diff --git a/msgq/visionipc/visionipc.pxd b/msgq/visionipc/visionipc.pxd
index decd454b7..602d0dc94 100644
--- a/msgq/visionipc/visionipc.pxd
+++ b/msgq/visionipc/visionipc.pxd
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ cdef extern from "msgq/visionipc/visionipc_client.h":
     int num_buffers
     VisionBuf buffers[1]
     VisionIpcClient(string, VisionStreamType, bool)
-    VisionBuf * recv(VisionIpcBufExtra *, int)
+    VisionBuf * recv(VisionIpcBufExtra *, int) nogil
     bool connect(bool)
     bool is_connected()
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/msgq/visionipc/visionipc_pyx.pyx b/msgq/visionipc/visionipc_pyx.pyx
index 65973459e..533762bb7 100644
--- a/msgq/visionipc/visionipc_pyx.pyx
+++ b/msgq/visionipc/visionipc_pyx.pyx
@@ -151,7 +151,10 @@ cdef class VisionIpcClient:
     return self.extra.valid
 
   def recv(self, int timeout_ms=100):
-    buf = self.client.recv(&self.extra, timeout_ms)
+    cdef cppVisionBuf * buf
+    # release the GIL, this can block for timeout_ms
+    with nogil:
+      buf = self.client.recv(&self.extra, timeout_ms)
     if not buf:
       return None
     return VisionBuf.create(buf)