diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/useTaskSubscription.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/useTaskSubscription.ts
index 18652fdca..be2c9c9e4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/useTaskSubscription.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/useTaskSubscription.ts
@@ -34,11 +34,12 @@ export function useTaskSubscription({
   const onPhaseRef = useRef(onPhase)
   const onOutputRef = useRef(onOutput)
   const esRef = useRef<EventSource | null>(null)
-  const pollIntervalRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null>(null)
+  const pollTimerRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null)
   const reconnectAttemptRef = useRef(0)
   const reconnectTimerRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null)
   const lastStatusRef = useRef<string | null>(null)
   const cleanupRef = useRef(false)
+  const versionRef = useRef(0)
 
   onStatusRef.current = onStatus
   onPhaseRef.current = onPhase
@@ -46,13 +47,14 @@ export function useTaskSubscription({
 
   const cleanupAll = useCallback(() => {
     cleanupRef.current = true
+    versionRef.current += 1
     if (esRef.current) {
       esRef.current.close()
       esRef.current = null
     }
-    if (pollIntervalRef.current) {
-      clearInterval(pollIntervalRef.current)
-      pollIntervalRef.current = null
+    if (pollTimerRef.current) {
+      clearTimeout(pollTimerRef.current)
+      pollTimerRef.current = null
     }
     if (reconnectTimerRef.current) {
       clearTimeout(reconnectTimerRef.current)
@@ -62,13 +64,16 @@ export function useTaskSubscription({
 
   const startPolling = useCallback(() => {
     if (cleanupRef.current) return
+    const version = versionRef.current + 1
+    versionRef.current = version
     setIsPolling(true)
     setIsConnected(false)
-    pollIntervalRef.current = setInterval(async () => {
-      if (cleanupRef.current) return
+
+    const poll = async () => {
+      if (cleanupRef.current || versionRef.current !== version) return
       try {
         const data = await getTaskStatus(taskId) as { status?: string }
-        if (cleanupRef.current) return
+        if (cleanupRef.current || versionRef.current !== version) return
         if (data.status && data.status !== lastStatusRef.current) {
           lastStatusRef.current = data.status
           onStatusRef.current?.(data.status)
@@ -76,14 +81,22 @@ export function useTaskSubscription({
         if (data.status && ['completed', 'failed', 'cancelled'].includes(data.status)) {
           cleanupAll()
           setIsPolling(false)
+          return
         }
       } catch {
       }
-    }, pollingInterval)
+      if (!cleanupRef.current && versionRef.current === version) {
+        pollTimerRef.current = setTimeout(poll, pollingInterval)
+      }
+    }
+
+    poll()
   }, [taskId, pollingInterval, cleanupAll])
 
   const connectSSE = useCallback(() => {
     if (cleanupRef.current) return
+    const version = versionRef.current + 1
+    versionRef.current = version
     if (esRef.current) {
       esRef.current.close()
       esRef.current = null
@@ -94,7 +107,7 @@ export function useTaskSubscription({
     esRef.current = es
 
     es.addEventListener('status', (e: MessageEvent) => {
-      if (cleanupRef.current) return
+      if (cleanupRef.current || versionRef.current !== version) return
       try {
         const data = JSON.parse(e.data) as { status: string; scan_phase?: string }
         if (data.scan_phase) {
@@ -114,7 +127,7 @@ export function useTaskSubscription({
     })
 
     es.addEventListener('phase', (e: MessageEvent) => {
-      if (cleanupRef.current) return
+      if (cleanupRef.current || versionRef.current !== version) return
       try {
         const data = JSON.parse(e.data) as { scan_phase: string }
         if (data.scan_phase) {
@@ -125,7 +138,7 @@ export function useTaskSubscription({
     })
 
     es.addEventListener('output', (e: MessageEvent) => {
-      if (cleanupRef.current) return
+      if (cleanupRef.current || versionRef.current !== version) return
       try {
         const data = JSON.parse(e.data) as { chunk: string }
         if (data.chunk) {
@@ -136,7 +149,7 @@ export function useTaskSubscription({
     })
 
     es.onerror = () => {
-      if (cleanupRef.current) return
+      if (cleanupRef.current || versionRef.current !== version) return
       es.close()
       esRef.current = null
       setIsConnected(false)
@@ -154,7 +167,7 @@ export function useTaskSubscription({
     }
 
     es.onopen = () => {
-      if (cleanupRef.current) return
+      if (cleanupRef.current || versionRef.current !== version) return
       reconnectAttemptRef.current = 0
       setIsConnected(true)
       setIsPolling(false)
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Scans.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Scans.tsx
index e806272eb..03d3aaee7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Scans.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Scans.tsx
@@ -82,22 +82,29 @@ export default function Scans() {
     type: "warning",
   });
 
-  // Ref so the visibilitychange handler always sees the current interval id
-  const intervalRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null>(null);
+  // Ref so the visibilitychange handler always sees the current timer id
+  const pollingTimerRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
   const requestSeqRef = useRef(0);
   const abortRef = useRef<AbortController | null>(null);
 
+  function scheduleNextPoll() {
+    pollingTimerRef.current = setTimeout(async () => {
+      await loadTasks();
+      if (!abortRef.current?.signal.aborted) {
+        scheduleNextPoll();
+      }
+    }, 5000);
+  }
+
   function startPolling() {
     stopPolling();
-    intervalRef.current = setInterval(() => {
-      loadTasks();
-    }, 5000);
+    scheduleNextPoll();
   }
 
   function stopPolling() {
-    if (intervalRef.current !== null) {
-      clearInterval(intervalRef.current);
-      intervalRef.current = null;
+    if (pollingTimerRef.current !== null) {
+      clearTimeout(pollingTimerRef.current);
+      pollingTimerRef.current = null;
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/frontend/testing/unit/hooks/useTaskSubscription.test.ts b/frontend/testing/unit/hooks/useTaskSubscription.test.ts
index 1fe0fc5ae..81103b172 100644
--- a/frontend/testing/unit/hooks/useTaskSubscription.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/testing/unit/hooks/useTaskSubscription.test.ts
@@ -136,12 +136,13 @@ describe('useTaskSubscription', () => {
 
     const es = getES()!
     await act(() => { es.triggerError() })
-
+    // startPolling calls poll() immediately (chained setTimeout), so one call
+    // happens synchronously before the first interval elapses.
     await tickTime(50)
-    expect(getTaskStatus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(getTaskStatus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2) // initial (direct) + first timer
 
     await tickTime(50)
-    expect(getTaskStatus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+    expect(getTaskStatus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3) // initial + first + second timer
   })
 
   it('stops polling on terminal status', async () => {