diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/mici/layouts/offroad_alerts.py b/selfdrive/ui/mici/layouts/offroad_alerts.py
index a46002c28..de631f686 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/mici/layouts/offroad_alerts.py
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/mici/layouts/offroad_alerts.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 import pyray as rl
 import re
+import threading
 import time
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from enum import IntEnum
 from openpilot.common.params import Params
+from openpilot.common.realtime import drop_realtime
 from openpilot.selfdrive.selfdrived.alertmanager import OFFROAD_ALERTS
 from openpilot.system.hardware import HARDWARE
 from openpilot.system.ui.widgets import Widget
@@ -195,7 +197,6 @@ class MiciOffroadAlerts(Scroller):
     self.params = Params()
     self.sorted_alerts: list[AlertData] = []
     self.alert_items: list[AlertItem] = []
-    self._last_refresh = 0.0
 
     # Create empty state label
     self._empty_label = UnifiedLabel(tr("no alerts"), 65, FontWeight.DISPLAY, rl.WHITE,
@@ -205,6 +206,11 @@ class MiciOffroadAlerts(Scroller):
     # Build initial alert list
     self._build_alerts()
 
+    # Start param thread
+    self._pending_params: dict | None = None
+    self._params_thread = threading.Thread(target=self._params_worker, daemon=True)
+    self._params_thread.start()
+
   def active_alerts(self) -> int:
     return sum(alert.visible for alert in self.sorted_alerts)
 
@@ -237,12 +243,19 @@ class MiciOffroadAlerts(Scroller):
       self.alert_items.append(alert_item)
       self._scroller.add_widget(alert_item)
 
-  def refresh(self) -> int:
+  def _params_worker(self):
+    drop_realtime()
+    while True:
+      self._pending_params = ({"UpdaterNewDescription": self.params.get("UpdaterNewDescription")} |
+                              {alert_data.key: self.params.get(alert_data.key) for alert_data in self.sorted_alerts})
+      time.sleep(REFRESH_INTERVAL)
+
+  def _refresh(self) -> int:
     """Refresh alerts from params and return active count."""
     active_count = 0
 
     # Handle UpdateAvailable alert specially
-    update_available = self.params.get_bool("UpdateAvailable")
+    update_available = self._pending_params["UpdateAvailable"]
     update_alert_data = next((alert_data for alert_data in self.sorted_alerts if alert_data.key == "UpdateAvailable"), None)
 
     if update_alert_data:
@@ -250,7 +263,7 @@ class MiciOffroadAlerts(Scroller):
         version_string = ""
 
         # Get new version description and parse version and date
-        new_desc = self.params.get("UpdaterNewDescription") or ""
+        new_desc = self._pending_params["UpdaterNewDescription"] or ""
         if new_desc:
           # format: "version / branch / commit / date"
           parts = new_desc.split(" / ")
@@ -271,7 +284,7 @@ class MiciOffroadAlerts(Scroller):
         continue  # Skip, already handled above
 
       text = ""
-      alert_json = self.params.get(alert_data.key)
+      alert_json = self._pending_params[alert_data.key]
 
       if alert_json:
         text = alert_json.get("text", "").replace("%1", alert_json.get("extra", ""))
@@ -295,19 +308,12 @@ class MiciOffroadAlerts(Scroller):
 
     return active_count
 
-  def show_event(self):
-    """Reset scroll position when shown and refresh alerts."""
-    super().show_event()
-    self._last_refresh = time.monotonic()
-    self.refresh()
-
   def _update_state(self):
     """Periodically refresh alerts."""
-    # Refresh alerts periodically, not every frame
-    current_time = time.monotonic()
-    if current_time - self._last_refresh >= REFRESH_INTERVAL:
-      self.refresh()
-      self._last_refresh = current_time
+    # Refresh alerts when thread updates params
+    if self._pending_params is not None:
+      self._refresh()
+      self._pending_params = None
 
   def _render(self, rect: rl.Rectangle):
     """Render the alerts scroller or empty state."""
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/tests/diff/replay_script.py b/selfdrive/ui/tests/diff/replay_script.py
index dce1c12dc..ad7e8952d 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/tests/diff/replay_script.py
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/tests/diff/replay_script.py
@@ -354,7 +354,10 @@ def build_mici_script(pm: PubMaster, main_layout, script: Script) -> None:
   def setup_offroad_alerts_and_refresh() -> None:
     """Setup function to trigger offroad alerts and force a refresh on the alerts layout."""
     setup_offroad_alerts()
-    main_layout._alerts_layout.refresh()
+    params = Params()
+    main_layout._alerts_layout._pending_params = ({"UpdaterNewDescription": params.get("UpdaterNewDescription")} |
+                                                  {alert_data.key: params.get(alert_data.key) for alert_data in main_layout._alerts_layout.sorted_alerts})
+    main_layout._alerts_layout._refresh()
 
   swipe_right(width, wait_after=WAIT_SHORT)  # open alerts
   script.setup(setup_offroad_alerts_and_refresh)  # show alerts