diff --git a/selfdrive/debug/cycle_alerts.py b/selfdrive/debug/cycle_alerts.py
index 47a37933c1..9e9924efc6 100755
--- a/selfdrive/debug/cycle_alerts.py
+++ b/selfdrive/debug/cycle_alerts.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ def cycle_alerts(duration=2000, is_metric=False):
   alerts = list(EVENTS.keys())
   print(alerts)
 
-  #alerts = [EventName.preDriverDistracted, EventName.promptDriverDistracted, EventName.driverDistracted]
-  alerts = [EventName.preLaneChangeLeft, EventName.preLaneChangeRight]
+  alerts = [EventName.preDriverDistracted, EventName.promptDriverDistracted, EventName.driverDistracted]
+  #alerts = [EventName.preLaneChangeLeft, EventName.preLaneChangeRight]
 
   CP = CarInterface.get_params("HONDA CIVIC 2016")
   sm = messaging.SubMaster(['deviceState', 'pandaStates', 'roadCameraState', 'modelV2', 'liveCalibration',
diff --git a/selfdrive/manager/process_config.py b/selfdrive/manager/process_config.py
index 8fc07a06ef..2e3741350e 100644
--- a/selfdrive/manager/process_config.py
+++ b/selfdrive/manager/process_config.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ procs = [
   NativeProcess("sensord", "selfdrive/sensord", ["./sensord"], enabled=not PC, persistent=EON, sigkill=EON),
   NativeProcess("ubloxd", "selfdrive/locationd", ["./ubloxd"], enabled=(not PC or WEBCAM)),
   NativeProcess("ui", "selfdrive/ui", ["./ui"], persistent=True, watchdog_max_dt=(5 if TICI else None)),
-  NativeProcess("soundd", "selfdrive/ui/soundd", ["./soundd"]),
+  NativeProcess("soundd", "selfdrive/ui/soundd", ["./soundd"], persistent=True),
   NativeProcess("locationd", "selfdrive/locationd", ["./locationd"]),
   NativeProcess("boardd", "selfdrive/boardd", ["./boardd"], enabled=False),
   PythonProcess("calibrationd", "selfdrive.locationd.calibrationd"),
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/soundd/sound.cc b/selfdrive/ui/soundd/sound.cc
index d004d0dd2e..df8b4fa6ac 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/soundd/sound.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/soundd/sound.cc
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 // TODO: detect when we can't play sounds
 // TODO: detect when we can't display the UI
 
-Sound::Sound(QObject *parent) : sm({"carState", "controlsState"}) {
+Sound::Sound(QObject *parent) : sm({"carState", "controlsState", "deviceState"}) {
   const QString sound_asset_path = Hardware::TICI() ? "../../assets/sounds_tici/" : "../../assets/sounds/";
   for (auto &[alert, fn, loops] : sound_list) {
     QSoundEffect *s = new QSoundEffect(this);
@@ -24,8 +24,22 @@ Sound::Sound(QObject *parent) : sm({"carState", "controlsState"}) {
 };
 
 void Sound::update() {
+  const bool started_prev = sm["deviceState"].getDeviceState().getStarted();
   sm.update(0);
 
+  const bool started = sm["deviceState"].getDeviceState().getStarted();
+  if (started && !started_prev) {
+    started_frame = sm.frame;
+  }
+
+  // no sounds while offroad
+  // also no sounds if nothing is alive in case thermald crashes while offroad
+  const bool crashed = (sm.frame - std::max(sm.rcv_frame("deviceState"), sm.rcv_frame("controlsState"))) > 10*UI_FREQ;
+  if (!started || crashed) {
+    setAlert({});
+    return;
+  }
+
   // scale volume with speed
   if (sm.updated("carState")) {
     float volume = util::map_val(sm["carState"].getCarState().getVEgo(), 0.f, 20.f,
@@ -35,7 +49,7 @@ void Sound::update() {
     }
   }
 
-  setAlert(Alert::get(sm, 1));
+  setAlert(Alert::get(sm, started_frame));
 }
 
 void Sound::setAlert(const Alert &alert) {
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/soundd/sound.h b/selfdrive/ui/soundd/sound.h
index e9f186de5d..cbc7b87078 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/soundd/sound.h
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/soundd/sound.h
@@ -28,4 +28,5 @@ protected:
   Alert current_alert = {};
   QMap<AudibleAlert, QPair<QSoundEffect *, int>> sounds;
   SubMaster sm;
+  uint64_t started_frame;
 };
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/tests/test_soundd.py b/selfdrive/ui/tests/test_soundd.py
index ad07f86303..98f17d620f 100755
--- a/selfdrive/ui/tests/test_soundd.py
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/tests/test_soundd.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class TestSoundd(unittest.TestCase):
   @phone_only
   @with_processes(['soundd'])
   def test_alert_sounds(self):
-    pm = messaging.PubMaster(['controlsState'])
+    pm = messaging.PubMaster(['deviceState', 'controlsState'])
 
     # make sure they're all defined
     alert_sounds = {v: k for k, v in car.CarControl.HUDControl.AudibleAlert.schema.enumerants.items()}
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ class TestSoundd(unittest.TestCase):
       start_writes = get_total_writes()
 
       for _ in range(int(9 / DT_CTRL)):
+        msg = messaging.new_message('deviceState')
+        msg.deviceState.started = True
+        pm.send('deviceState', msg)
+
         msg = messaging.new_message('controlsState')
         msg.controlsState.alertSound = sound
         msg.controlsState.alertType = str(sound)
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/ui.h b/selfdrive/ui/ui.h
index 611af54877..4fcc137df7 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/ui.h
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/ui.h
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ struct Alert {
   cereal::ControlsState::AlertSize size;
   AudibleAlert sound;
   bool equal(const Alert &a2) {
-    return text1 == a2.text1 && text2 == a2.text2 && type == a2.type;
+    return text1 == a2.text1 && text2 == a2.text2 && type == a2.type && sound == a2.sound;
   }
 
   static Alert get(const SubMaster &sm, uint64_t started_frame) {