diff --git a/selfdrive/test/process_replay/process_replay.py b/selfdrive/test/process_replay/process_replay.py
index 50315185de..f73f6fb617 100755
--- a/selfdrive/test/process_replay/process_replay.py
+++ b/selfdrive/test/process_replay/process_replay.py
@@ -456,6 +456,8 @@ def python_replay_process(cfg, lr, fingerprint=None):
     elif msg.which() == 'carEvents':
       initialized = car.CarEvent.EventName.controlsInitializing not in [e.name for e in msg.carEvents]
 
+  assert controlsState is not None, "controlsState never initialized"
+
   if fingerprint is not None:
     os.environ['SKIP_FW_QUERY'] = "1"
     os.environ['FINGERPRINT'] = fingerprint