diff --git a/selfdrive/monitoring/driver_monitor.py b/selfdrive/monitoring/driver_monitor.py
index e3f6a5094d..a2cddc2462 100644
--- a/selfdrive/monitoring/driver_monitor.py
+++ b/selfdrive/monitoring/driver_monitor.py
@@ -156,6 +156,11 @@ class DriverStatus():
 
     self._set_timers(active_monitoring=True)
 
+  def _reset_awareness(self):
+    self.awareness = 1.
+    self.awareness_active = 1.
+    self.awareness_passive = 1.
+
   def _set_timers(self, active_monitoring):
     if self.active_monitoring_mode and self.awareness <= self.threshold_prompt:
       if active_monitoring:
@@ -289,17 +294,17 @@ class DriverStatus():
       self.hi_stds = 0
 
   def update_events(self, events, driver_engaged, ctrl_active, standstill):
-    if (driver_engaged and self.awareness > 0) or not ctrl_active:
-      # reset only when on disengagement if red reached
-      self.awareness = 1.
-      self.awareness_active = 1.
-      self.awareness_passive = 1.
+    if (driver_engaged and self.awareness > 0 and not self.active_monitoring_mode) or not ctrl_active: # reset only when on disengagement if red reached
+      self._reset_awareness()
       return
 
     driver_attentive = self.driver_distraction_filter.x < 0.37
     awareness_prev = self.awareness
 
     if (driver_attentive and self.face_detected and self.pose.low_std and self.awareness > 0):
+      if driver_engaged:
+        self._reset_awareness()
+        return
       # only restore awareness when paying attention and alert is not red
       self.awareness = min(self.awareness + ((self.settings._RECOVERY_FACTOR_MAX-self.settings._RECOVERY_FACTOR_MIN)*(1.-self.awareness)+self.settings._RECOVERY_FACTOR_MIN)*self.step_change, 1.)
       if self.awareness == 1.:
diff --git a/selfdrive/monitoring/test_monitoring.py b/selfdrive/monitoring/test_monitoring.py
index 43b5e7747e..f72b4a3aaa 100755
--- a/selfdrive/monitoring/test_monitoring.py
+++ b/selfdrive/monitoring/test_monitoring.py
@@ -101,11 +101,12 @@ class TestMonitoring(unittest.TestCase):
                       ((TEST_TIMESPAN-10-d_status.settings._AWARENESS_TIME)/2))/DT_DMON)].names[0], EventName.driverUnresponsive)
 
   # engaged, down to orange, driver pays attention, back to normal; then down to orange, driver touches wheel
-  #  - should have short orange recovery time and no green afterwards; should recover rightaway on wheel touch
+  #  - should have short orange recovery time and no green afterwards; wheel touch only recovers when paying attention
   def test_normal_driver(self):
     ds_vector = [msg_DISTRACTED] * int(DISTRACTED_SECONDS_TO_ORANGE/DT_DMON) + \
                 [msg_ATTENTIVE] * int(DISTRACTED_SECONDS_TO_ORANGE/DT_DMON) + \
-                [msg_DISTRACTED] * (int(TEST_TIMESPAN/DT_DMON)-int(DISTRACTED_SECONDS_TO_ORANGE*2/DT_DMON))
+                [msg_DISTRACTED] * int((DISTRACTED_SECONDS_TO_ORANGE+2)/DT_DMON) + \
+                [msg_ATTENTIVE] * (int(TEST_TIMESPAN/DT_DMON)-int((DISTRACTED_SECONDS_TO_ORANGE*3+2)/DT_DMON))
     interaction_vector = [car_interaction_NOT_DETECTED] * int(DISTRACTED_SECONDS_TO_ORANGE*3/DT_DMON) + \
                          [car_interaction_DETECTED] * (int(TEST_TIMESPAN/DT_DMON)-int(DISTRACTED_SECONDS_TO_ORANGE*3/DT_DMON))
     events, _ = self._run_seq(ds_vector, interaction_vector, always_true, always_false)
@@ -113,7 +114,8 @@ class TestMonitoring(unittest.TestCase):
     self.assertEqual(events[int((DISTRACTED_SECONDS_TO_ORANGE-0.1)/DT_DMON)].names[0], EventName.promptDriverDistracted)
     self.assertEqual(len(events[int(DISTRACTED_SECONDS_TO_ORANGE*1.5/DT_DMON)]), 0)
     self.assertEqual(events[int((DISTRACTED_SECONDS_TO_ORANGE*3-0.1)/DT_DMON)].names[0], EventName.promptDriverDistracted)
-    self.assertEqual(len(events[int((DISTRACTED_SECONDS_TO_ORANGE*3+0.1)/DT_DMON)]), 0)
+    self.assertEqual(events[int((DISTRACTED_SECONDS_TO_ORANGE*3+0.1)/DT_DMON)].names[0], EventName.promptDriverDistracted)
+    self.assertEqual(len(events[int((DISTRACTED_SECONDS_TO_ORANGE*3+2.5)/DT_DMON)]), 0)
 
   # engaged, down to orange, driver dodges camera, then comes back still distracted, down to red, \
   #                          driver dodges, and then touches wheel to no avail, disengages and reengages