diff --git a/board/board.h b/board/board.h
index 5629a841d3f5fd..30e1fa4d17a51e 100644
--- a/board/board.h
+++ b/board/board.h
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@
 
 void detect_board_type(void) {
   #ifdef PANDA
-    // SPI lines floating: white (TODO: is this reliable?)
+    // SPI lines floating: white (TODO: is this reliable? Not really, we have to enable ESP/GPS to be able to detect this on the UART)
+    set_gpio_output(GPIOC, 14, 1);
+    set_gpio_output(GPIOC, 5, 1);
     if((detect_with_pull(GPIOA, 4, PULL_DOWN)) || (detect_with_pull(GPIOA, 5, PULL_DOWN)) || (detect_with_pull(GPIOA, 6, PULL_DOWN)) || (detect_with_pull(GPIOA, 7, PULL_DOWN))){
       hw_type = HW_TYPE_WHITE_PANDA;
       current_board = &board_white;
diff --git a/board/boards/black.h b/board/boards/black.h
index c88791163a086d..c79fc2103e189d 100644
--- a/board/boards/black.h
+++ b/board/boards/black.h
@@ -162,6 +162,9 @@ void black_init(void) {
   set_gpio_mode(GPIOC, 0, MODE_ANALOG);
   set_gpio_mode(GPIOC, 3, MODE_ANALOG);
 
+  // Set default state of GPS
+  current_board->set_esp_gps_mode(ESP_GPS_ENABLED);
+
   // C10: OBD_SBU1_RELAY (harness relay driving output)
   // C11: OBD_SBU2_RELAY (harness relay driving output)
   set_gpio_mode(GPIOC, 10, MODE_OUTPUT);
diff --git a/board/boards/grey.h b/board/boards/grey.h
index 03479a9782799c..3dcb730a582e06 100644
--- a/board/boards/grey.h
+++ b/board/boards/grey.h
@@ -3,10 +3,18 @@
 // ////////// //
 
 // Most hardware functionality is similar to white panda
+
+void grey_init(void) {
+  white_grey_common_init();
+
+  // Set default state of GPS
+  current_board->set_esp_gps_mode(ESP_GPS_ENABLED);
+}
+
 const board board_grey = {
   .board_type = "Grey",
   .harness_config = &white_harness_config,
-  .init = white_init,
+  .init = grey_init,
   .enable_can_transciever = white_enable_can_transciever,
   .enable_can_transcievers = white_enable_can_transcievers,
   .set_led = white_set_led,
diff --git a/board/boards/uno.h b/board/boards/uno.h
index ffce05a0f5b7fc..779ef5091e7fd0 100644
--- a/board/boards/uno.h
+++ b/board/boards/uno.h
@@ -156,6 +156,9 @@ void uno_init(void) {
   set_gpio_mode(GPIOC, 0, MODE_ANALOG);
   set_gpio_mode(GPIOC, 3, MODE_ANALOG);
 
+  // Set default state of GPS
+  current_board->set_esp_gps_mode(ESP_GPS_ENABLED);
+
   // C10: OBD_SBU1_RELAY (harness relay driving output)
   // C11: OBD_SBU2_RELAY (harness relay driving output)
   set_gpio_mode(GPIOC, 10, MODE_OUTPUT);
diff --git a/board/boards/white.h b/board/boards/white.h
index 0fce9d682bbb9d..7b2f91595af792 100644
--- a/board/boards/white.h
+++ b/board/boards/white.h
@@ -78,11 +78,13 @@ void white_set_esp_gps_mode(uint8_t mode) {
       set_gpio_output(GPIOC, 14, 0);
       set_gpio_output(GPIOC, 5, 0);
       break;
+#ifndef EON
     case ESP_GPS_ENABLED:
       // ESP ON
       set_gpio_output(GPIOC, 14, 1);
       set_gpio_output(GPIOC, 5, 1);
       break;
+#endif
     case ESP_GPS_BOOTMODE:
       set_gpio_output(GPIOC, 14, 1);
       set_gpio_output(GPIOC, 5, 0);
@@ -240,7 +242,7 @@ void white_set_phone_power(bool enabled){
   UNUSED(enabled);
 }
 
-void white_init(void) {
+void white_grey_common_init(void) {
   common_init_gpio();
 
   // C3: current sense
@@ -318,6 +320,17 @@ void white_init(void) {
   }
 }
 
+void white_init(void) {
+  white_grey_common_init();
+
+  // Set default state of ESP
+  #ifdef EON
+    current_board->set_esp_gps_mode(ESP_GPS_DISABLED);
+  #else
+    current_board->set_esp_gps_mode(ESP_GPS_ENABLED);
+  #endif
+}
+
 const harness_configuration white_harness_config = {
   .has_harness = false
 };
diff --git a/board/gpio.h b/board/gpio.h
index f33196e8fa37da..322b0be9d06abe 100644
--- a/board/gpio.h
+++ b/board/gpio.h
@@ -59,13 +59,6 @@ void early(void) {
   detect_configuration();
   detect_board_type();
 
-  #ifdef PANDA
-    // enable the ESP, disable ESP boot mode
-    // dont disable on grey panda
-    current_board->set_esp_gps_mode(ESP_GPS_ENABLED);
-  #endif
-
-
   if (enter_bootloader_mode == ENTER_BOOTLOADER_MAGIC) {
   #ifdef PANDA
     current_board->set_esp_gps_mode(ESP_GPS_DISABLED);
diff --git a/board/main.c b/board/main.c
index 5319accfdd3b7c..89bdf6ad82eae6 100644
--- a/board/main.c
+++ b/board/main.c
@@ -774,12 +774,6 @@ int main(void) {
   spi_init();
 #endif
 
-#ifdef EON
-  // have to save power
-  if (hw_type == HW_TYPE_WHITE_PANDA) {
-    current_board->set_esp_gps_mode(ESP_GPS_DISABLED);
-  }
-#endif
   // 1hz
   timer_init(TIM9, 1464);
   NVIC_EnableIRQ(TIM1_BRK_TIM9_IRQn);