diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectSection.svelte b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectSection.svelte
index f0ed5d49..5ba110a2 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectSection.svelte
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectSection.svelte
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
   import { subscribeDragDrop } from '../branches/dragDrop';
   import { isImageFile } from '../branches/branchCardHelpers';
   import { createImage, createImageFromData, deleteImage, getImageData } from '../../api/commands';
+  import { formatRelativeTime, minuteNow } from '../../shared/relativeTime.svelte';
 
   interface Props {
     project: Project;
@@ -347,21 +348,6 @@
   let openNote = $state<{ title: string; content: string; sessionId?: string } | null>(null);
   let openSessionId = $state<string | null>(null);
 
-  function formatRelativeTime(timestampMs: number): string {
-    const date = new Date(timestampMs);
-    const now = new Date();
-    const diffMs = now.getTime() - date.getTime();
-    const diffMins = Math.floor(diffMs / 60000);
-    const diffHours = Math.floor(diffMins / 60);
-    const diffDays = Math.floor(diffHours / 24);
-
-    if (diffMins < 1) return 'just now';
-    if (diffMins < 60) return `${diffMins}m ago`;
-    if (diffHours < 24) return `${diffHours}h ago`;
-    if (diffDays < 7) return `${diffDays}d ago`;
-    return date.toLocaleDateString();
-  }
-
   // ── Lifecycle ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
   onMount(() => {
@@ -563,6 +549,7 @@
 
   <!-- Project notes -->
   {#if projectNotes.length > 0}
+    {@const nowMs = minuteNow.now()}
     <div class="project-notes">
       <div class="notes-header">
         <FileText size={13} />
@@ -580,7 +567,9 @@
               : isFailed
                 ? 'Session finished — no note created'
                 : note.title || 'Untitled note'}
-            secondaryMeta={isRunning || isFailed ? undefined : formatRelativeTime(note.createdAt)}
+            secondaryMeta={isRunning || isFailed
+              ? undefined
+              : formatRelativeTime(note.createdAt, nowMs)}
             deleting={deletingNoteIds.has(note.id)}
             isLast={index === timelineNotes.length - 1}
             sessionId={note.sessionId ?? undefined}
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/BranchTimeline.svelte b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/BranchTimeline.svelte
index 8f48824a..03f8c711 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/BranchTimeline.svelte
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/BranchTimeline.svelte
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@
   import type { BranchTimeline as BranchTimelineData } from '../../types';
   import TimelineRow from './TimelineRow.svelte';
   import type { TimelineItemType, TimelineBadge } from './TimelineRow.svelte';
+  import {
+    formatRelativeTime,
+    formatRelativeTimeSeconds,
+    minuteNow,
+  } from '../../shared/relativeTime.svelte';
   import {
     collectRunningSessionIds,
     createLiveSessionHints,
@@ -222,6 +227,7 @@
 
   // Merge commits, notes, and reviews into a single sorted list
   let items = $derived.by(() => {
+    const nowMs = minuteNow.now();
     const all: DisplayItem[] = [];
     const deletingCommitIds = new Set(
       deletingItems.filter((item) => item.type === 'commit').map((item) => item.id)
@@ -260,7 +266,7 @@
         secondaryMeta = liveHint ?? 'Generating commit';
       } else {
         type = 'commit';
-        secondaryMeta = formatRelativeTime(commit.timestamp);
+        secondaryMeta = formatRelativeTimeSeconds(commit.timestamp, nowMs);
       }
 
       all.push({
@@ -300,7 +306,7 @@
         secondaryMeta = liveHint ?? 'Generating note';
       } else {
         type = 'note';
-        secondaryMeta = formatRelativeTimeMs(note.createdAt);
+        secondaryMeta = formatRelativeTime(note.createdAt, nowMs);
       }
 
       all.push({
@@ -357,7 +363,7 @@
         meta = liveHint ?? 'Generating review';
       } else {
         type = 'review';
-        meta = formatRelativeTimeMs(review.createdAt);
+        meta = formatRelativeTime(review.createdAt, nowMs);
       }
 
       all.push({
@@ -382,7 +388,7 @@
         key: `image-${image.id}`,
         type: 'image' as TimelineItemType,
         title: image.filename,
-        secondaryMeta: isDeleting ? 'Deleting...' : formatRelativeTimeMs(image.createdAt),
+        secondaryMeta: isDeleting ? 'Deleting...' : formatRelativeTime(image.createdAt, nowMs),
         deleting: isDeleting,
         timestamp: Math.floor(image.createdAt / 1000),
         order: 0,
@@ -496,25 +502,6 @@
       onDeleteImage(item.imageId);
     }
   }
-
-  function formatRelativeTime(timestamp: number): string {
-    const date = new Date(timestamp * 1000);
-    const now = new Date();
-    const diffMs = now.getTime() - date.getTime();
-    const diffMins = Math.floor(diffMs / 60000);
-    const diffHours = Math.floor(diffMins / 60);
-    const diffDays = Math.floor(diffHours / 24);
-
-    if (diffMins < 1) return 'just now';
-    if (diffMins < 60) return `${diffMins}m ago`;
-    if (diffHours < 24) return `${diffHours}h ago`;
-    if (diffDays < 7) return `${diffDays}d ago`;
-    return date.toLocaleDateString();
-  }
-
-  function formatRelativeTimeMs(timestamp: number): string {
-    return formatRelativeTime(Math.floor(timestamp / 1000));
-  }
 </script>
 
 {#if items.length === 0 && !onNewNote && !onNewCommit && !onNewReview && pendingDropNotes.length === 0 && pendingItems.length === 0}
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/shared/relativeTime.svelte.ts b/apps/staged/src/lib/shared/relativeTime.svelte.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..56923340
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/shared/relativeTime.svelte.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+class MinuteNowStore {
+  private value = $state(Date.now());
+
+  constructor() {
+    if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
+      this.start();
+    }
+  }
+
+  now(): number {
+    return this.value;
+  }
+
+  private start(): void {
+    this.value = Date.now();
+
+    const msUntilNextMinute = 60000 - (this.value % 60000);
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      this.value = Date.now();
+      setInterval(() => {
+        this.value = Date.now();
+      }, 60000);
+    }, msUntilNextMinute);
+  }
+}
+
+export const minuteNow = new MinuteNowStore();
+
+export function formatRelativeTime(timestampMs: number, nowMs = minuteNow.now()): string {
+  const date = new Date(timestampMs);
+  const diffMs = nowMs - date.getTime();
+  const diffMins = Math.floor(diffMs / 60000);
+  const diffHours = Math.floor(diffMins / 60);
+  const diffDays = Math.floor(diffHours / 24);
+
+  if (diffMins < 1) return 'just now';
+  if (diffMins < 60) return `${diffMins}m ago`;
+  if (diffHours < 24) return `${diffHours}h ago`;
+  if (diffDays < 7) return `${diffDays}d ago`;
+  return date.toLocaleDateString();
+}
+
+export function formatRelativeTimeSeconds(
+  timestampSeconds: number,
+  nowMs = minuteNow.now()
+): string {
+  return formatRelativeTime(timestampSeconds * 1000, nowMs);
+}