diff --git a/src/controller/myapp.c b/src/controller/myapp.c
index 096fd808..7975b607 100644
--- a/src/controller/myapp.c
+++ b/src/controller/myapp.c
@@ -113,72 +113,74 @@ int myapp_run(myconf_t* myconf)
         return rc;
     }
 
-    /* Req 1.1: wait for an incoming heartbeat before starting election.
-     * If a primary already exists it will send heartbeats; receiving one means
-     * this node should become STANDBY immediately (skip election).
-     * If no heartbeat arrives within election_timeout_ms + jitter, proceed to
-     * election — no primary is reachable and this node should compete. */
-    int skip_election = 0;
-    {
-        ctrl_role_t hb_role = ha_wait_for_heartbeat_or_timeout(&c.ha);
-        if (hb_role == CTRL_STANDBY) {
-            /* A primary is already running — skip election, go straight to standby */
-            INFO("HA: heartbeat received — existing primary detected, becoming STANDBY");
-            skip_election = 1;
-        }
-        /* CTRL_ELECTING: no heartbeat received, proceed to election */
+    /* Election retry loop: keep running until this node becomes PRIMARY or
+     * confirms a primary exists (via heartbeat or election loss).
+     *
+     * Iteration:
+     *   1. Wait for heartbeat (election_timeout_ms + jitter).
+     *      - Heartbeat received → existing primary detected → STANDBY, exit loop.
+     *      - Timeout → no primary visible, proceed to election.
+     *   2. Run election (2 rounds with jitter).
+     *      - Won PRIMARY → exit loop as primary.
+     *      - Lost (split vote or peer won) → loop back to step 1.
+     *        The next heartbeat wait will catch the winner's heartbeat if one exists,
+     *        or fire after election_timeout_ms if it was a split vote.
+     */
+    ctrl_role_t final_role = CTRL_ELECTING;
+
+    /* Build peer pointer array once (stable across iterations) */
+    const xce_cluster_config_t *pcfg = &myconf->peers_cfg;
+    int n_peers = (pcfg->candidates_count > 0) ? pcfg->candidates_count : 1;
+    xce_candidate_t *peer_ptrs[MAX_HA_CANDIDATES];
+    int n_other = 0;
+    for (int i = 0; i < pcfg->candidates_count; i++) {
+        if (i != c.ha.my_priority)
+            peer_ptrs[n_other++] = (xce_candidate_t *)&pcfg->candidates[i];
     }
 
-    if (!skip_election) {
-        /* Election: quorum-based role determination (Req 2.1, 2.9). */
-        const xce_cluster_config_t *pcfg = &myconf->peers_cfg;
-        int n_peers = (pcfg->candidates_count > 0) ? pcfg->candidates_count : 1;
-
-        xce_candidate_t *peer_ptrs[MAX_HA_CANDIDATES];
-        int n_other = 0;
-        for (int i = 0; i < pcfg->candidates_count; i++) {
-            if (i != c.ha.my_priority)
-                peer_ptrs[n_other++] = (xce_candidate_t *)&pcfg->candidates[i];
+    for (;;) {
+        /* Step 1: wait for heartbeat from an existing primary */
+        ctrl_role_t hb_role = ha_wait_for_heartbeat_or_timeout(&c.ha);
+        if (hb_role == CTRL_STANDBY) {
+            INFO("HA: heartbeat received — existing primary detected, becoming STANDBY");
+            final_role = CTRL_STANDBY;
+            break;
         }
 
+        /* Step 2: no heartbeat — run election */
         uint64_t my_tag = myconf->config_version_tag;
         uint64_t my_lsn = (uint64_t)atomic_load_explicit(&c.ha.applied_lsn,
                                                           memory_order_acquire);
-
         ctrl_role_t elected = am_i_primary_quorum(
             &c.ha, n_peers, (n_other > 0) ? peer_ptrs : NULL, my_tag, my_lsn);
 
         if (elected == CTRL_PRIMARY) {
-            rc = load_primary_config(&c);
-            if (rc != 0) {
-                cluster_fini(&c);
-                myconf_fini(myconf);
-                return rc;
-            }
-            atomic_store_explicit(&c.ha.role, (int32_t)CTRL_PRIMARY,
-                                  memory_order_release);
-        } else {
-            if (c.ha.defer_config_fetch) {
-                const xce_cluster_config_t *p2 = &myconf->peers_cfg;
-                if (p2->candidates_count > 0)
-                    INFO("HA bootstrap: deferred config fetch from winner %s:%u",
-                         p2->candidates[0].hostname, (unsigned)p2->candidates[0].port);
-                c.ha.defer_config_fetch = false;
-            }
-            if (myconf->config_version_tag == 0) {
-                rc = fetch_config_from_primary(&c);
-                if (rc != 0) {
-                    cluster_fini(&c);
-                    myconf_fini(myconf);
-                    return rc;
-                }
-            } else {
-                INFO("Standby has local config (tag=%016llx) — skipping fetch from primary",
-                     (unsigned long long)myconf->config_version_tag);
-            }
+            final_role = CTRL_PRIMARY;
+            break;
         }
+
+        /* Lost election — loop back; next heartbeat wait will resolve role */
+        INFO("HA: election inconclusive — retrying after heartbeat wait");
+    }
+
+    /* Post-loop: apply role */
+    if (final_role == CTRL_PRIMARY) {
+        rc = load_primary_config(&c);
+        if (rc != 0) {
+            cluster_fini(&c);
+            myconf_fini(myconf);
+            return rc;
+        }
+        atomic_store_explicit(&c.ha.role, (int32_t)CTRL_PRIMARY,
+                              memory_order_release);
     } else {
-        /* Heartbeat-detected STANDBY: fetch config if not already loaded. */
+        /* STANDBY: fetch config from primary if not already loaded */
+        if (c.ha.defer_config_fetch) {
+            if (pcfg->candidates_count > 0)
+                INFO("HA bootstrap: deferred config fetch from winner %s:%u",
+                     pcfg->candidates[0].hostname, (unsigned)pcfg->candidates[0].port);
+            c.ha.defer_config_fetch = false;
+        }
         if (myconf->config_version_tag == 0) {
             rc = fetch_config_from_primary(&c);
             if (rc != 0) {
@@ -186,6 +188,9 @@ int myapp_run(myconf_t* myconf)
                 myconf_fini(myconf);
                 return rc;
             }
+        } else {
+            INFO("Standby has local config (tag=%016llx) — skipping fetch from primary",
+                 (unsigned long long)myconf->config_version_tag);
         }
     }