diff --git a/selfdrive/manager/manager.py b/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
index accc1a5fb3..9e04913d2a 100755
--- a/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
+++ b/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
@@ -74,9 +74,13 @@ def manager_init():
   params.put("GitRemote", get_git_remote(default=""))
 
   # set dongle id
-  dongle_id = register(show_spinner=True)
-  if dongle_id is not None:
-    os.environ['DONGLE_ID'] = dongle_id  # Needed for swaglog
+  reg_res = register(show_spinner=True)
+  if reg_res:
+    dongle_id = reg_res
+  else:
+    serial = params.get("HardwareSerial")
+    raise Exception(f"Registration failed for device {serial}")
+  os.environ['DONGLE_ID'] = dongle_id  # Needed for swaglog
 
   if not dirty:
     os.environ['CLEAN'] = '1'
@@ -84,7 +88,7 @@ def manager_init():
   cloudlog.bind_global(dongle_id=dongle_id, version=version, dirty=dirty,
                        device=HARDWARE.get_device_type())
 
-  if not (dongle_id is None or os.getenv("NOLOG") or os.getenv("NOCRASH") or PC):
+  if not (os.getenv("NOLOG") or os.getenv("NOCRASH") or PC):
     crash.init()
   crash.bind_user(id=dongle_id)
   crash.bind_extra(dirty=dirty, origin=origin, branch=branch, commit=commit,
@@ -113,8 +117,6 @@ def manager_thread():
   params = Params()
 
   ignore = []
-  if params.get("DongleId") is None:
-    ignore += ["uploader", "manage_athenad"]
   if os.getenv("NOBOARD") is not None:
     ignore.append("pandad")
   if os.getenv("BLOCK") is not None:
diff --git a/selfdrive/registration.py b/selfdrive/registration.py
index 1bff6ef007..ad4db74f1a 100644
--- a/selfdrive/registration.py
+++ b/selfdrive/registration.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from common.params import Params
 from common.spinner import Spinner
 from common.file_helpers import mkdirs_exists_ok
 from common.basedir import PERSIST
-from selfdrive.hardware import HARDWARE
+from selfdrive.hardware import HARDWARE, PC
 from selfdrive.swaglog import cloudlog
 
 
@@ -65,13 +65,14 @@ def register(show_spinner=False):
         resp = api_get("v2/pilotauth/", method='POST', timeout=15,
                        imei=imei1, imei2=imei2, serial=serial, public_key=public_key, register_token=register_token)
 
-        if resp.status_code == 402:
-          cloudlog.info("Uknown serial number while trying to register device")
+        if resp.status_code in (402, 403):
+          cloudlog.info(f"Unable to register device, got {resp.status_code}")
           dongle_id = None
+          if PC:
+            dongle_id = "UnofficialDevice"
         else:
           dongleauth = json.loads(resp.text)
           dongle_id = dongleauth["dongle_id"]
-          params.put("DongleId", dongle_id)
         break
       except Exception:
         cloudlog.exception("failed to authenticate")
@@ -81,6 +82,8 @@ def register(show_spinner=False):
     if show_spinner:
       spinner.close()
 
+  if dongle_id:
+    params.put("DongleId", dongle_id)
   return dongle_id