diff --git a/selfdrive/pandad/main.cc b/selfdrive/pandad/main.cc
index f6f43d372d..b63d884a45 100644
--- a/selfdrive/pandad/main.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/pandad/main.cc
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     int err;
     err = util::set_realtime_priority(54);
     assert(err == 0);
-    err = util::set_core_affinity({4});
+    err = util::set_core_affinity({3});
     assert(err == 0);
   }
 
diff --git a/system/hardware/tici/hardware.py b/system/hardware/tici/hardware.py
index 57fbf9d631..b6b41c4728 100644
--- a/system/hardware/tici/hardware.py
+++ b/system/hardware/tici/hardware.py
@@ -380,22 +380,18 @@ class Tici(HardwareBase):
     # *** CPU config ***
 
     # offline big cluster, leave core 4 online for pandad
-    for i in range(5, 8):
+    for i in range(4, 8):
       val = '0' if powersave_enabled else '1'
       sudo_write(val, f'/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu{i}/online')
 
     for n in ('0', '4'):
+      if powersave_enabled and n == '4':
+        continue
       gov = 'ondemand' if powersave_enabled else 'performance'
       sudo_write(gov, f'/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpufreq/policy{n}/scaling_governor')
 
     # *** IRQ config ***
 
-    # pandad core
-    affine_irq(4, "spi_geni")         # SPI
-    affine_irq(4, "xhci-hcd:usb3")    # aux panda USB (or potentially anything else on USB)
-    if "tici" in self.get_device_type():
-      affine_irq(4, "xhci-hcd:usb1")  # internal panda USB (also modem)
-
     # GPU
     affine_irq(5, "kgsl-3d0")
 
@@ -453,6 +449,18 @@ class Tici(HardwareBase):
     sudo_write("N", "/sys/kernel/debug/msm_vidc/clock_scaling")
     sudo_write("Y", "/sys/kernel/debug/msm_vidc/disable_thermal_mitigation")
 
+    # pandad core
+    affine_irq(3, "spi_geni")         # SPI
+    if "tici" in self.get_device_type():
+      affine_irq(3, "xhci-hcd:usb3")  # aux panda USB (or potentially anything else on USB)
+      affine_irq(3, "xhci-hcd:usb1")  # internal panda USB (also modem)
+    try:
+      pid = subprocess.check_output(["pgrep", "-f", "spi0"], encoding='utf8').strip()
+      subprocess.call(["sudo", "chrt", "-f", "-p", "1", pid])
+      subprocess.call(["sudo", "taskset", "-pc", "3", pid])
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessException as e:
+      print(str(e))
+
   def configure_modem(self):
     sim_id = self.get_sim_info().get('sim_id', '')