diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad/annotated_camera.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad/annotated_camera.cc
index 4ebb79923b..b724887aae 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad/annotated_camera.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad/annotated_camera.cc
@@ -91,9 +91,14 @@ mat4 AnnotatedCameraWidget::calcFrameMatrix() {
 void AnnotatedCameraWidget::paintGL() {
   UIState *s = uiState();
   SubMaster &sm = *(s->sm);
-  sm.update();
   const double start_draw_t = millis_since_boot();
 
+  // if we haven't received all messages at least once, force an update of latest state
+  // many messages are required for UI draw and this will fail if any are not valid
+  if (!sm.allValid()) {
+    sm.update();
+  }
+
   // draw camera frame
   {
     std::lock_guard lk(frame_lock);