diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc
index c3fff1b90f..cd2c9534dd 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 #include <QMouseEvent>
 
-#include "selfdrive/common/util.h"
-#include "selfdrive/hardware/hw.h"
 #include "selfdrive/ui/qt/util.h"
 
 void Sidebar::drawMetric(QPainter &p, const QString &label, const QString &val, QColor c, int y) {
@@ -59,42 +57,31 @@ void Sidebar::updateState(const UIState &s) {
   int strength = (int)deviceState.getNetworkStrength();
   setProperty("netStrength", strength > 0 ? strength + 1 : 0);
 
+  ItemStatus connectstatus;
   auto last_ping = deviceState.getLastAthenaPingTime();
   if (last_ping == 0) {
-    if (params.getBool("PrimeRedirected")) {
-      setProperty("connectStr", "NO\nPRIME");
-      setProperty("connectStatus", danger_color);
-    } else {
-      setProperty("connectStr", "CONNECT\nOFFLINE");
-      setProperty("connectStatus", warning_color);
-    }
+    connectstatus = params.getBool("PrimeRedirected") ? ItemStatus{"NO\nPRIME", danger_color} : ItemStatus{"CONNECT\nOFFLINE", warning_color};
   } else {
-    bool online = nanos_since_boot() - last_ping < 80e9;
-    setProperty("connectStr",  (online ? "CONNECT\nONLINE" : "CONNECT\nERROR"));
-    setProperty("connectStatus", online ? good_color : danger_color);
+    connectstatus = nanos_since_boot() - last_ping < 80e9 ? ItemStatus{"CONNECT\nONLINE", good_color} : ItemStatus{"CONNECT\nERROR", danger_color};
   }
+  setProperty("connectStatus", QVariant::fromValue(connectstatus));
 
-  QColor tempStatus = danger_color;
+  QColor tempColor = danger_color;
   auto ts = deviceState.getThermalStatus();
   if (ts == cereal::DeviceState::ThermalStatus::GREEN) {
-    tempStatus = good_color;
+    tempColor = good_color;
   } else if (ts == cereal::DeviceState::ThermalStatus::YELLOW) {
-    tempStatus = warning_color;
+    tempColor = warning_color;
   }
-  setProperty("tempStatus", tempStatus);
-  setProperty("tempVal", (int)deviceState.getAmbientTempC());
+  setProperty("tempStatus", QVariant::fromValue(ItemStatus{QString("%1°C").arg((int)deviceState.getAmbientTempC()), tempColor}));
 
-  QString pandaStr = "VEHICLE\nONLINE";
-  QColor pandaStatus = good_color;
+  ItemStatus pandaStatus = {"VEHICLE\nONLINE", good_color};
   if (s.scene.pandaType == cereal::PandaState::PandaType::UNKNOWN) {
-    pandaStatus = danger_color;
-    pandaStr = "NO\nPANDA";
+    pandaStatus = {"NO\nPANDA", danger_color};
   } else if (s.scene.started && !sm["liveLocationKalman"].getLiveLocationKalman().getGpsOK()) {
-    pandaStatus = warning_color;
-    pandaStr = "GPS\nSEARCHING";
+    pandaStatus = {"GPS\nSEARCHING", warning_color};
   }
-  setProperty("pandaStr", pandaStr);
-  setProperty("pandaStatus", pandaStatus);
+  setProperty("pandaStatus", QVariant::fromValue(pandaStatus));
 }
 
 void Sidebar::paintEvent(QPaintEvent *event) {
@@ -125,7 +112,7 @@ void Sidebar::paintEvent(QPaintEvent *event) {
   p.drawText(r, Qt::AlignCenter, net_type);
 
   // metrics
-  drawMetric(p, "TEMP", QString("%1°C").arg(temp_val), temp_status, 338);
-  drawMetric(p, panda_str, "", panda_status, 518);
-  drawMetric(p, connect_str, "", connect_status, 676);
+  drawMetric(p, "TEMP", temp_status.first, temp_status.second, 338);
+  drawMetric(p, panda_status.first, "", panda_status.second, 518);
+  drawMetric(p, connect_status.first, "", connect_status.second, 676);
 }
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.h b/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.h
index 7cd04519a4..8785cd919c 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.h
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.h
@@ -6,14 +6,14 @@
 #include "selfdrive/common/params.h"
 #include "selfdrive/ui/ui.h"
 
+typedef QPair<QString, QColor> ItemStatus;
+Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(ItemStatus);
+
 class Sidebar : public QFrame {
   Q_OBJECT
-  Q_PROPERTY(QString connectStr MEMBER connect_str NOTIFY valueChanged);
-  Q_PROPERTY(QColor connectStatus MEMBER connect_status NOTIFY valueChanged);
-  Q_PROPERTY(QString pandaStr MEMBER panda_str NOTIFY valueChanged);
-  Q_PROPERTY(QColor pandaStatus MEMBER panda_status NOTIFY valueChanged);
-  Q_PROPERTY(int tempVal MEMBER temp_val NOTIFY valueChanged);
-  Q_PROPERTY(QColor tempStatus MEMBER temp_status NOTIFY valueChanged);
+  Q_PROPERTY(ItemStatus connectStatus MEMBER connect_status NOTIFY valueChanged);
+  Q_PROPERTY(ItemStatus pandaStatus MEMBER panda_status NOTIFY valueChanged);
+  Q_PROPERTY(ItemStatus tempStatus MEMBER temp_status NOTIFY valueChanged);
   Q_PROPERTY(QString netType MEMBER net_type NOTIFY valueChanged);
   Q_PROPERTY(int netStrength MEMBER net_strength NOTIFY valueChanged);
 
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ public slots:
 protected:
   void paintEvent(QPaintEvent *event) override;
   void mouseReleaseEvent(QMouseEvent *event) override;
-
-private:
   void drawMetric(QPainter &p, const QString &label, const QString &val, QColor c, int y);
 
   QImage home_img, settings_img;
@@ -51,12 +49,7 @@ private:
   const QColor danger_color = QColor(201, 34, 49);
 
   Params params;
-  QString connect_str = "OFFLINE";
-  QColor connect_status = warning_color;
-  QString panda_str = "NO\nPANDA";
-  QColor panda_status = warning_color;
-  int temp_val = 0;
-  QColor temp_status = warning_color;
+  ItemStatus connect_status, panda_status, temp_status;
   QString net_type;
   int net_strength = 0;
 };