diff --git a/repeater/handler_helpers/discovery.py b/repeater/handler_helpers/discovery.py
index 8153747..fab9d76 100644
--- a/repeater/handler_helpers/discovery.py
+++ b/repeater/handler_helpers/discovery.py
@@ -7,11 +7,21 @@ allowing other nodes to discover repeaters on the mesh network.
 
 import asyncio
 import logging
+import secrets
 
 from pymc_core.node.handlers.control import ControlHandler
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("DiscoveryHelper")
 
+# Default upper bound (ms) for the randomized pre-send jitter applied to node
+# discovery responses. A node-discover request is a broadcast that every
+# in-range repeater answers at once, so without jitter they all transmit at the
+# same engine-scheduled instant and collide. Mirrors the firmware, which spreads
+# these replies deliberately (MyMesh.cpp:797, sendZeroHop with
+# getRetransmitDelay*4). Safe to be generous: the requester's discovery window is
+# 60s (firmware pending_discover_until = futureMillis(60000)).
+DEFAULT_DISCOVERY_RESPONSE_JITTER_MS = 2000
+
 
 class DiscoveryHelper:
     """Helper class for processing discovery requests in the repeater."""
@@ -23,6 +33,7 @@ class DiscoveryHelper:
         node_type: int = 2,
         log_fn=None,
         debug_log_fn=None,
+        response_jitter_ms: int = DEFAULT_DISCOVERY_RESPONSE_JITTER_MS,
     ):
         """
         Initialize the discovery helper.
@@ -34,10 +45,14 @@ class DiscoveryHelper:
             log_fn: Optional logging function for ControlHandler
             debug_log_fn: Optional logging for verbose ControlHandler messages (e.g. callback
                 presence). Pass logger.debug to avoid INFO noise when forwarding to companions.
+            response_jitter_ms: Upper bound (ms) for the randomized delay added before
+                transmitting a discovery response, to avoid multiple repeaters colliding
+                when answering the same broadcast. Set to 0 to disable (e.g. in tests).
         """
         self.local_identity = local_identity
         self.packet_injector = packet_injector  # Function to inject packets into router
         self.node_type = node_type
+        self.response_jitter_ms = max(0, int(response_jitter_ms))
 
         # Create ControlHandler internally as a parsing utility
         self.control_handler = ControlHandler(
@@ -147,6 +162,18 @@ class DiscoveryHelper:
             tag: The tag for logging purposes
         """
         try:
+            # Randomized pre-send jitter so multiple repeaters answering the same
+            # zero-hop discovery broadcast don't transmit at the same engine-scheduled
+            # instant and collide (the engine's DIRECT delay is fixed, not random).
+            # Mirrors firmware MyMesh.cpp:797. Uses secrets like the engine's TX jitter.
+            if self.response_jitter_ms > 0:
+                jitter_s = secrets.randbelow(self.response_jitter_ms + 1) / 1000.0
+                if jitter_s > 0:
+                    logger.debug(
+                        f"Discovery response jitter {jitter_s * 1000:.0f}ms for tag 0x{tag:08X}"
+                    )
+                    await asyncio.sleep(jitter_s)
+
             success = await self.packet_injector(packet, wait_for_ack=False)
             if success:
                 logger.info(f"Response sent for tag 0x{tag:08X}")
diff --git a/tests/test_handler_helpers_trace_discovery_login.py b/tests/test_handler_helpers_trace_discovery_login.py
index 54d21fe..d286d7d 100644
--- a/tests/test_handler_helpers_trace_discovery_login.py
+++ b/tests/test_handler_helpers_trace_discovery_login.py
@@ -207,7 +207,10 @@ def test_discovery_request_without_identity_does_not_send():
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_discovery_send_packet_async_success_failure_and_exception():
     injector = AsyncMock(side_effect=[True, False, RuntimeError("send fail")])
-    helper = DiscoveryHelper(local_identity=FakeIdentity(0x42), packet_injector=injector)
+    # jitter disabled so the test doesn't sleep
+    helper = DiscoveryHelper(
+        local_identity=FakeIdentity(0x42), packet_injector=injector, response_jitter_ms=0
+    )
 
     await helper._send_packet_async(packet=object(), tag=0x11)
     await helper._send_packet_async(packet=object(), tag=0x12)
@@ -216,6 +219,41 @@ async def test_discovery_send_packet_async_success_failure_and_exception():
     assert injector.await_count == 3
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_discovery_response_applies_bounded_jitter_before_send():
+    injector = AsyncMock(return_value=True)
+    helper = DiscoveryHelper(
+        local_identity=FakeIdentity(0x42), packet_injector=injector, response_jitter_ms=2000
+    )
+
+    slept = []
+
+    async def fake_sleep(secs):
+        slept.append(secs)
+
+    with patch("repeater.handler_helpers.discovery.asyncio.sleep", side_effect=fake_sleep):
+        await helper._send_packet_async(packet=object(), tag=0x55)
+
+    # Jitter applied exactly once, bounded to [0, 2.0]s, before the injection.
+    assert len(slept) == 1
+    assert 0.0 <= slept[0] <= 2.0
+    injector.assert_awaited_once()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_discovery_response_jitter_disabled_does_not_sleep():
+    injector = AsyncMock(return_value=True)
+    helper = DiscoveryHelper(
+        local_identity=FakeIdentity(0x42), packet_injector=injector, response_jitter_ms=0
+    )
+
+    with patch("repeater.handler_helpers.discovery.asyncio.sleep") as sleep_mock:
+        await helper._send_packet_async(packet=object(), tag=0x56)
+
+    sleep_mock.assert_not_called()
+    injector.assert_awaited_once()
+
+
 def test_discovery_send_response_without_injector_is_safe():
     helper = DiscoveryHelper(local_identity=FakeIdentity(0x42), packet_injector=None)