diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index e8f073ba99..7a84e1ef8d 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ pipeline {
                       ["test sounds", "nosetests -s selfdrive/test/test_sounds.py"],
                       ["test boardd loopback", "nosetests -s selfdrive/boardd/tests/test_boardd_loopback.py"],
                       ["test loggerd", "CI=1 python selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_loggerd.py"],
+                      ["test encoder", "CI=1 python selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_encoder.py"],
                       //["test camerad", "CI=1 python selfdrive/camerad/test/test_camerad.py"], // wait for shelf refactor
                       //["test updater", "python installer/updater/test_updater.py"],
                     ])
diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/loggerd.cc b/selfdrive/loggerd/loggerd.cc
index e946b780a4..a66a06831a 100644
--- a/selfdrive/loggerd/loggerd.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/loggerd.cc
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
   double last_rotate_tms = millis_since_boot();
   double last_camera_seen_tms = millis_since_boot();
   while (!do_exit) {
-    for (auto sock : poller->poll(100 * 1000)) {
+    for (auto sock : poller->poll(1000)) {
       Message * last_msg = nullptr;
       while (!do_exit) {
         Message * msg = sock->receive(true);
diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_encoder.py b/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_encoder.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..3f5d26c1ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_encoder.py
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import math
+import os
+import random
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import time
+import unittest
+from parameterized import parameterized
+from pathlib import Path
+from tqdm import trange
+
+from common.params import Params
+from common.timeout import Timeout
+from selfdrive.hardware import EON, TICI
+from selfdrive.test.helpers import with_processes
+from selfdrive.loggerd.config import ROOT, CAMERA_FPS
+
+
+# baseline file sizes for a 2s segment, in bytes
+FULL_SIZE = 1253786
+if EON:
+  CAMERAS = {
+    "fcamera": FULL_SIZE,
+    "dcamera": 770920,
+    "qcamera": 38533,
+  }
+elif TICI:
+  CAMERAS = {f"{c}camera": FULL_SIZE if c!="q" else 38533 for c in ["f", "e", "d", "q"]}
+else:
+  CAMERAS = {}
+
+ALL_CAMERA_COMBINATIONS = [(cameras,) for cameras in [CAMERAS, {k:CAMERAS[k] for k in CAMERAS if k!='dcamera'}]]
+
+FRAME_TOLERANCE = 0
+FILE_SIZE_TOLERANCE = 0.5
+
+class TestEncoder(unittest.TestCase):
+
+  # TODO: all of loggerd should work on PC
+  @classmethod
+  def setUpClass(cls):
+    if not (EON or TICI):
+      raise unittest.SkipTest
+
+  def setUp(self):
+    self._clear_logs()
+
+    self.segment_length = 2
+    os.environ["LOGGERD_TEST"] = "1"
+    os.environ["LOGGERD_SEGMENT_LENGTH"] = str(self.segment_length)
+
+  def tearDown(self):
+    self._clear_logs()
+
+  def _clear_logs(self):
+    if os.path.exists(ROOT):
+      shutil.rmtree(ROOT)
+
+  def _get_latest_segment_path(self):
+    last_route = sorted(Path(ROOT).iterdir(), key=os.path.getmtime)[-1]
+    return os.path.join(ROOT, last_route)
+
+  # TODO: this should run faster than real time
+  @parameterized.expand(ALL_CAMERA_COMBINATIONS)
+  @with_processes(['camerad', 'sensord', 'loggerd'], init_time=5)
+  def test_log_rotation(self, cameras):
+    print("checking targets:", cameras)
+    Params().put("RecordFront", "1" if 'dcamera' in cameras else "0")
+
+    num_segments = random.randint(80, 150)
+    if "CI" in os.environ:
+      num_segments = random.randint(15, 20) # ffprobe is slow on comma two
+
+    # wait for loggerd to make the dir for first segment
+    time.sleep(10)
+    route_prefix_path = None
+    with Timeout(30):
+      while route_prefix_path is None:
+        try:
+          route_prefix_path = self._get_latest_segment_path().rsplit("--", 1)[0]
+        except Exception:
+          time.sleep(2)
+          continue
+
+    for i in trange(num_segments):
+      # poll for next segment
+      if i < num_segments - 1:
+        with Timeout(self.segment_length*3, error_msg=f"timed out waiting for segment {i}"):
+          while True:
+            seg_num = int(self._get_latest_segment_path().rsplit("--", 1)[1])
