diff --git a/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/events.py b/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/events.py
index 1482a4e334..69fa900be4 100755
--- a/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/events.py
+++ b/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/events.py
@@ -409,7 +409,8 @@ EVENTS: dict[int, dict[str, Alert | AlertCallbackType]] = {
   },
 
   EventName.bigModelFailed: {
-    ET.PERMANENT: NormalPermanentAlert("Big Model Failed ", "Restart the car to retry,\nnow driving on small model", duration=20.),
+    ET.SOFT_DISABLE: soft_disable_alert("Big Model Failed"),
+    ET.PERMANENT: NormalPermanentAlert("Big Model Failed ", "Restart the car to retry,\nsmall model is still available", duration=20.),
   },
 
   EventName.lateralManeuver: {
diff --git a/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/selfdrived.py b/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/selfdrived.py
index f2bd8a4c7b..1f1f6f7349 100755
--- a/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/selfdrived.py
+++ b/openpilot/selfdrive/selfdrived/selfdrived.py
@@ -343,6 +343,9 @@ class SelfdriveD:
     # All events here should at least have NO_ENTRY and SOFT_DISABLE.
     num_events = len(self.events)
 
+    if self.big_model_active and big_failed:
+      self.events.add(EventName.bigModelFailed)
+
     not_running = {p.name for p in self.sm['managerState'].processes if not p.running and p.shouldBeRunning}
     if self.sm.recv_frame['managerState'] and len(not_running):
       if not_running != self.not_running_prev: