diff --git a/src/backend/hosts/metrics/index.ts b/src/backend/hosts/metrics/index.ts
index 72fe70d51..50bfa28ec 100644
--- a/src/backend/hosts/metrics/index.ts
+++ b/src/backend/hosts/metrics/index.ts
@@ -25,13 +25,19 @@ import type {
   LogEntry,
   ConnectionStage,
 } from "../../../types/connection-log.js";
-import { collectCpuMetrics } from "./widgets/cpu-collector.js";
+import {
+  collectCpuMetrics,
+  clearCpuSampleCache,
+} from "./widgets/cpu-collector.js";
 import { collectMemoryMetrics } from "./widgets/memory-collector.js";
 import {
   collectDiskMetrics,
   type DiskFilesystem,
 } from "./widgets/disk-collector.js";
-import { collectNetworkMetrics } from "./widgets/network-collector.js";
+import {
+  collectNetworkMetrics,
+  clearNetworkSampleCache,
+} from "./widgets/network-collector.js";
 import { collectUptimeMetrics } from "./widgets/uptime-collector.js";
 import { collectProcessesMetrics } from "./widgets/processes-collector.js";
 import { collectSystemMetrics } from "./widgets/system-collector.js";
@@ -515,6 +521,8 @@ class PollingManager {
       this.syncPollConcurrency();
       this.statusStore.delete(host.id);
       this.metricsStore.delete(host.id);
+      clearCpuSampleCache(host.id);
+      clearNetworkSampleCache(host.id);
       return;
     }
 
@@ -848,6 +856,8 @@ class PollingManager {
       if (clearData) {
         this.statusStore.delete(hostId);
         this.metricsStore.delete(hostId);
+        clearCpuSampleCache(hostId);
+        clearNetworkSampleCache(hostId);
       }
     }
     hostPollCache.invalidate(hostId);
@@ -917,6 +927,8 @@ class PollingManager {
       if (!currentHostIds.has(hostId)) {
         this.statusStore.delete(hostId);
         this.metricsStore.delete(hostId);
+        clearCpuSampleCache(hostId);
+        clearNetworkSampleCache(hostId);
       }
     }
 
@@ -1771,7 +1783,7 @@ async function collectMetrics(
       const collectFn = async (client: Client) => {
         onAuthenticated?.();
         const platform = await detectPlatform(client);
-        const cpu = await collectCpuMetrics(client, platform);
+        const cpu = await collectCpuMetrics(client, platform, host.id);
         const memory = await collectMemoryMetrics(client, platform);
         const disk = await collectDiskMetrics(
           client,
@@ -1779,7 +1791,7 @@ async function collectMetrics(
           monitoredMounts,
           platform,
         );
-        const network = await collectNetworkMetrics(client, platform);
+        const network = await collectNetworkMetrics(client, platform, host.id);
         const uptime = await collectUptimeMetrics(client, platform);
         const processes = await collectProcessesMetrics(client);
         const system = await collectSystemMetrics(client, platform);
diff --git a/src/backend/hosts/metrics/widgets/cpu-collector.ts b/src/backend/hosts/metrics/widgets/cpu-collector.ts
index 83d523c2d..70d35fcd4 100644
--- a/src/backend/hosts/metrics/widgets/cpu-collector.ts
+++ b/src/backend/hosts/metrics/widgets/cpu-collector.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,24 @@ import {
   type HostPlatform,
 } from "./common-utils.js";
 
