diff --git a/pkg/mesh/backend.go b/pkg/mesh/backend.go
index 78becc89..9b59b247 100644
--- a/pkg/mesh/backend.go
+++ b/pkg/mesh/backend.go
@@ -25,8 +25,17 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	// checkInPeriod is how often nodes should check-in.
-	checkInPeriod = 30 * time.Second
+	// checkInPeriod is how often nodes should check in. It is deliberately
+	// raised above the upstream default of 30s. A node's WireGuard IP is
+	// assigned by its rank in the currently Ready set, and a node is Ready
+	// only while its last-seen is within twice this value. On large clusters
+	// the per-node last-seen writes create enough watch churn that liveness
+	// cannot propagate within a 60s window, collapsing every agent's Ready set
+	// and colliding most nodes on the first address of the subnet. A longer
+	// period widens the freshness window so the Ready set stays close to the
+	// full node set. This is a mitigation, not a root-cause fix; see
+	// https://github.com/squat/kilo/issues/549.
+	checkInPeriod = 5 * time.Minute
 	// DefaultKiloInterface is the default interface created and used by Kilo.
 	DefaultKiloInterface = "kilo0"
 	// DefaultKiloPort is the default UDP port Kilo uses.