+            if seg_num > i:
+              break
+            time.sleep(0.1)
+      else:
+        time.sleep(self.segment_length)
+
+      # check each camera file size
+      for camera, size in cameras.items():
+        ext = "ts" if camera=='qcamera' else "hevc"
+        file_path = f"{route_prefix_path}--{i}/{camera}.{ext}"
+
+        # check file size
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(file_path), f"couldn't find {file_path}")
+        file_size = os.path.getsize(file_path)
+        self.assertTrue(math.isclose(file_size, size, rel_tol=FILE_SIZE_TOLERANCE),
+                        f"{camera} failed size check: expected {size}, got {file_size}")
+
+        if camera == 'qcamera':
+          continue
+
+        # check frame count
+        cmd = f"ffprobe -v error -count_frames -select_streams v:0 -show_entries stream=nb_read_frames \
+               -of default=nokey=1:noprint_wrappers=1 {file_path}"
+        expected_frames = self.segment_length * CAMERA_FPS // 2 if (EON and camera=='dcamera') else self.segment_length * CAMERA_FPS
+        frame_tolerance = FRAME_TOLERANCE+1 if (EON and camera=='dcamera') or i==0 else FRAME_TOLERANCE
+        frame_count = int(subprocess.check_output(cmd, shell=True, encoding='utf8').strip())
+
+        self.assertTrue(abs(expected_frames - frame_count) <= frame_tolerance,
+                        f"{camera} failed frame count check: expected {expected_frames}, got {frame_count}")
+      shutil.rmtree(f"{route_prefix_path}--{i}")
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+  unittest.main()
diff --git a/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_loggerd.py b/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_loggerd.py
index 4b7e23f7ba..96719dce6e 100755
--- a/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_loggerd.py
+++ b/selfdrive/loggerd/tests/test_loggerd.py
@@ -1,124 +1,211 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-import math
 import os
 import random
-import shutil
+import string
 import subprocess
 import time
 import unittest
-from parameterized import parameterized
+from collections import defaultdict
 from pathlib import Path
-from tqdm import trange
 
-from common.params import Params
+from cereal import log
+import cereal.messaging as messaging
+from cereal.services import service_list
+from common.basedir import BASEDIR
 from common.timeout import Timeout
-from selfdrive.hardware import EON, TICI
-from selfdrive.test.helpers import with_processes
-from selfdrive.loggerd.config import ROOT, CAMERA_FPS
-
-
-# baseline file sizes for a 2s segment, in bytes
-FULL_SIZE = 1253786
-if EON:
-  CAMERAS = {
-    "fcamera": FULL_SIZE,
-    "dcamera": 770920,
-    "qcamera": 38533,
-  }
-elif TICI:
-  CAMERAS = {f"{c}camera": FULL_SIZE if c!="q" else 38533 for c in ["f", "e", "d", "q"]}
-else:
-  CAMERAS = {}
+from common.params import Params
+import selfdrive.manager as manager
+from selfdrive.loggerd.config import ROOT
+from selfdrive.version import version as VERSION
+from tools.lib.logreader import LogReader
 
-ALL_CAMERA_COMBINATIONS = [(cameras,) for cameras in [CAMERAS, {k:CAMERAS[k] for k in CAMERAS if k!='dcamera'}]]
+SentinelType = log.Sentinel.SentinelType
 
-FRAME_TOLERANCE = 0
-FILE_SIZE_TOLERANCE = 0.5
+CEREAL_SERVICES = [f for f in log.Event.schema.union_fields if f in service_list
+                   and service_list[f].should_log and "encode" not in f.lower()]
 
 class TestLoggerd(unittest.TestCase):
 
-  # TODO: all of loggerd should work on PC
-  @classmethod
-  def setUpClass(cls):
-    if not (EON or TICI):
-      raise unittest.SkipTest
-
-  def setUp(self):
-    self._clear_logs()
-
-    self.segment_length = 2
-    os.environ["LOGGERD_TEST"] = "1"
-    os.environ["LOGGERD_SEGMENT_LENGTH"] = str(self.segment_length)
-
-  def tearDown(self):
-    self._clear_logs()
-
-  def _clear_logs(self):
-    if os.path.exists(ROOT):
-      shutil.rmtree(ROOT)
-
-  def _get_latest_segment_path(self):
-    last_route = sorted(Path(ROOT).iterdir(), key=os.path.getmtime)[-1]
-    return os.path.join(ROOT, last_route)
-
-  # TODO: this should run faster than real time
-  @parameterized.expand(ALL_CAMERA_COMBINATIONS)
-  @with_processes(['camerad', 'sensord', 'loggerd'], init_time=5)
-  def test_log_rotation(self, cameras):
-    print("checking targets:", cameras)
-    Params().put("RecordFront", "1" if 'dcamera' in cameras else "0")
