diff --git a/internal/scheduler/scheduler.go b/internal/scheduler/scheduler.go
index f1a06ba..f92d2fb 100644
--- a/internal/scheduler/scheduler.go
+++ b/internal/scheduler/scheduler.go
@@ -101,17 +101,19 @@ func (s *Scheduler) loop(ctx context.Context, svc config.Service, sem chan struc
 	}
 	probe()
 	// Stagger the first tick: an immediate probe per service plus aligned
-	// tickers would fire the whole fleet in lockstep every interval.
-	// The phase only offsets alignment; the steady period is unchanged.
+	// tickers would fire the whole fleet in lockstep every interval. The
+	// ticker starts after the phase wait so ticks anchor to the phase end,
+	// spreading same-period services across the interval; the steady
+	// period itself is unchanged.
 	phaseTimer := time.NewTimer(s.phase(svc.Interval.Std()))
-	defer phaseTimer.Stop()
-	ticker := time.NewTicker(svc.Interval.Std())
-	defer ticker.Stop()
 	select {
 	case <-ctx.Done():
+		phaseTimer.Stop()
 		return
 	case <-phaseTimer.C:
 	}
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(svc.Interval.Std())
+	defer ticker.Stop()
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-ctx.Done():
diff --git a/internal/scheduler/scheduler_stagger_test.go b/internal/scheduler/scheduler_stagger_test.go
index c3d85ab..38ce0b5 100644
--- a/internal/scheduler/scheduler_stagger_test.go
+++ b/internal/scheduler/scheduler_stagger_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -95,6 +96,86 @@ func TestSchedulerNoStagger(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// spreadRecorder captures per-service probe timestamps.
+type spreadRecorder struct {
+	mu sync.Mutex
+	ts map[string][]time.Duration
+	t0 time.Time
+}
+
+func (r *spreadRecorder) RecordCheck(_ context.Context, c store.Check) error {
+	r.mu.Lock()
+	defer r.mu.Unlock()
+	r.ts[c.ServiceID] = append(r.ts[c.ServiceID], time.Since(r.t0))
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (r *spreadRecorder) Purge(context.Context, int, time.Time) (int64, error) {
+	return 0, nil
+}
+
+func (r *spreadRecorder) stamps(id string) []time.Duration {
+	r.mu.Lock()
+	defer r.mu.Unlock()
+	return append([]time.Duration(nil), r.ts[id]...)
+}
+
+// TestSchedulerStaggerSeparates runs two same-interval services with
+// in-range phases 5ms vs 45ms and asserts their steady ticks stay ~40ms
+// apart instead of aligned. (The pre-fix code anchored ticks to loop
+// start, yielding a ~0 gap.)
+func TestSchedulerStaggerSeparates(t *testing.T) {
+	target := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {}))
+	defer target.Close()
+
+	spec := config.StatusSpec{}
+	if err := spec.UnmarshalJSON([]byte("[200]")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	mk := func(id string) config.Service {
+		return config.Service{
+			ID: id, Name: id, URL: target.URL, Method: "GET",
+			Interval:     config.Duration(50 * time.Millisecond),
+			Timeout:      config.Duration(2 * time.Second),
+			ExpectStatus: spec,
+		}
+	}
+	cfg := &config.Config{Services: []config.Service{mk("a"), mk("b")}}
+	rec := &spreadRecorder{ts: map[string][]time.Duration{}, t0: time.Now()}
+	s := New(cfg, rec, staggerObserver{})
+	// Loop start order across goroutines is unspecified, so hand out the
+	// two phases atomically without assuming which service is first: the
+	// assertion below uses the absolute gap.
+	var calls atomic.Int64
+	s.phase = func(time.Duration) time.Duration {
+		if calls.Add(1) == 1 {
+			return 5 * time.Millisecond
+		}
+		return 45 * time.Millisecond
+	}
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	s.Run(ctx)
+	time.Sleep(160 * time.Millisecond)
+	cancel()
+	s.Stop()
+
+	a, b := rec.stamps("a"), rec.stamps("b")
+	if len(a) < 2 || len(b) < 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("too few probes: a=%d b=%d", len(a), len(b))
+	}
+	if gap := absDuration(b[1] - a[1]); gap < 20*time.Millisecond {
+		t.Errorf("second-tick gap = %v, want ~40ms (ticks must not align)", gap)
+	}
+}
+
+func absDuration(d time.Duration) time.Duration {
+	if d < 0 {
+		return -d
+	}
+	return d
+}
+
 // TestRandomPhaseBounds pins the production phase source to [0, interval).
 func TestRandomPhaseBounds(t *testing.T) {
 	iv := 60 * time.Second