diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/onroad/alert_renderer.py b/selfdrive/ui/onroad/alert_renderer.py
index 9754d488ed..362f49a51e 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/onroad/alert_renderer.py
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/onroad/alert_renderer.py
@@ -107,10 +107,10 @@ class AlertRenderer(Widget):
     # Return current alert
     return Alert(text1=ss.alertText1, text2=ss.alertText2, size=ss.alertSize.raw, status=ss.alertStatus.raw)
 
-  def _render(self, rect: rl.Rectangle) -> bool:
+  def _render(self, rect: rl.Rectangle):
     alert = self.get_alert(ui_state.sm)
     if not alert:
-      return False
+      return
 
     alert_rect = self._get_alert_rect(rect, alert.size)
     self._draw_background(alert_rect, alert)
@@ -122,7 +122,6 @@ class AlertRenderer(Widget):
       alert_rect.height - 2 * ALERT_PADDING
     )
     self._draw_text(text_rect, alert)
-    return True
 
   def _get_alert_rect(self, rect: rl.Rectangle, size: int) -> rl.Rectangle:
     if size == AlertSize.full:
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/onroad/augmented_road_view.py b/selfdrive/ui/onroad/augmented_road_view.py
index cac2f9c968..bffa30ad22 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/onroad/augmented_road_view.py
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/onroad/augmented_road_view.py
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ class AugmentedRoadView(CameraView):
     # Draw all UI overlays
     self.model_renderer.render(self._content_rect)
     self._hud_renderer.render(self._content_rect)
-    if not self.alert_renderer.render(self._content_rect):
-      self.driver_state_renderer.render(self._content_rect)
+    self.alert_renderer.render(self._content_rect)
+    self.driver_state_renderer.render(self._content_rect)
 
     # Custom UI extension point - add custom overlays here
     # Use self._content_rect for positioning within camera bounds
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/onroad/driver_state.py b/selfdrive/ui/onroad/driver_state.py
index 69ed5f458f..8aaef1bcfb 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/onroad/driver_state.py
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/onroad/driver_state.py
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 import numpy as np
 import pyray as rl
+from cereal import log
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from openpilot.selfdrive.ui.ui_state import ui_state, UI_BORDER_SIZE
 from openpilot.system.ui.lib.application import gui_app
 from openpilot.system.ui.widgets import Widget
 
+AlertSize = log.SelfdriveState.AlertSize
+
 # Default 3D coordinates for face keypoints as a NumPy array
 DEFAULT_FACE_KPTS_3D = np.array([
   [-5.98, -51.20, 8.00], [-17.64, -49.14, 8.00], [-23.81, -46.40, 8.00], [-29.98, -40.91, 8.00],
@@ -50,7 +53,6 @@ class DriverStateRenderer(Widget):
     self.is_active = False
     self.is_rhd = False
     self.dm_fade_state = 0.0
-    self.last_rect: rl.Rectangle = rl.Rectangle(0, 0, 0, 0)
     self.driver_pose_vals = np.zeros(3, dtype=np.float32)
     self.driver_pose_diff = np.zeros(3, dtype=np.float32)
     self.driver_pose_sins = np.zeros(3, dtype=np.float32)
@@ -75,8 +77,8 @@ class DriverStateRenderer(Widget):
     self.engaged_color = rl.Color(26, 242, 66, 255)
     self.disengaged_color = rl.Color(139, 139, 139, 255)
 
-    self.set_visible(lambda: (ui_state.sm.recv_frame['driverStateV2'] > ui_state.started_frame and
-                              ui_state.sm.seen['driverMonitoringState']))
+    self.set_visible(lambda: (ui_state.sm["selfdriveState"].alertSize == AlertSize.none and
+                              ui_state.sm.recv_frame["driverStateV2"] > ui_state.started_frame))
 
   def _render(self, rect):
     # Set opacity based on active state
@@ -106,11 +108,7 @@ class DriverStateRenderer(Widget):
   def _update_state(self):
     """Update the driver monitoring state based on model data"""
     sm = ui_state.sm
-    if not sm.updated["driverMonitoringState"]:
-      if (self._rect.x != self.last_rect.x or self._rect.y != self.last_rect.y or
-          self._rect.width != self.last_rect.width or self._rect.height != self.last_rect.height):
-        self._pre_calculate_drawing_elements()
-        self.last_rect = self._rect
+    if not self.is_visible:
       return
 
     # Get monitoring state