A HVAC controller located within a building zone includes a housing, a wireless radio, a controller monitor, a temperature sensor, and a temperature compensation module. The wireless radio is contained within the housing and is configured to transmit data via a wireless HVAC network. The controller monitor is configured to detect wireless activity of the wireless radio, the wireless activity generating heat inside the housing and causing a temperature inside the housing to exceed a temperature of the building zone outside the housing. The temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature inside the housing. The temperature compensation module is configured to determine a wireless heat rise resulting from the wireless activity, to calculate a temperature offset based on the wireless heat rise, and to determine the temperature of the building zone outside the housing by subtracting the temperature offset from the temperature measured inside the housing.