diff --git a/src/ntp_node_time.c b/src/ntp_node_time.c
index 9526eedb..720ae3a3 100644
--- a/src/ntp_node_time.c
+++ b/src/ntp_node_time.c
@@ -86,18 +86,19 @@ static struct NTP_NODE_PEER* add_peer(struct NTP_NODE_TIME* np, uint64_t node_id
     struct NTP_NODE_PEER* p = &np->peers[np->peer_count];
     p->node_id   = node_id;
     p->offset_us = 0;
+    p->has_offset = 0;
     np->peer_count++;
     return p;
 }
 
-static void check_drift(uint64_t node_id, int64_t offset_us) {
-    int64_t abs_us = offset_us < 0 ? -offset_us : offset_us;
+static void check_drift(uint64_t node_id, int64_t offset_delta_us) {
+    int64_t abs_us = offset_delta_us < 0 ? -offset_delta_us : offset_delta_us;
     if (abs_us > NTP_NODE_DRIFT_ERROR_US) {
-        DEBUG_WARN(DEBUG_CATEGORY_GENERAL, "NTP_node: clock drift >10s with node %012llx: %lldus",
-                    (unsigned long long)node_id, (long long)offset_us);
+        DEBUG_WARN(DEBUG_CATEGORY_GENERAL, "NTP_node: clock offset changed by >10s with node %012llx: %lldus",
+                    (unsigned long long)node_id, (long long)offset_delta_us);
     } else if (abs_us > NTP_NODE_DRIFT_WARN_US) {
-        DEBUG_WARN(DEBUG_CATEGORY_GENERAL, "NTP_node: clock drift >2s with node %012llx: %lldus",
-                   (unsigned long long)node_id, (long long)offset_us);
+        DEBUG_WARN(DEBUG_CATEGORY_GENERAL, "NTP_node: clock offset changed by >2s with node %012llx: %lldus",
+                   (unsigned long long)node_id, (long long)offset_delta_us);
     }
 }
 
@@ -135,9 +136,14 @@ static void ntp_node_recv_cb(struct ETCP_CONN* conn, struct ll_entry* entry) {
     struct NTP_NODE_TIME* np = &inst->ntp_node;
     struct NTP_NODE_PEER* peer = find_peer(np, conn->peer_node_id);
     if (!peer) peer = add_peer(np, conn->peer_node_id);
-    if (peer) peer->offset_us = peer_offset;
+    if (!peer) return;
 
-    check_drift(conn->peer_node_id, peer_offset);
+    if (peer->has_offset) {
+        int64_t offset_delta = peer_offset - peer->offset_us;
+        check_drift(conn->peer_node_id, offset_delta);
+    }
+    peer->offset_us = peer_offset;
+    peer->has_offset = 1;
 
     int was_unsynced = !ntp_time_is_synced(inst);
 
diff --git a/src/ntp_node_time.h b/src/ntp_node_time.h
index a760ceff..b53f9e1e 100644
--- a/src/ntp_node_time.h
+++ b/src/ntp_node_time.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ struct UTUN_INSTANCE;
 struct NTP_NODE_PEER {
     uint64_t node_id;
     int64_t  offset_us;   // my_time_recv - peer_time (positive = my clock ahead)
+    int      has_offset;  // first offset already stored, subsequent deltas are real drift
 };
 
 struct NTP_NODE_TIME {