diff --git a/messaging/__init__.py b/messaging/__init__.py
index 1628dd5..0440104 100644
--- a/messaging/__init__.py
+++ b/messaging/__init__.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from cereal.services import service_list
 assert MultiplePublishersError
 assert MessagingError
 
+NO_TRAVERSAL_LIMIT = 2**64-1
 AVG_FREQ_HISTORY = 100
 SIMULATION = "SIMULATION" in os.environ
 
@@ -26,6 +27,9 @@ except ImportError:
 
 context = Context()
 
+def log_from_bytes(dat: bytes) -> capnp.lib.capnp._DynamicStructReader:
+  return log.Event.from_bytes(dat, traversal_limit_in_words=NO_TRAVERSAL_LIMIT)
+
 def new_message(service: Optional[str] = None, size: Optional[int] = None) -> capnp.lib.capnp._DynamicStructBuilder:
   dat = log.Event.new_message()
   dat.logMonoTime = int(sec_since_boot() * 1e9)
@@ -83,7 +87,7 @@ def drain_sock(sock: SubSocket, wait_for_one: bool = False) -> List[capnp.lib.ca
     if dat is None:  # Timeout hit
       break
 
-    dat = log.Event.from_bytes(dat)
+    dat = log_from_bytes(dat)
     ret.append(dat)
 
   return ret
@@ -106,20 +110,20 @@ def recv_sock(sock: SubSocket, wait: bool = False) -> Union[None, capnp.lib.capn
     dat = rcv
 
   if dat is not None:
-    dat = log.Event.from_bytes(dat)
+    dat = log_from_bytes(dat)
 
   return dat
 
 def recv_one(sock: SubSocket) -> Union[None, capnp.lib.capnp._DynamicStructReader]:
   dat = sock.receive()
   if dat is not None:
-    dat = log.Event.from_bytes(dat)
+    dat = log_from_bytes(dat)
   return dat
 
 def recv_one_or_none(sock: SubSocket) -> Union[None, capnp.lib.capnp._DynamicStructReader]:
   dat = sock.receive(non_blocking=True)
   if dat is not None:
-    dat = log.Event.from_bytes(dat)
+    dat = log_from_bytes(dat)
   return dat
 
 def recv_one_retry(sock: SubSocket) -> capnp.lib.capnp._DynamicStructReader:
@@ -127,7 +131,7 @@ def recv_one_retry(sock: SubSocket) -> capnp.lib.capnp._DynamicStructReader:
   while True:
     dat = sock.receive()
     if dat is not None:
-      return log.Event.from_bytes(dat)
+      return log_from_bytes(dat)
 
 class SubMaster():
   def __init__(self, services: List[str], poll: Optional[List[str]] = None,
diff --git a/messaging/messaging.h b/messaging/messaging.h
index 8c0825b..4a184ff 100644
--- a/messaging/messaging.h
+++ b/messaging/messaging.h
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ public:
   SubMaster(const std::vector<const char *> &service_list,
             const char *address = nullptr, const std::vector<const char *> &ignore_alive = {});
   void update(int timeout = 1000);
-  void update_msgs(uint64_t current_time, std::vector<std::pair<std::string, cereal::Event::Reader>> messages);
+  void update_msgs(uint64_t current_time, const std::vector<std::pair<std::string, cereal::Event::Reader>> &messages);
   inline bool allAlive(const std::vector<const char *> &service_list = {}) { return all_(service_list, false, true); }
   inline bool allValid(const std::vector<const char *> &service_list = {}) { return all_(service_list, true, false); }
   inline bool allAliveAndValid(const std::vector<const char *> &service_list = {}) { return all_(service_list, true, true); }
diff --git a/messaging/socketmaster.cc b/messaging/socketmaster.cc
index c88a033..56698dc 100644
--- a/messaging/socketmaster.cc
+++ b/messaging/socketmaster.cc
@@ -92,7 +92,9 @@ void SubMaster::update(int timeout) {
     SubMessage *m = messages_.at(s);
 
     m->msg_reader->~FlatArrayMessageReader();
-    m->msg_reader = new (m->allocated_msg_reader) capnp::FlatArrayMessageReader(m->aligned_buf.align(msg));
+    capnp::ReaderOptions options;
+    options.traversalLimitInWords = kj::maxValue; // Don't limit
+    m->msg_reader = new (m->allocated_msg_reader) capnp::FlatArrayMessageReader(m->aligned_buf.align(msg), options);
     delete msg;
     messages.push_back({m->name, m->msg_reader->getRoot<cereal::Event>()});
   }
@@ -100,7 +102,7 @@ void SubMaster::update(int timeout) {
   update_msgs(current_time, messages);
 }
 
-void SubMaster::update_msgs(uint64_t current_time, std::vector<std::pair<std::string, cereal::Event::Reader>> messages){
+void SubMaster::update_msgs(uint64_t current_time, const std::vector<std::pair<std::string, cereal::Event::Reader>> &messages){
   if (++frame == UINT64_MAX) frame = 1;
 
   for(auto &kv : messages) {