diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad.cc
index 2bce693..5b89787 100755
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad.cc
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
 //   p.restore();
 // }
 
+bool alert_is_visible = false;
+
 OnroadWindow::OnroadWindow(QWidget *parent) : QWidget(parent), scene(uiState()->scene) {
   QVBoxLayout *main_layout  = new QVBoxLayout(this);
   main_layout->setMargin(UI_BORDER_SIZE);
@@ -232,6 +234,8 @@ void OnroadAlerts::updateAlert(const Alert &a) {
 }
 
 void OnroadAlerts::paintEvent(QPaintEvent *event) {
+  alert_is_visible = false;
+
   if (alert.size == cereal::ControlsState::AlertSize::NONE) {
     return;
   }
@@ -240,6 +244,8 @@ void OnroadAlerts::paintEvent(QPaintEvent *event) {
     return;
   }
 
+  alert_is_visible = true;
+
   static std::map<cereal::ControlsState::AlertSize, const int> alert_heights = {
     {cereal::ControlsState::AlertSize::SMALL, 271},
     {cereal::ControlsState::AlertSize::MID, 420},
@@ -386,7 +392,7 @@ void AnnotatedCameraWidget::drawHud(QPainter &p) {
   p.save();
   
   int screenDisaplayMode = paramsMemory.getInt("ScreenDisaplayMode");
-  if (screenDisaplayMode == 1 && !alert->isVisible()) {
+  if (screenDisaplayMode == 1 && !alert_is_visible) {
     // Draw black, filled, full-size rectangle to blank the screen
     // p.fillRect(0, 0, width(), height(), Qt::black);
     // p.restore();