diff --git a/selfdrive/manager.py b/selfdrive/manager.py
index bf631adaf5..898297d64c 100755
--- a/selfdrive/manager.py
+++ b/selfdrive/manager.py
@@ -238,7 +238,6 @@ car_started_processes = [
   'calibrationd',
   'paramsd',
   'camerad',
-  'modeld',
   'proclogd',
   'locationd',
   'clocksd',
@@ -270,6 +269,9 @@ if ANDROID:
     'rtshield',
   ]
 
+# starting dmonitoringmodeld when modeld is initializing can sometimes \
+# result in a weird snpe state where dmon constantly uses more cpu than normal.
+car_started_processes += ['modeld']
 
 def register_managed_process(name, desc, car_started=False):
   global managed_processes, car_started_processes, persistent_processes