-
-    num_segments = random.randint(80, 150)
-    if "CI" in os.environ:
-      num_segments = random.randint(15, 20) # ffprobe is slow on comma two
-
-    # wait for loggerd to make the dir for first segment
-    time.sleep(10)
-    route_prefix_path = None
-    with Timeout(30):
-      while route_prefix_path is None:
+  def _get_latest_log_dir(self):
+    log_dirs = sorted(Path(ROOT).iterdir(), key=lambda f: f.stat().st_mtime)
+    return log_dirs[-1]
+
+  def _get_log_dir(self, x):
+    for p in x.split(' '):
+      path = Path(p.strip())
+      if path.is_dir():
+        return path
+    return None
+
+  def _gen_bootlog(self):
+    with Timeout(5):
+      out = subprocess.check_output(["./loggerd", "--bootlog"], cwd=os.path.join(BASEDIR, "selfdrive/loggerd"), encoding='utf-8')
+
+    # check existence
+    d = self._get_log_dir(out) 
+    path = Path(os.path.join(d, "bootlog.bz2"))
+    assert path.is_file(), "failed to create bootlog file"
+    return path
+
+  def _check_init_data(self, msgs):
+    msg = msgs[0]
+    assert msg.which() == 'initData'
+
+  def _check_sentinel(self, msgs, route):
+    start_type = SentinelType.startOfRoute if route else SentinelType.startOfSegment
+    assert msgs[1].sentinel.type == start_type
+
+    end_type = SentinelType.endOfRoute if route else SentinelType.endOfSegment
+    assert msgs[-1].sentinel.type == end_type
+
+  def test_init_data_values(self):
+    os.environ["CLEAN"] = random.choice(["0", "1"])
+    os.environ["DONGLE_ID"] = ''.join(random.choice(string.printable) for n in range(random.randint(1, 100)))
+
+    fake_params = [
+      ("GitCommit", "gitCommit", "commit"),
+      ("GitBranch", "gitBranch", "branch"),
+      ("GitRemote", "gitRemote", "remote"),
+    ]
+    params = Params()
+    for k, _, v in fake_params:
+      params.put(k, v)
+
+    lr = list(LogReader(str(self._gen_bootlog())))
+    initData = lr[0].initData
+
+    assert initData.dirty != bool(os.environ["CLEAN"])
+    assert initData.dongleId == os.environ["DONGLE_ID"]
+    assert initData.version == VERSION
+
+    if os.path.isfile("/proc/cmdline"):
+      with open("/proc/cmdline") as f:
+        assert list(initData.kernelArgs) == f.read().strip().split(" ")
+
+      with open("/proc/version") as f:
+        assert initData.kernelVersion == f.read()
+
+    for _, k, v in fake_params:
+      assert getattr(initData, k) == v
+
+  def test_bootlog(self):
+    # generate bootlog with fake launch log
+    launch_log = ''.join([str(random.choice(string.printable)) for _ in range(100)])
+    with open("/tmp/launch_log", "w") as f:
+      f.write(launch_log)
+
+    bootlog_path = self._gen_bootlog()
+    lr = list(LogReader(str(bootlog_path)))
+
+    # check length
+    assert len(lr) == 4 # boot + initData + 2x sentinel
+    
+    # check initData and sentinel
+    self._check_init_data(lr)
+    self._check_sentinel(lr, True)
+
+    # check msgs
+    bootlog_msgs = [m for m in lr if m.which() == 'boot']
+    assert len(bootlog_msgs) == 1
+
+    # sanity check values
+    boot = bootlog_msgs.pop().boot
+    assert abs(boot.wallTimeNanos - time.time_ns()) < 5*1e9 # within 5s
+    assert boot.launchLog == launch_log
+
+    for field, path in [("lastKmsg", "console-ramoops"), ("lastPmsg", "pmsg-ramoops-0")]:
+      path = Path(os.path.join("/sys/fs/pstore/", path))
+      val = b""
+      if path.is_file():
+        val = open(path, "rb").read()
+      assert getattr(boot, field) == val
+
+  def test_qlog(self):
+    qlog_services = [s for s in CEREAL_SERVICES if service_list[s].decimation is not None]
+    no_qlog_services = [s for s in CEREAL_SERVICES if service_list[s].decimation is None]
+
+    services = random.sample(qlog_services, random.randint(2, 10)) + \
+               random.sample(no_qlog_services, random.randint(2, 10))
+
+    pm = messaging.PubMaster(services)
+
+    # sleep enough for the first poll to time out
+    # TOOD: fix loggerd bug dropping the msgs from the first poll
+    manager.start_managed_process("loggerd")
+    time.sleep(2)
+
+    sent_msgs = defaultdict(list)
+    for _ in range(random.randint(2, 10) * 100):
+      for s in services:
         try:
-          route_prefix_path = self._get_latest_segment_path().rsplit("--", 1)[0]
+          m = messaging.new_message(s)
         except Exception:
-          time.sleep(2)
-          continue
-
