diff --git a/selfdrive/controls/lib/events.py b/selfdrive/controls/lib/events.py
index 6ab1fb02a9..941ec44c6f 100644
--- a/selfdrive/controls/lib/events.py
+++ b/selfdrive/controls/lib/events.py
@@ -722,10 +722,10 @@ EVENTS = {
 
   EventName.reverseGear: {
     ET.PERMANENT: Alert(
-      "Reverse Gear",
+      "Reverse\nGear",
       "",
       AlertStatus.normal, AlertSize.full,
-      Priority.LOWEST, VisualAlert.none, AudibleAlert.none, 0., 0., .2),
+      Priority.LOWEST, VisualAlert.none, AudibleAlert.none, 0., 0., .2, creation_delay=0.5),
     ET.IMMEDIATE_DISABLE: ImmediateDisableAlert("Reverse Gear"),
     ET.NO_ENTRY: NoEntryAlert("Reverse Gear"),
   },