diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad.cc
index 0c126304de..a435dd27c7 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad.cc
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ OnroadWindow::OnroadWindow(QWidget *parent) : QWidget(parent) {
 }
 
 void OnroadWindow::updateState(const UIState &s) {
+  if (!s.scene.started) {
+    return;
+  }
+
   QColor bgColor = bg_colors[s.status];
   Alert alert = Alert::get(*(s.sm), s.scene.started_frame);
   alerts->updateAlert(alert);