O_CREAT | os.O_EXCL))
+    if lock:
+      os.close(os.open(lock_path, os.O_CREAT | os.O_EXCL))
 
     chunks = 128
     chunk_bytes = int(size_mb * 1024 * 1024 / chunks)
@@ -24,9 +25,6 @@ def create_random_file(file_path, size_mb, lock=False):
       for _ in range(chunks):
         f.write(data)
 
-    if not lock:
-        os.remove(lock_path)
-
 class MockResponse():
   def __init__(self, text, status_code):
     self.text = text
diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_loggerd.cc b/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_loggerd.cc
index 849b350ee4..d84185cbba 100644
--- a/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_loggerd.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_loggerd.cc
@@ -91,21 +91,3 @@ TEST_CASE("trigger_rotate") {
     REQUIRE(frame_id == start_frame_id + encoder_seg * (SEGMENT_LENGTH * MAIN_FPS));
   }
 }
-
-TEST_CASE("clear_locks") {
-  std::vector<std::string> dirs;
-  for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i) {
-    std::string &path = dirs.emplace_back(LOG_ROOT + "/" + std::to_string(i));
-    REQUIRE(util::create_directories(path, 0775));
-    std::ofstream{path + "/.lock"};
-    REQUIRE(util::file_exists(path + "/.lock"));
-  }
-
-  clear_locks(LOG_ROOT);
-
-  for (const auto &dir : dirs) {
-    std::string lock_file = dir + "/.lock";
-    REQUIRE(util::file_exists(lock_file) == false);
-    rmdir(dir.c_str());
-  }
-}
diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_uploader.py b/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_uploader.py
index 54c65db73d..01b529468b 100755
--- a/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_uploader.py
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_uploader.py
@@ -133,9 +133,11 @@ class TestUploader(UploaderTestCase):
     self.assertTrue(log_handler.upload_order == exp_order, "Files uploaded in wrong order")
 
   def test_no_upload_with_lock_file(self):
+    self.start_thread()
+
+    time.sleep(0.25)
     f_paths = self.gen_files(lock=True, boot=False)
 
-    self.start_thread()
     # allow enough time that files should have been uploaded if they would be uploaded
     time.sleep(5)
     self.join_thread()
@@ -144,5 +146,15 @@ class TestUploader(UploaderTestCase):
       self.assertFalse(getxattr(f_path, uploader.UPLOAD_ATTR_NAME), "File upload when locked")
 
 
+  def test_clear_locks_on_startup(self):
+    f_paths = self.gen_files(lock=True, boot=False)
+    self.start_thread()
+    time.sleep(1)
+    self.join_thread()
+
+    for f_path in f_paths:
+      self.assertFalse(os.path.isfile(f_path + ".lock"), "File lock not cleared on startup")
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
   unittest.main(failfast=True)
diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/uploader.py b/selfdrive/loggerd/uploader.py
index 2013a522bc..afdc5a6ed1 100644
--- a/selfdrive/loggerd/uploader.py
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/uploader.py
@@ -213,6 +213,8 @@ class Uploader():
     return msg
 
 def uploader_fn(exit_event):
+  clear_locks(ROOT)
+
   params = Params()
   dongle_id = params.get("DongleId", encoding='utf8')