diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/api.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/api.cc
index 3d4b38d032..e604a5c09b 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/api.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/api.cc
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ QString create_jwt(const QJsonObject &payloads, int expiry) {
 
 }  // namespace CommaApi
 
-HttpRequest::HttpRequest(QObject *parent, const QString &requestURL, const QString &cache_key, bool create_jwt_) : cache_key(cache_key), create_jwt(create_jwt_), QObject(parent) {
+HttpRequest::HttpRequest(QObject *parent, const QString &requestURL, bool create_jwt_) : create_jwt(create_jwt_), QObject(parent) {
   networkAccessManager = new QNetworkAccessManager(this);
   reply = NULL;
 
@@ -77,12 +77,6 @@ HttpRequest::HttpRequest(QObject *parent, const QString &requestURL, const QStri
   connect(networkTimer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &HttpRequest::requestTimeout);
 
   sendRequest(requestURL);
-
-  if (!cache_key.isEmpty()) {
-    if (std::string cached_resp = Params().get(cache_key.toStdString()); !cached_resp.empty()) {
-      QTimer::singleShot(0, [=]() { emit receivedResponse(QString::fromStdString(cached_resp)); });
-    }
-  }
 }
 
 void HttpRequest::sendRequest(const QString &requestURL) {
@@ -116,15 +110,8 @@ void HttpRequest::requestFinished() {
     QString response = reply->readAll();
 
     if (reply->error() == QNetworkReply::NoError) {
-      // save to cache
-      if (!cache_key.isEmpty()) {
-        Params().put(cache_key.toStdString(), response.toStdString());
-      }
       emit receivedResponse(response);
     } else {
-      if (!cache_key.isEmpty()) {
-        Params().remove(cache_key.toStdString());
-      }
       qDebug() << reply->errorString();
       emit failedResponse(reply->errorString());
     }
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/api.h b/selfdrive/ui/qt/api.h
index 9dccc08f7e..8aa01ae2b5 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/api.h
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/api.h
@@ -20,14 +20,15 @@ class HttpRequest : public QObject {
   Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
-  explicit HttpRequest(QObject* parent, const QString &requestURL, const QString &cache_key = "", bool create_jwt_ = true);
-  QNetworkReply *reply;
+  explicit HttpRequest(QObject* parent, const QString &requestURL, bool create_jwt_ = true);
   void sendRequest(const QString &requestURL);
 
+protected:
+  QNetworkReply *reply;
+
 private:
   QNetworkAccessManager *networkAccessManager;
   QTimer *networkTimer;
-  QString cache_key;
   bool create_jwt;
 
 private slots:
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/request_repeater.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/request_repeater.cc
index 3d9561a307..7db708d400 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/request_repeater.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/request_repeater.cc
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #include "selfdrive/ui/qt/request_repeater.h"
 
 RequestRepeater::RequestRepeater(QObject *parent, const QString &requestURL, const QString &cacheKey,
-                                 int period) : HttpRequest(parent, requestURL, cacheKey) {
+                                 int period) : HttpRequest(parent, requestURL) {
   timer = new QTimer(this);
   timer->setTimerType(Qt::VeryCoarseTimer);
   QObject::connect(timer, &QTimer::timeout, [=]() {
@@ -9,5 +9,25 @@ RequestRepeater::RequestRepeater(QObject *parent, const QString &requestURL, con
       sendRequest(requestURL);
     }
   });
+
   timer->start(period * 1000);
+
+  if (!cacheKey.isEmpty()) {
+    prevResp = QString::fromStdString(params.get(cacheKey.toStdString()));
+    if (!prevResp.isEmpty()) {
+      QTimer::singleShot(0, [=]() { emit receivedResponse(prevResp); });
+    }
+    QObject::connect(this, &HttpRequest::receivedResponse, [=](const QString &resp) {
+      if (resp != prevResp) {
+        params.put(cacheKey.toStdString(), resp.toStdString());
+        prevResp = resp;
+      }
+    });
+    QObject::connect(this, &HttpRequest::failedResponse, [=](const QString &err) {
+      if (!prevResp.isEmpty()) {
+        params.remove(cacheKey.toStdString());
+        prevResp = "";
+      }
+    });
+  }
 }
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/request_repeater.h b/selfdrive/ui/qt/request_repeater.h
index c23bbbcf19..1574d19305 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/request_repeater.h
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/request_repeater.h
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include "selfdrive/common/util.h"
 #include "selfdrive/ui/qt/api.h"
 #include "selfdrive/ui/ui.h"
 
@@ -8,5 +9,7 @@ public:
   RequestRepeater(QObject *parent, const QString &requestURL, const QString &cacheKey = "", int period = 0);
 
 private:
+  Params params;
   QTimer *timer;
+  QString prevResp;
 };
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/widgets/ssh_keys.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/widgets/ssh_keys.cc
index 2dfcec0df8..a56dd62adc 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/widgets/ssh_keys.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/widgets/ssh_keys.cc
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ void SshControl::refresh() {
 }
 
 void SshControl::getUserKeys(const QString &username) {
-  HttpRequest *request = new HttpRequest(this, "https://github.com/" + username + ".keys", "", false);
+  HttpRequest *request = new HttpRequest(this, "https://github.com/" + username + ".keys", false);
   QObject::connect(request, &HttpRequest::receivedResponse, [=](const QString &resp) {
     if (!resp.isEmpty()) {
       params.put("GithubUsername", username.toStdString());
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/replay/replay.cc b/selfdrive/ui/replay/replay.cc
index 62be37d410..23f168ba94 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/replay/replay.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/replay/replay.cc
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ Replay::Replay(QString route, SubMaster *sm_, QObject *parent) : sm(sm_), QObjec
   }
 
   const QString url = "https://api.commadotai.com/v1/route/" + route + "/files";
-  http = new HttpRequest(this, url, "", !Hardware::PC());
+  http = new HttpRequest(this, url, !Hardware::PC());
   QObject::connect(http, &HttpRequest::receivedResponse, this, &Replay::parseResponse);
 }