+/**
+ * CPU percent is derived from the delta against the previous poll's
+ * /proc/stat sample rather than a same-poll double-read, so a poll no longer
+ * has to block for a fixed settle window. Keyed by host.
+ */
+const previousStat = new Map<
+  number,
+  { total: number; idle: number; timestamp: number }
+>();
+
+export function clearCpuSampleCache(hostId?: number): void {
+  if (hostId === undefined) {
+    previousStat.clear();
+    return;
+  }
+  previousStat.delete(hostId);
+}
+
 export function parseCpuLine(
   cpuLine: string,
 ): { total: number; idle: number } | undefined {
@@ -130,6 +148,7 @@ async function collectWindowsCpuMetrics(client: Client): Promise<{
 export async function collectCpuMetrics(
   client: Client,
   platform?: HostPlatform,
+  hostId?: number,
 ): Promise<{
   percent: number | null;
   cores: number | null;
@@ -147,7 +166,8 @@ export async function collectCpuMetrics(
   let loadTriplet: [number, number, number] | null = null;
 
   try {
-    const [stat1, loadAvgOut, coresOut] = await Promise.race([
+    const readAt = Date.now();
+    const [statOut, loadAvgOut, coresOut] = await Promise.race([
       Promise.all([
         execCommand(client, "cat /proc/stat"),
         execCommand(client, "cat /proc/loadavg"),
@@ -164,24 +184,22 @@ export async function collectCpuMetrics(
       ),
     ]);
 
-    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 500));
-    const stat2 = await execCommand(client, "cat /proc/stat");
-
-    const cpuLine1 = (
-      stat1.stdout.split("\n").find((l) => l.startsWith("cpu ")) || ""
+    const cpuLine = (
+      statOut.stdout.split("\n").find((l) => l.startsWith("cpu ")) || ""
     ).trim();
-    const cpuLine2 = (
-      stat2.stdout.split("\n").find((l) => l.startsWith("cpu ")) || ""
-    ).trim();
-    const a = parseCpuLine(cpuLine1);
-    const b = parseCpuLine(cpuLine2);
-    if (a && b) {
-      const totalDiff = b.total - a.total;
-      const idleDiff = b.idle - a.idle;
+    const current = parseCpuLine(cpuLine);
+    const previous =
+      hostId !== undefined ? previousStat.get(hostId) : undefined;
+    if (current && previous) {
+      const totalDiff = current.total - previous.total;
+      const idleDiff = current.idle - previous.idle;
       const used = totalDiff - idleDiff;
       if (totalDiff > 0)
         cpuPercent = Math.max(0, Math.min(100, (used / totalDiff) * 100));
     }
+    if (current && hostId !== undefined) {
+      previousStat.set(hostId, { ...current, timestamp: readAt });
+    }
 
     const laParts = loadAvgOut.stdout.trim().split(/\s+/);
     if (laParts.length >= 3) {
diff --git a/src/backend/hosts/metrics/widgets/network-collector.ts b/src/backend/hosts/metrics/widgets/network-collector.ts
index d2b4a425c..7fd0d1170 100644
--- a/src/backend/hosts/metrics/widgets/network-collector.ts
+++ b/src/backend/hosts/metrics/widgets/network-collector.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,31 @@ export function counterRate(
   return Math.round((second - first) / elapsedSeconds);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Rate is derived from the previous poll's counters rather than a same-poll
+ * double-sample, so a poll no longer has to block for a fixed settle window.
+ * Keyed by host, since counters from one host are meaningless against another.
+ */
+const previousSamples = new Map<
+  number,
+  { counters: Map<string, NetworkCounters>; timestamp: number }
+>();
+
+const previousWindowsSamples = new Map<
+  number,
+  { rows: WindowsAdapterRow[]; timestamp: number }
+>();
+
+export function clearNetworkSampleCache(hostId?: number): void {
+  if (hostId === undefined) {
+    previousSamples.clear();
+    previousWindowsSamples.clear();
+    return;
+  }
+  previousSamples.delete(hostId);
+  previousWindowsSamples.delete(hostId);
+}
+
 export function parseDarwinIfconfig(
   output: string,
 ): Map<string, { ip: string; state: string }> {
@@ -85,7 +110,10 @@ export function parseDarwinNetstat(
   return counters;
 }
 
