diff --git a/apps/cnspec/cmd/backgroundjob/background.go b/apps/cnspec/cmd/backgroundjob/background.go
index 77ed2789..411b95d6 100644
--- a/apps/cnspec/cmd/backgroundjob/background.go
+++ b/apps/cnspec/cmd/backgroundjob/background.go
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ func New() (*BackgroundScanner, error) {
 type BackgroundScanner struct{}
 
 func (bs *BackgroundScanner) Run(runScanFn JobRunner) error {
-	Serve(time.Duration(viper.GetInt64("timer"))*time.Minute, runScanFn)
+	Serve(
+		time.Duration(viper.GetInt64("timer"))*time.Minute,
+		time.Duration(viper.GetInt64("splay"))*time.Minute,
+		runScanFn)
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/apps/cnspec/cmd/backgroundjob/serve_unix.go b/apps/cnspec/cmd/backgroundjob/serve_unix.go
index e3a3dcd7..d7786bcc 100644
--- a/apps/cnspec/cmd/backgroundjob/serve_unix.go
+++ b/apps/cnspec/cmd/backgroundjob/serve_unix.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package backgroundjob
 
 import (
+	"math/rand"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"sync"
@@ -13,9 +14,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
 )
 
-func Serve(timer time.Duration, handler JobRunner) {
+func Serve(timer time.Duration, splay time.Duration, handler JobRunner) {
 	log.Info().Msg("start cnspec background service")
-	log.Info().Msgf("scan interval is %d minute(s)", int(timer.Minutes()))
+	log.Info().Msgf("scan interval is %d minute(s) with a splay of %d minutes(s)", int(timer.Minutes()), int(splay.Minutes()))
 
 	quitChannel := make(chan os.Signal)
 	signal.Notify(quitChannel, syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGTERM)
@@ -23,9 +24,9 @@ func Serve(timer time.Duration, handler JobRunner) {
 	shutdownChannel := make(chan struct{})
 	waitGroup := &sync.WaitGroup{}
 
-	initTick := time.Tick(1 * time.Second)
-	defaultTick := time.Tick(timer)
-	tick := initTick
+	t := time.NewTimer(time.Duration(rand.Int63n(int64(time.Minute))))
+	defer t.Stop()
+
 	waitGroup.Add(1)
 
 	go func(shutdownChannel chan struct{}, wg *sync.WaitGroup) {
@@ -40,14 +41,14 @@ func Serve(timer time.Duration, handler JobRunner) {
 			}
 
 			select {
-			case <-tick:
-				if tick == initTick {
-					tick = defaultTick
-				}
+			case <-t.C:
 				err := handler()
 				if err != nil {
 					log.Error().Err(err).Send()
 				}
+				nextRun := timer + time.Duration(rand.Int63n(int64(splay)))
+				log.Info().Msgf("next scan in %v", nextRun)
+				t.Reset(nextRun)
 			case <-shutdownChannel:
 				log.Info().Msg("stop worker")
 				return
diff --git a/apps/cnspec/cmd/backgroundjob/serve_windows.go b/apps/cnspec/cmd/backgroundjob/serve_windows.go
index be4c1bdd..e1028b63 100644
--- a/apps/cnspec/cmd/backgroundjob/serve_windows.go
+++ b/apps/cnspec/cmd/backgroundjob/serve_windows.go
@@ -42,9 +42,10 @@ type windowsService struct {
 func (m *windowsService) Execute(args []string, r <-chan svc.ChangeRequest, changes chan<- svc.Status) (ssec bool, errno uint32) {
 	const cmdsAccepted = svc.AcceptStop | svc.AcceptShutdown
 	changes <- svc.Status{State: svc.StartPending}
-	initTick := time.Tick(1 * time.Second)
-	defaulttick := time.Tick(m.Timer)
-	tick := initTick
+
+	t := time.NewTimer(time.Duration(rand.Int63n(int64(time.Minute))))
+	defer t.Stop()
+
 	log.Info().Msg("schedule background scan")
 	changes <- svc.Status{State: svc.Running, Accepts: cmdsAccepted}
 
@@ -68,15 +69,15 @@ func (m *windowsService) Execute(args []string, r <-chan svc.ChangeRequest, chan
 loop:
 	for {
 		select {
-		case <-tick:
-			if tick == initTick {
-				tick = defaulttick
-			}
+		case <-t.C:
 			select {
 			case runChan <- struct{}{}:
 			default:
 				log.Error().Msg("scan not started. may be stuck")
 			}
+			nextRun := timer + time.Duration(rand.Int63n(int64(splay)))
+			log.Info().Msgf("next scan in %v", nextRun)
+			t.Reset(nextRun)
 		case c := <-r:
 			switch c.Cmd {
 			case svc.Interrogate:
diff --git a/apps/cnspec/cmd/serve.go b/apps/cnspec/cmd/serve.go
index b6a581af..e42cf455 100644
--- a/apps/cnspec/cmd/serve.go
+++ b/apps/cnspec/cmd/serve.go
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ func init() {
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(serveCmd)
 	// background scan flags
 	serveCmd.Flags().Int("timer", 60, "scan interval in minutes")
+	serveCmd.Flags().Int("splay", 60, "randomize the timer by up to this many minutes")
 	serveCmd.Flags().MarkHidden("timer")
+	serveCmd.Flags().MarkHidden("splay")
 	// set inventory
 	serveCmd.Flags().String("inventory-file", "", "Set the path to the inventory file")
 }
@@ -47,6 +49,7 @@ var serveCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 	PreRun: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		viper.BindPFlag("timer", cmd.Flags().Lookup("timer"))
+		viper.BindPFlag("splay", cmd.Flags().Lookup("splay"))
 		viper.BindPFlag("inventory-file", cmd.Flags().Lookup("inventory-file"))
 	},
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {