diff --git a/src/controller/ha.c b/src/controller/ha.c
index d2bdc05e..2bc3935b 100644
--- a/src/controller/ha.c
+++ b/src/controller/ha.c
@@ -2134,7 +2134,7 @@ int ha_find_and_connect_to_primary(ha_state_t *ha,
                          ha->voted_for_name, r);
                     ha->primary_ctrl_fd = fd;
                     register_fd_with_iomgr(c, fd);
-                    ha_arm_heartbeat_timeout_vtask(ha, c);
+                    if (c) ha_arm_heartbeat_timeout_vtask(ha, c);
                     return fd;
                 }
                 if (fd == -ETIMEDOUT || fd == -EAGAIN) {
@@ -2160,7 +2160,7 @@ int ha_find_and_connect_to_primary(ha_state_t *ha,
                 INFO("HA: Tier 2 connected to '%s'", p2->name);
                 ha->primary_ctrl_fd = fd;
                 register_fd_with_iomgr(c, fd);
-                ha_arm_heartbeat_timeout_vtask(ha, c);
+                if (c) ha_arm_heartbeat_timeout_vtask(ha, c);
                 return fd;
             }
         }
@@ -2177,7 +2177,7 @@ int ha_find_and_connect_to_primary(ha_state_t *ha,
                 INFO("HA: Tier 3 connected to '%s' after backoff", p3->name);
                 ha->primary_ctrl_fd = fd;
                 register_fd_with_iomgr(c, fd);
-                ha_arm_heartbeat_timeout_vtask(ha, c);
+                if (c) ha_arm_heartbeat_timeout_vtask(ha, c);
                 return fd;
             }
         }
@@ -2217,6 +2217,36 @@ void ha_on_primary_ctrl_fd_rdhup(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c)
     if (committed > 0)
         persist_truncate_wal_above(&c->persist, committed);
 
+    /* Clear voted_for so the jitter check below reflects NEW votes cast during
+     * the RDHUP election, not the stale startup voted_for (different term). */
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&ha->lock);
+    ha->voted_for_term = 0;
+    memset(ha->voted_for_name, 0, sizeof(ha->voted_for_name));
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&ha->lock);
+
+    /* Priority-based jitter before RDHUP election to avoid split-brain:
+     * lower-priority nodes (higher priority index) wait longer, giving the
+     * highest-priority node time to win before others start their elections. */
+    if (ha->my_priority > 0) {
+        uint32_t step_ms = ha->config.election_priority_step_ms
+                           ? ha->config.election_priority_step_ms
+                           : HA_DEFAULT_ELECTION_PRIORITY_STEP_MS;
+        long delay_ns = (long)ha->my_priority * (long)step_ms * 1000000L;
+        struct timespec jitter = {
+            .tv_sec  = delay_ns / 1000000000L,
+            .tv_nsec = delay_ns % 1000000000L,
+        };
+        nanosleep(&jitter, NULL);
+        /* If already voted during jitter (from the winner's vote request), skip */
+        pthread_mutex_lock(&ha->lock);
+        int already_voted = (ha->voted_for_name[0] != '\0');
+        pthread_mutex_unlock(&ha->lock);
+        if (already_voted) {
+            INFO("HA: RDHUP — already voted during jitter, skipping own election");
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
     /* Fire async election — ha_start_election_async is non-blocking (Req 6.3, 6.5).
      * ha->phase2_done==1 at this point (set after initial startup election), so
      * ha_elect_evaluate_and_signal will skip cluster_init_phase2 and go directly