diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 2e38e8bb44..992e7b57aa 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -229,10 +229,8 @@ if os.environ.get('SCONS_CACHE'):
   if TICI:
     cache_dir = '/data/scons_cache'
 
-  if QCOM_REPLAY:
-    cache_dir = '/tmp/scons_cache_qcom_replay'
-
   CacheDir(cache_dir)
+  Clean(["."], cache_dir)
 
 node_interval = 5
 node_count = 0
diff --git a/selfdrive/manager/build.py b/selfdrive/manager/build.py
index 84f2e48a83..bda4ab8a1f 100755
--- a/selfdrive/manager/build.py
+++ b/selfdrive/manager/build.py
@@ -1,18 +1,22 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 import os
-import shutil
 import subprocess
 import sys
 import time
 import textwrap
+from pathlib import Path
 
 # NOTE: Do NOT import anything here that needs be built (e.g. params)
 from common.basedir import BASEDIR
 from common.spinner import Spinner
 from common.text_window import TextWindow
+from selfdrive.hardware import TICI
 from selfdrive.swaglog import cloudlog, add_file_handler
 from selfdrive.version import dirty
 
+MAX_CACHE_SIZE = 2e9
+CACHE_DIR = Path("/data/scons_cache" if TICI else "/tmp/scons_cache")
+
 TOTAL_SCONS_NODES = 2405
 MAX_BUILD_PROGRESS = 100
 PREBUILT = os.path.exists(os.path.join(BASEDIR, 'prebuilt'))
@@ -26,7 +30,7 @@ def build(spinner, dirty=False):
   j_flag = "" if nproc is None else f"-j{nproc - 1}"
 
   for retry in [True, False]:
-    scons = subprocess.Popen(["scons", j_flag], cwd=BASEDIR, env=env, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+    scons = subprocess.Popen(["scons", j_flag, "--cache-populate"], cwd=BASEDIR, env=env, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
 
     compile_output = []
 
@@ -60,8 +64,6 @@ def build(spinner, dirty=False):
             print("....%d" % i)
             time.sleep(1)
           subprocess.check_call(["scons", "-c"], cwd=BASEDIR, env=env)
-          shutil.rmtree("/tmp/scons_cache", ignore_errors=True)
-          shutil.rmtree("/data/scons_cache", ignore_errors=True)
         else:
           print("scons build failed after retry")
           sys.exit(1)
@@ -82,6 +84,16 @@ def build(spinner, dirty=False):
     else:
       break
 
+  # enforce max cache size
+  cache_files = [f for f in CACHE_DIR.rglob('*') if f.is_file()]
+  cache_files.sort(key=lambda f: f.stat().st_mtime)
+  cache_size = sum(f.stat().st_size for f in cache_files)
+  for f in cache_files:
+    if cache_size < MAX_CACHE_SIZE:
+      break
+    cache_size -= f.stat().st_size
+    f.unlink()
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__" and not PREBUILT:
   spinner = Spinner()
diff --git a/selfdrive/test/setup_device_ci.sh b/selfdrive/test/setup_device_ci.sh
index cc04504ad9..fc4d4496a7 100755
--- a/selfdrive/test/setup_device_ci.sh
+++ b/selfdrive/test/setup_device_ci.sh
@@ -26,9 +26,6 @@ if [ ! -d "$SOURCE_DIR" ]; then
   git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/commaai/openpilot.git "$SOURCE_DIR"
 fi
 
-# clear stale build cache
-find /tmp/scons_cache*/* -mtime +1 -exec rm -rf '{}' \; || true
-
 # this can get really big on the CI devices
 rm -rf /data/core