-    for i in trange(num_segments):
-      # poll for next segment
-      if i < num_segments - 1:
-        with Timeout(self.segment_length*3, error_msg=f"timed out waiting for segment {i}"):
-          while True:
-            seg_num = int(self._get_latest_segment_path().rsplit("--", 1)[1])
-            if seg_num > i:
-              break
-            time.sleep(0.1)
+          m = messaging.new_message(s, random.randint(2, 10))
+        pm.send(s, m)
+        sent_msgs[s].append(m)
+      time.sleep(0.01)
+
+    time.sleep(1)
+    manager.kill_managed_process("loggerd")
+
+    qlog_path = os.path.join(self._get_latest_log_dir(), "qlog.bz2")
+    lr = list(LogReader(qlog_path))
+
+    # check initData and sentinel
+    self._check_init_data(lr)
+    self._check_sentinel(lr, True)
+
+    recv_msgs = defaultdict(list)
+    for m in lr:
+      recv_msgs[m.which()].append(m)
+
+    for s, msgs in sent_msgs.items():
+      recv_cnt = len(recv_msgs[s])
+
+      if s in no_qlog_services:
+        # check services with no specific decimation aren't in qlog
+        assert recv_cnt == 0, f"got {recv_cnt} {s} msgs in qlog"
       else:
-        time.sleep(self.segment_length)
-
-      # check each camera file size
-      for camera, size in cameras.items():
-        ext = "ts" if camera=='qcamera' else "hevc"
-        file_path = f"{route_prefix_path}--{i}/{camera}.{ext}"
-
-        # check file size
-        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(file_path), f"couldn't find {file_path}")
-        file_size = os.path.getsize(file_path)
-        self.assertTrue(math.isclose(file_size, size, rel_tol=FILE_SIZE_TOLERANCE),
-                        f"{camera} failed size check: expected {size}, got {file_size}")
-
-        if camera == 'qcamera':
-          continue
-
-        # check frame count
-        cmd = f"ffprobe -v error -count_frames -select_streams v:0 -show_entries stream=nb_read_frames \
-               -of default=nokey=1:noprint_wrappers=1 {file_path}"
-        expected_frames = self.segment_length * CAMERA_FPS // 2 if (EON and camera=='dcamera') else self.segment_length * CAMERA_FPS
-        frame_tolerance = FRAME_TOLERANCE+1 if (EON and camera=='dcamera') or i==0 else FRAME_TOLERANCE
-        frame_count = int(subprocess.check_output(cmd, shell=True, encoding='utf8').strip())
-
-        self.assertTrue(abs(expected_frames - frame_count) <= frame_tolerance,
-                        f"{camera} failed frame count check: expected {expected_frames}, got {frame_count}")
-      shutil.rmtree(f"{route_prefix_path}--{i}")
+        # check logged message count matches decimation
+        expected_cnt = len(msgs) // service_list[s].decimation
+        assert recv_cnt == expected_cnt, f"expected {expected_cnt} msgs for {s}, got {recv_cnt}"
+
+  def test_rlog(self):
+    services = random.sample(CEREAL_SERVICES, random.randint(5, 10))
+    pm = messaging.PubMaster(services)
+
+    # sleep enough for the first poll to time out
+    # TOOD: fix loggerd bug dropping the msgs from the first poll
+    manager.start_managed_process("loggerd")
+    time.sleep(2)
+
+    sent_msgs = defaultdict(list)
+    for _ in range(random.randint(2, 10) * 100):
+      for s in services:
+        try:
+          m = messaging.new_message(s)
+        except Exception:
+          m = messaging.new_message(s, random.randint(2, 10))
+        pm.send(s, m)
+        sent_msgs[s].append(m)
+      time.sleep(0.01)
+
+    time.sleep(1)
+    manager.kill_managed_process("loggerd")
+
+    lr = list(LogReader(os.path.join(self._get_latest_log_dir(), "rlog.bz2")))
+
+    # check initData and sentinel
+    self._check_init_data(lr)
+    self._check_sentinel(lr, True)
+
+    # check all messages were logged and in order
+    lr = lr[2:-1] # slice off initData and both sentinels
+    for m in lr:
+      sent = sent_msgs[m.which()].pop(0)
+      sent.clear_write_flag()
+      assert sent.to_bytes() == m.as_builder().to_bytes()
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
   unittest.main()
diff --git a/selfdrive/logmessaged.py b/selfdrive/logmessaged.py
index 91dcbb7e04..953f3d477f 100755
--- a/selfdrive/logmessaged.py
+++ b/selfdrive/logmessaged.py
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ def main():
     dat = b''.join(sock.recv_multipart())
     dat = dat.decode('utf8')
 
-    # print "RECV", repr(dat)
-
     levelnum = ord(dat[0])
     dat = dat[1:]