diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/SConscript b/selfdrive/ui/SConscript
index 669c214746714a..a80d1bc38628c8 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/SConscript
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/SConscript
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ qt_env.Program("soundd/_soundd", ["soundd/main.cc", "soundd/sound.cc"], LIBS=qt_
 if GetOption('test'):
   qt_env.Program("tests/playsound", "tests/playsound.cc", LIBS=base_libs)
   qt_env.Program('tests/test_sound', ['tests/test_runner.cc', 'soundd/sound.cc', 'tests/test_sound.cc'], LIBS=qt_libs)
+  qt_env.Program('tests/test_sound_volume', ['tests/test_runner.cc', 'soundd/sound.cc', 'tests/test_sound_volume.cc'], LIBS=qt_libs)
 
 qt_env.SharedLibrary("qt/python_helpers", ["qt/qt_window.cc"], LIBS=qt_libs)
 
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/tests/.gitignore b/selfdrive/ui/tests/.gitignore
index 26335744f3daf4..65019d1f1d22e0 100644
--- a/selfdrive/ui/tests/.gitignore
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/tests/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 test
 playsound
 test_sound
+test_sound_volume
 test_translations
diff --git a/selfdrive/ui/tests/test_sound_volume.cc b/selfdrive/ui/tests/test_sound_volume.cc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..4902f41e97c476
--- /dev/null
+++ b/selfdrive/ui/tests/test_sound_volume.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+#include <QEventLoop>
+#include <QMap>
+#include <QThread>
+
+#include "catch2/catch.hpp"
+#include "selfdrive/ui/soundd/sound.h"
+
+void controls_thread(int loop_count) {
+  PubMaster pm({"carState", "controlsState", "deviceState"});
+  MessageBuilder deviceStateMsg;
+  auto deviceState = deviceStateMsg.initEvent().initDeviceState();
+  deviceState.setStarted(true);
+
+  const int DT_CTRL = 10;  // ms
+
+  // speeds (volume levels)
+  const std::vector<float> vEgos = {0, 20, 0, 20,};
+
+  for (float vEgo : vEgos) {
+    printf("\n## changing volume to %.1f\n\n", vEgo);
+    MessageBuilder carStateMsg;
+    auto carState = carStateMsg.initEvent().initCarState();
+    carState.setVEgo(vEgo);
+    pm.send("carState", carStateMsg);
+
+    for (int i = 0; i < loop_count; ++i) {
+      // send no alert sound
+      for (int j = 0; j < 1000 / DT_CTRL; ++j) {
+        MessageBuilder msg;
+        msg.initEvent().initControlsState();
+        pm.send("carState", carStateMsg);
+        pm.send("controlsState", msg);
+        pm.send("deviceState", deviceStateMsg);
+        QThread::msleep(DT_CTRL);
+      }
+
+      printf("playing engage.wav\n");
+      for (int j = 0; j < 1000 / DT_CTRL; ++j) {
+        MessageBuilder msg;
+        auto cs = msg.initEvent().initControlsState();
+        cs.setAlertSound(AudibleAlert::ENGAGE);
+        cs.setAlertType("engage.wav");
+        pm.send("controlsState", msg);
+        pm.send("deviceState", deviceStateMsg);
+        QThread::msleep(DT_CTRL);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  QThread::currentThread()->quit();
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("test soundd changing volume") {
+  QEventLoop loop;
+  Sound sound;
+  const int test_loop_cnt = 2;
+
+  QThread t;
+  QObject::connect(&t, &QThread::started, [=]() { controls_thread(test_loop_cnt); });
+  QObject::connect(&t, &QThread::finished, [&]() { loop.quit(); });
+  t.start();
+  loop.exec();
+}