diff --git a/selfdrive/manager/manager.py b/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
index 96accf0368..316a508e2a 100755
--- a/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
+++ b/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ def manager_init() -> None:
     ("SunnylinkEnabled", "1"),
     ("CustomDrivingModel", "0"),
     ("DrivingModelGeneration", "4"),
+    ("LastSunnylinkPingTime", "0"),
   ]
   if not PC:
     default_params.append(("LastUpdateTime", datetime.datetime.utcnow().isoformat().encode('utf8')))
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc
index b5198c2a17..5d8245acc5 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/sidebar.cc
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 #include <cmath>
 
 #include <QMouseEvent>
-#include <common/swaglog.h>
 
 #include "selfdrive/ui/qt/util.h"
 #include "common/params.h"
@@ -156,7 +155,8 @@ void Sidebar::updateState(const UIState &s) {
   setProperty("pandaStatus", QVariant::fromValue(pandaStatus));
   
   ItemStatus sunnylinkStatus;
-  auto last_sunnylink_ping = std::stoull(params.get("LastSunnylinkPingTime"));
+  auto last_sunnylink_ping_str = params.get("LastSunnylinkPingTime");
+  auto last_sunnylink_ping = std::stoull(last_sunnylink_ping_str.empty() ? "0" : last_sunnylink_ping_str);
   auto current_nanos = nanos_since_boot();
   auto elapsed_sunnylink_ping = current_nanos - last_sunnylink_ping;
   auto sunnylink_enabled = params.getBool("SunnylinkEnabled");
@@ -169,7 +169,6 @@ void Sidebar::updateState(const UIState &s) {
       sunnylinkStatus = ItemStatus{{tr("SUNNYLINK"), tr("ONLINE")}, good_color};
     }
     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};
     }
   }