diff --git a/selfdrive/car/gm/carcontroller.py b/selfdrive/car/gm/carcontroller.py
index bf071891a5..81e72b36ff 100644
--- a/selfdrive/car/gm/carcontroller.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/gm/carcontroller.py
@@ -48,9 +48,12 @@ class CarController:
     can_sends = []
 
     # Steering (Active: 50Hz, inactive: 10Hz)
-    # Attempt to sync with camera on startup at 50Hz, first few msgs are blocked
-    steer_step = self.params.INACTIVE_STEER_STEP
-    if CC.latActive or not self.sent_lka_steering_cmd:
+    # Attempt to sync with camera on startup at 25Hz, first few msgs are blocked
+    if not self.sent_lka_steering_cmd:
+      steer_step = self.params.STARTUP_STEER_STEP
+    elif not CC.latActive:
+      steer_step = self.params.INACTIVE_STEER_STEP
+    else:
       steer_step = self.params.ACTIVE_STEER_STEP
 
     # Avoid GM EPS faults when transmitting messages too close together: skip this transmit if we just received the
diff --git a/selfdrive/car/gm/values.py b/selfdrive/car/gm/values.py
index 3adab9d829..c5eae0ffc8 100644
--- a/selfdrive/car/gm/values.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/gm/values.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ class CarControllerParams:
   STEER_MAX = 300  # GM limit is 3Nm. Used by carcontroller to generate LKA output
   ACTIVE_STEER_STEP = 2  # Control frames per command (50hz)
   INACTIVE_STEER_STEP = 10  # Control frames per command (10hz)
+  STARTUP_STEER_STEP = 4  # Control frames per command (25hz)
   STEER_DELTA_UP = 7  # Delta rates require review due to observed EPS weakness
   STEER_DELTA_DOWN = 17
   STEER_DRIVER_ALLOWANCE = 50