-async function collectDarwinNetworkMetrics(client: Client): Promise<{
+async function collectDarwinNetworkMetrics(
+  client: Client,
+  hostId?: number,
+): Promise<{
   interfaces: Array<{
     name: string;
     ip: string;
@@ -111,31 +139,35 @@ async function collectDarwinNetworkMetrics(client: Client): Promise<{
     const ifMap = parseDarwinIfconfig(ifconfigOut.stdout);
 
     try {
-      const firstReadAt = Date.now();
-      const netstat1 = await execCommand(client, "netstat -ib 2>/dev/null");
-      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 500));
-      const netstat2 = await execCommand(client, "netstat -ib 2>/dev/null");
-      const elapsedSeconds = (Date.now() - firstReadAt) / 1000;
-      const before = parseDarwinNetstat(netstat1.stdout);
-      const after = parseDarwinNetstat(netstat2.stdout);
+      const readAt = Date.now();
+      const netstatOut = await execCommand(client, "netstat -ib 2>/dev/null");
+      const current = parseDarwinNetstat(netstatOut.stdout);
+      const previous =
+        hostId !== undefined ? previousSamples.get(hostId) : undefined;
+      const elapsedSeconds = previous
+        ? (readAt - previous.timestamp) / 1000
+        : 0;
       if (ifMap.size === 0) {
-        for (const name of before.keys()) {
+        for (const name of current.keys()) {
           ifMap.set(name, { ip: "", state: "UNKNOWN" });
         }
       }
       for (const [name, data] of ifMap.entries()) {
-        const b = before.get(name);
-        const a = after.get(name);
+        const c = current.get(name);
+        const p = previous?.counters.get(name);
         interfaces.push({
           name,
           ip: data.ip,
           state: data.state,
-          rxBytes: b?.rx ?? null,
-          txBytes: b?.tx ?? null,
-          rxRateBps: counterRate(b?.rx, a?.rx, elapsedSeconds),
-          txRateBps: counterRate(b?.tx, a?.tx, elapsedSeconds),
+          rxBytes: c?.rx ?? null,
+          txBytes: c?.tx ?? null,
+          rxRateBps: p ? counterRate(p.rx, c?.rx, elapsedSeconds) : null,
+          txRateBps: p ? counterRate(p.tx, c?.tx, elapsedSeconds) : null,
         });
       }
+      if (hostId !== undefined) {
+        previousSamples.set(hostId, { counters: current, timestamp: readAt });
+      }
     } catch {
       for (const [name, data] of ifMap.entries()) {
         interfaces.push({
@@ -191,7 +223,10 @@ export function parseWindowsAdapterJson(output: string): WindowsAdapterRow[] {
   }
 }
 
-async function collectWindowsNetworkMetrics(client: Client): Promise<{
+async function collectWindowsNetworkMetrics(
+  client: Client,
+  hostId?: number,
+): Promise<{
   interfaces: Array<{
     name: string;
     ip: string;
@@ -213,27 +248,37 @@ async function collectWindowsNetworkMetrics(client: Client): Promise<{
   }> = [];
 
   try {
-    const firstReadAt = Date.now();
-    const before = await execPowerShell(client, WINDOWS_ADAPTER_SCRIPT);
-    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 500));
-    const after = await execPowerShell(client, WINDOWS_ADAPTER_SCRIPT);
-    const elapsedSeconds = (Date.now() - firstReadAt) / 1000;
-
-    const beforeRows = parseWindowsAdapterJson(before.stdout);
-    const afterMap = new Map(
-      parseWindowsAdapterJson(after.stdout).map((row) => [row.name, row]),
+    const readAt = Date.now();
+    const result = await execPowerShell(client, WINDOWS_ADAPTER_SCRIPT);
+    const currentRows = parseWindowsAdapterJson(result.stdout);
+    const previous =
+      hostId !== undefined ? previousWindowsSamples.get(hostId) : undefined;
+    const elapsedSeconds = previous ? (readAt - previous.timestamp) / 1000 : 0;
+    const previousMap = new Map(
+      (previous?.rows ?? []).map((row) => [row.name, row]),
     );
 
