diff --git a/selfdrive/athena/sunnylinkd.py b/selfdrive/athena/sunnylinkd.py
index 204a712a0d..d26c5a5cca 100755
--- a/selfdrive/athena/sunnylinkd.py
+++ b/selfdrive/athena/sunnylinkd.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def handle_long_poll(ws: WebSocket, exit_event: threading.Event | None) -> None:
     raise
   finally:
     for thread in threads:
-      cloudlog.debug(f"athena.joining {thread.name}")
+      cloudlog.info(f"sunnylinkd athena.joining {thread.name}")
       thread.join()
 
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def ws_recv(ws: WebSocket, end_event: threading.Event) -> None:
         recv_queue.put_nowait(data)
         cloudlog.debug(f"sunnylinkd.ws_recv.recv {data}")
       elif opcode in (ABNF.OPCODE_PING, ABNF.OPCODE_PONG):
-        cloudlog.debug(f"sunnylinkd.ws_recv.pong {opcode}")
+        cloudlog.info(f"sunnylinkd.ws_recv.pong {opcode}")
         last_ping = int(time.monotonic() * 1e9)
         Params().put("LastSunnylinkPingTime", str(last_ping))
     except WebSocketTimeoutException:
@@ -106,11 +106,11 @@ def ws_ping(ws: WebSocket, end_event: threading.Event) -> None:
   while not end_event.is_set():
     try:
       ws.ping()
-      cloudlog.debug(f"sunnylinkd.ws_recv.ws_ping: Pinging")
+      cloudlog.info(f"sunnylinkd.ws_recv.ws_ping: Pinging")
     except Exception:
       cloudlog.exception("sunnylinkd.ws_ping.exception")
       end_event.set()
-    time.sleep(RECONNECT_TIMEOUT_S * 0.8)  # Sleep about 80% before a timeout
+    time.sleep(RECONNECT_TIMEOUT_S * 0.7)  # Sleep about 70% before a timeout
 
 def ws_queue(end_event: threading.Event) -> None:
   resume_requested = False
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc
index df9ebc45c0..bc7a236b8b 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include <cmath>
 
 #include <QMouseEvent>
+#include <common/swaglog.h>
 
 #include "selfdrive/ui/qt/util.h"
 #include "common/params.h"
@@ -155,17 +156,22 @@ void Sidebar::updateState(const UIState &s) {
   setProperty("pandaStatus", QVariant::fromValue(pandaStatus));
   
   ItemStatus sunnylinkStatus;
-  auto last_sunnylink_ping = std::strtol(params.get("LastSunnylinkPingTime").c_str(), nullptr, 10);
+  auto last_sunnylink_ping = std::stoull(params.get("LastSunnylinkPingTime"));
+  auto current_nanos = nanos_since_boot();
+  auto elapsed_sunnylink_ping = current_nanos - last_sunnylink_ping;
   auto sunnylink_enabled = params.getBool("SunnylinkEnabled");
   if (!sunnylink_enabled) {
     sunnylinkStatus = ItemStatus{{tr("SUNNYLINK"), tr("DISABLED")}, disabled_color};
-  } else if (last_ping == 0) {
+  } else if (last_sunnylink_ping == 0) {
     sunnylinkStatus = ItemStatus{{tr("SUNNYLINK"), tr("OFFLINE")}, warning_color};
   } else {
-    if (nanos_since_boot() - last_sunnylink_ping < 80e9)
+    if (elapsed_sunnylink_ping < 80000000000ULL) {
       sunnylinkStatus = ItemStatus{{tr("SUNNYLINK"), tr("ONLINE")}, good_color};
-    else
+    }
+    else {
+      LOGE("Sunnylink is offline, last ping: [%ld]. Current time: [%ld], diff: [%ld]", last_sunnylink_ping, current_nanos, elapsed_sunnylink_ping);
       sunnylinkStatus = ItemStatus{{tr("SUNNYLINK"), tr("ERROR")}, danger_color};
+    }
   }
   setProperty("sunnylinkStatus", QVariant::fromValue(sunnylinkStatus));
 }