diff --git a/selfdrive/clearpilot/bench_onroad.py b/selfdrive/clearpilot/bench_onroad.py
index 0c4ee2b..e8d1245 100644
--- a/selfdrive/clearpilot/bench_onroad.py
+++ b/selfdrive/clearpilot/bench_onroad.py
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@ def main():
   params_mem.put("BenchGear", "P")
   params_mem.put("BenchEngaged", "0")
 
+  # thermald handles deviceState (reads our fake pandaStates for ignition)
   pm = messaging.PubMaster([
-    "deviceState", "pandaStates", "carState", "controlsState",
+    "pandaStates", "carState", "controlsState",
     "driverMonitoringState", "liveCalibration",
   ])
 
@@ -65,19 +66,7 @@ def main():
       speed_ms = speed_mph * MS_PER_MPH
       gear = gear_map.get(gear_str, car.CarState.GearShifter.park)
 
-      # deviceState — 2 Hz
-      if frame % 5 == 0:
-        dat = messaging.new_message("deviceState")
-        dat.deviceState.started = True
-        dat.deviceState.freeSpacePercent = 80
-        dat.deviceState.memoryUsagePercent = 30
-        dat.deviceState.cpuTempC = [40.0] * 3
-        dat.deviceState.gpuTempC = [40.0] * 3
-        dat.deviceState.cpuUsagePercent = [20] * 8
-        dat.deviceState.networkType = log.DeviceState.NetworkType.cell4G
-        pm.send("deviceState", dat)
-
-      # pandaStates — 10 Hz
+      # pandaStates — 10 Hz (thermald reads ignition from this)
       if frame % 1 == 0:
         dat = messaging.new_message("pandaStates", 1)
         dat.pandaStates[0].ignitionLine = True
diff --git a/selfdrive/manager/manager.py b/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
index 5c8ddce..b282a91 100755
--- a/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
+++ b/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
@@ -402,10 +402,10 @@ def manager_thread(frogpilot_functions) -> None:
     ignore.append("pandad")
   # CLEARPILOT: bench mode — disable real car processes, enable bench simulator
   if os.getenv("BENCH_MODE") is not None:
-    ignore += ["pandad", "thermald", "controlsd", "radard", "plannerd",
+    ignore += ["pandad", "controlsd", "radard", "plannerd",
                "calibrationd", "torqued", "paramsd", "locationd", "sensord",
                "ubloxd", "pigeond", "dmonitoringmodeld", "dmonitoringd",
-               "modeld", "soundd", "camerad", "loggerd", "micd",
+               "modeld", "soundd", "loggerd", "micd",
                "dashcamd"]
     session_log.info("bench mode enabled")
   ignore += [x for x in os.getenv("BLOCK", "").split(",") if len(x) > 0]
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad.cc
index b2ece96..a75d1ee 100755
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad.cc
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ void OnroadWindow::updateState(const UIState &s) {
   alerts->updateAlert(alert);
 
   nvg->updateState(s);
+  nvg->update();  // CLEARPILOT: force repaint every frame for HUD elements
 
   QColor bgColor = bg_colors[s.status];
   if (paramsMemory.getBool("no_lat_lane_change") == 1) {
@@ -403,13 +404,13 @@ void AnnotatedCameraWidget::drawHud(QPainter &p) {
     Hardware::set_display_power(true);
   }
 
-  // CLEARPILOT: blinking red circle when telemetry is recording
-  if (Params().get("TelemetryEnabled") == "1") {
+  // CLEARPILOT: blinking blue circle when telemetry is recording
+  if (Params().getBool("TelemetryEnabled")) {
     // Blink: visible for 500ms, hidden for 500ms
     int phase = (QDateTime::currentMSecsSinceEpoch() / 500) % 2;
     if (phase == 0) {
       p.setPen(Qt::NoPen);
-      p.setBrush(QColor(220, 30, 30));
+      p.setBrush(QColor(30, 100, 220));
       p.drawEllipse(width() - 150, 50, 100, 100);
     }
   }
diff --git a/system/camerad/main.cc b/system/camerad/main.cc
index 19de21c..8c6e788 100755
--- a/system/camerad/main.cc
+++ b/system/camerad/main.cc
@@ -7,17 +7,27 @@
 #include "system/hardware/hw.h"
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
+  fprintf(stderr, "camerad: starting\n");
+
   if (Hardware::PC()) {
-    printf("exiting, camerad is not meant to run on PC\n");
+    fprintf(stderr, "camerad: exiting, not meant to run on PC\n");
     return 0;
   }
 
   int ret;
+  fprintf(stderr, "camerad: setting realtime priority 53\n");
   ret = util::set_realtime_priority(53);
+  fprintf(stderr, "camerad: set_realtime_priority ret=%d\n", ret);
   assert(ret == 0);
-  ret = util::set_core_affinity({6});
-  assert(ret == 0 || Params().getBool("IsOffroad")); // failure ok while offroad due to offlining cores
 
+  fprintf(stderr, "camerad: setting core affinity to cpu6\n");
+  ret = util::set_core_affinity({6});
+  bool isOffroad = Params().getBool("IsOffroad");
+  fprintf(stderr, "camerad: set_core_affinity ret=%d, IsOffroad=%d\n", ret, isOffroad);
+  assert(ret == 0 || isOffroad); // failure ok while offroad due to offlining cores
+
+  fprintf(stderr, "camerad: starting camerad_thread\n");
   camerad_thread();
+  fprintf(stderr, "camerad: camerad_thread returned\n");
   return 0;
 }