-    for (const row of beforeRows) {
-      const afterRow = afterMap.get(row.name);
+    for (const row of currentRows) {
+      const previousRow = previousMap.get(row.name);
       interfaces.push({
         name: row.name,
         ip: row.ip,
         state: row.state,
         rxBytes: row.rx || null,
         txBytes: row.tx || null,
-        rxRateBps: counterRate(row.rx, afterRow?.rx, elapsedSeconds),
-        txRateBps: counterRate(row.tx, afterRow?.tx, elapsedSeconds),
+        rxRateBps: previousRow
+          ? counterRate(previousRow.rx, row.rx, elapsedSeconds)
+          : null,
+        txRateBps: previousRow
+          ? counterRate(previousRow.tx, row.tx, elapsedSeconds)
+          : null,
+      });
+    }
+
+    if (hostId !== undefined) {
+      previousWindowsSamples.set(hostId, {
+        rows: currentRows,
+        timestamp: readAt,
       });
     }
   } catch {
@@ -246,6 +291,7 @@ async function collectWindowsNetworkMetrics(client: Client): Promise<{
 export async function collectNetworkMetrics(
   client: Client,
   platform?: HostPlatform,
+  hostId?: number,
 ): Promise<{
   interfaces: Array<{
     name: string;
@@ -258,10 +304,10 @@ export async function collectNetworkMetrics(
   }>;
 }> {
   if (platform === "darwin") {
-    return collectDarwinNetworkMetrics(client);
+    return collectDarwinNetworkMetrics(client, hostId);
   }
   if (platform === "windows") {
-    return collectWindowsNetworkMetrics(client);
+    return collectWindowsNetworkMetrics(client, hostId);
   }
 
   const interfaces: Array<{
@@ -318,13 +364,14 @@ export async function collectNetworkMetrics(
     }
 
     try {
-      const firstReadAt = Date.now();
+      const readAt = Date.now();
       const procNet = await execCommand(client, "cat /proc/net/dev");
-      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 500));
-      const procNetAfter = await execCommand(client, "cat /proc/net/dev");
-      const elapsedSeconds = (Date.now() - firstReadAt) / 1000;
       const rxTxMap = parseNetworkCounters(procNet.stdout);
-      const afterMap = parseNetworkCounters(procNetAfter.stdout);
+      const previous =
+        hostId !== undefined ? previousSamples.get(hostId) : undefined;
+      const elapsedSeconds = previous
+        ? (readAt - previous.timestamp) / 1000
+        : 0;
       if (ifMap.size === 0) {
         for (const name of rxTxMap.keys()) {
           if (name !== "lo") ifMap.set(name, { ip: "", state: "UNKNOWN" });
@@ -332,15 +379,25 @@ export async function collectNetworkMetrics(
       }
       for (const [name, data] of ifMap.entries()) {
         const rxTx = rxTxMap.get(name);
-        const after = afterMap.get(name);
+        const previousCounters = previous?.counters.get(name);
         interfaces.push({
           name,
           ip: data.ip,
           state: data.state,
           rxBytes: rxTx?.rx ?? null,
           txBytes: rxTx?.tx ?? null,
-          rxRateBps: counterRate(rxTx?.rx, after?.rx, elapsedSeconds),
-          txRateBps: counterRate(rxTx?.tx, after?.tx, elapsedSeconds),
+          rxRateBps: previousCounters
+            ? counterRate(previousCounters.rx, rxTx?.rx, elapsedSeconds)
+            : null,
+          txRateBps: previousCounters
+            ? counterRate(previousCounters.tx, rxTx?.tx, elapsedSeconds)
+            : null,
+        });
+      }
+      if (hostId !== undefined) {
+        previousSamples.set(hostId, {
+          counters: rxTxMap,
+          timestamp: readAt,
         });
       }
     } catch {