diff --git a/cereal b/cereal
index 2acf89ed6f..4ecee78a76 160000
--- a/cereal
+++ b/cereal
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 2acf89ed6fb6444dce2bc738739270bdf6ccb5e4
+Subproject commit 4ecee78a761c5421a5a677aa802175ca19527426
diff --git a/selfdrive/boardd/boardd.cc b/selfdrive/boardd/boardd.cc
index f1f885b0c5..1b36acbbbf 100644
--- a/selfdrive/boardd/boardd.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/boardd/boardd.cc
@@ -358,7 +358,10 @@ void panda_state_thread(bool spoofing_started) {
 
     // build msg
     MessageBuilder msg;
-    auto ps = msg.initEvent().initPandaState();
+    auto evt = msg.initEvent();
+    evt.setValid(panda->comms_healthy);
+
+    auto ps = evt.initPandaState();
     ps.setUptime(pandaState.uptime);
 
     if (Hardware::TICI()) {
diff --git a/selfdrive/boardd/panda.cc b/selfdrive/boardd/panda.cc
index 71f5770ed3..bf4f56c50e 100644
--- a/selfdrive/boardd/panda.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/boardd/panda.cc
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ int Panda::usb_bulk_read(unsigned char endpoint, unsigned char* data, int length
     if (err == LIBUSB_ERROR_TIMEOUT) {
       break; // timeout is okay to exit, recv still happened
     } else if (err == LIBUSB_ERROR_OVERFLOW) {
+      comms_healthy = false;
       LOGE_100("overflow got 0x%x", transferred);
     } else if (err != 0) {
       handle_usb_issue(err, __func__);
@@ -296,9 +297,11 @@ int Panda::can_receive(kj::Array<capnp::word>& out_buf) {
 
   size_t num_msg = recv / 0x10;
   MessageBuilder msg;
-  auto canData = msg.initEvent().initCan(num_msg);
+  auto evt = msg.initEvent();
+  evt.setValid(comms_healthy);
 
   // populate message
+  auto canData = evt.initCan(num_msg);
   for (int i = 0; i < num_msg; i++) {
     if (data[i*4] & 4) {
       // extended
diff --git a/selfdrive/boardd/panda.h b/selfdrive/boardd/panda.h
index e725da4fa9..4eca7cc38f 100644
--- a/selfdrive/boardd/panda.h
+++ b/selfdrive/boardd/panda.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class Panda {
   ~Panda();
 
   std::atomic<bool> connected = true;
+  std::atomic<bool> comms_healthy = true;
   cereal::PandaState::PandaType hw_type = cereal::PandaState::PandaType::UNKNOWN;
   bool has_rtc = false;
 
diff --git a/selfdrive/controls/controlsd.py b/selfdrive/controls/controlsd.py
index 661d87536b..cfd81bc451 100755
--- a/selfdrive/controls/controlsd.py
+++ b/selfdrive/controls/controlsd.py
@@ -225,6 +225,8 @@ class Controls:
 
     if len(self.sm['radarState'].radarErrors):
       self.events.add(EventName.radarFault)
+    elif not self.sm.valid["pandaState"]:
+      self.events.add(EventName.usbError)
     elif not self.sm.all_alive_and_valid():
       self.events.add(EventName.commIssue)
       if not self.logged_comm_issue:
diff --git a/selfdrive/controls/lib/events.py b/selfdrive/controls/lib/events.py
index 87ea3d6fad..d826616fb7 100644
--- a/selfdrive/controls/lib/events.py
+++ b/selfdrive/controls/lib/events.py
@@ -672,6 +672,12 @@ EVENTS: Dict[int, Dict[str, Union[Alert, Callable[[Any, messaging.SubMaster, boo
     ET.IMMEDIATE_DISABLE: ImmediateDisableAlert("Controls Mismatch"),
   },
 
+  EventName.usbError: {
+    ET.SOFT_DISABLE: SoftDisableAlert("USB Error: Reboot Your Device"),
+    ET.PERMANENT: NormalPermanentAlert("USB Error: Reboot Your Device", ""),
+    ET.NO_ENTRY: NoEntryAlert("USB Error: Reboot Your Device"),
+  },
+
   EventName.canError: {
     ET.IMMEDIATE_DISABLE: ImmediateDisableAlert("CAN Error: Check Connections"),
     ET.PERMANENT: Alert(