diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad/annotated_camera.cc b/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad/annotated_camera.cc
index c88c0f361d..f096c919ac 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad/annotated_camera.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad/annotated_camera.cc
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@
 #include "common/swaglog.h"
 #include "selfdrive/ui/qt/util.h"
 
+void AnnotatedCameraWidget::updateParams() {
+  visual_style_    = QString::fromStdString(Params().get("VisualStyle")).toInt();
+  visual_wide_cam_ = QString::fromStdString(Params().get("VisualWideCam")).toInt();
+}
+
 // Window that shows camera view and variety of info drawn on top
 AnnotatedCameraWidget::AnnotatedCameraWidget(VisionStreamType type, QWidget *parent)
     : fps_filter(UI_FREQ, 3, 1. / UI_FREQ), CameraWidget("camerad", type, parent) {
@@ -26,9 +31,7 @@ void AnnotatedCameraWidget::updateState(const UIState &s) {
   experimental_btn->updateState(s);
   dmon.updateState(s);
 
-  // dynamically adjust background
-  int style = QString::fromStdString(Params().get("VisualStyle")).toInt();
-  if (style == 0) {
+  if (visual_style_ == 0) {
     setBackgroundColor(bg_colors[STATUS_DISENGAGED]);
   } else {
     setBackgroundColor(QColor(0, 0, 0));
@@ -43,7 +46,7 @@ void AnnotatedCameraWidget::initializeGL() {
   qInfo() << "OpenGL language version:" << QString((const char*)glGetString(GL_SHADING_LANGUAGE_VERSION));
 
   prev_draw_t = millis_since_boot();
-  if (QString::fromStdString(Params().get("VisualStyle")).toInt() == 0) {
+  if (visual_style_ == 0) {
     setBackgroundColor(bg_colors[STATUS_DISENGAGED]);
   } else {
     setBackgroundColor(QColor(0, 0, 0));
@@ -100,6 +103,14 @@ mat4 AnnotatedCameraWidget::calcFrameMatrix() {
 }
 
 void AnnotatedCameraWidget::paintGL() {
+  // refresh VisualWideCam param ~once per second
+  static double last_params_t = 0.0;
+  double params_now = millis_since_boot();
+  if (params_now - last_params_t > 1000.0) {
+    updateParams();
+    last_params_t = params_now;
+  }
+
   UIState *s = uiState();
   SubMaster &sm = *(s->sm);
   const double start_draw_t = millis_since_boot();
@@ -131,7 +142,7 @@ void AnnotatedCameraWidget::paintGL() {
         wide_cam_requested = false;
       }
       wide_cam_requested = wide_cam_requested && sm["selfdriveState"].getSelfdriveState().getExperimentalMode();
-      wide_cam_requested = wide_cam_requested || QString::fromStdString(Params().get("VisualWideCam")).toInt();
+      wide_cam_requested = wide_cam_requested || (visual_wide_cam_ != 0);
     }
     CameraWidget::setStreamType(wide_cam_requested ? VISION_STREAM_WIDE_ROAD : VISION_STREAM_ROAD);
     CameraWidget::setFrameId(sm["modelV2"].getModelV2().getFrameId());
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad/annotated_camera.h b/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad/annotated_camera.h
index 5d9d21ab6b..f4c8cbb276 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad/annotated_camera.h
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/qt/onroad/annotated_camera.h
@@ -45,4 +45,8 @@ protected:
 
   double prev_draw_t = 0;
   FirstOrderFilter fps_filter;
+
+  void updateParams();
+  int visual_style_ = 0;
+  int visual_wide_cam_ = 0;
 };