diff --git a/src/services/browser.ts b/src/services/browser.ts
index 01a010e..f416221 100644
--- a/src/services/browser.ts
+++ b/src/services/browser.ts
@@ -56,9 +56,11 @@ function pickInstance(): BrowserInstance | null {
 }
 
 export async function acquirePage(): Promise<{ page: Page; instance: BrowserInstance }> {
+  const anyRestarting = instances.some(i => i.restarting);
   for (const inst of instances) {
-    if (!inst.restarting && (inst.jobCount >= RESTART_AFTER || Date.now() - inst.lastRestartTime >= RESTART_AFTER_MS)) {
+    if (!inst.restarting && !anyRestarting && (inst.jobCount >= RESTART_AFTER || Date.now() - inst.lastRestartTime >= RESTART_AFTER_MS)) {
       scheduleRestart(inst);
+      break; // only restart one at a time
     }
   }
 
@@ -130,7 +132,8 @@ export async function initBrowser(): Promise<void> {
       args: ["--no-sandbox", "--disable-setuid-sandbox", "--disable-gpu", "--disable-dev-shm-usage"],
     });
     const pages = await createPages(browser, PAGES_PER_BROWSER);
-    instances.push({ browser, availablePages: pages, jobCount: 0, lastRestartTime: Date.now(), restarting: false, id: i });
+    const staggerMs = i * (RESTART_AFTER_MS / BROWSER_COUNT);
+    instances.push({ browser, availablePages: pages, jobCount: 0, lastRestartTime: Date.now() + staggerMs, restarting: false, id: i });
   }
   logger.info(`Browser pool ready (${BROWSER_COUNT}×${PAGES_PER_BROWSER} = ${BROWSER_COUNT * PAGES_PER_BROWSER} pages)`);
 }