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