diff --git a/packages/core/cyclist.mjs b/packages/core/cyclist.mjs
index 2251dcf60..08b893752 100644
--- a/packages/core/cyclist.mjs
+++ b/packages/core/cyclist.mjs
@@ -37,12 +37,17 @@ export class Cyclist {
           this.lastBegin = begin;
           const end = this.num_cycles_at_cps_change + num_cycles_since_cps_change;
           this.lastEnd = end;
+          this.lastTick = phase;
+
+          if (phase < t) {
+            // avoid querying haps that are in the past anyway
+            console.log(`skip query: too late`);
+            return;
+          }
 
           // query the pattern for events
           const haps = this.pattern.queryArc(begin, end, { _cps: this.cps });
 
-          this.lastTick = phase;
-
           haps.forEach((hap) => {
             if (hap.hasOnset()) {
               const targetTime =
diff --git a/packages/core/zyklus.mjs b/packages/core/zyklus.mjs
index 0fb4ccc4d..a09ace8c8 100644
--- a/packages/core/zyklus.mjs
+++ b/packages/core/zyklus.mjs
@@ -26,8 +26,7 @@ function createClock(
     // callback as long as we're inside the lookahead
     while (phase < lookahead) {
       phase = round ? Math.round(phase * precision) / precision : phase;
-      phase >= t && callback(phase, duration, tick, t);
-      phase < t && console.log('TOO LATE', phase); // what if latency is added from outside?
+      callback(phase, duration, tick, t); // callback has to skip / handle phase < t!
       phase += duration; // increment phase by duration
       tick++;
     }
diff --git a/packages/superdough/superdough.mjs b/packages/superdough/superdough.mjs
index f899052f3..c0ba96e06 100644
--- a/packages/superdough/superdough.mjs
+++ b/packages/superdough/superdough.mjs
@@ -273,6 +273,12 @@ export const superdough = async (value, t, hapDuration) => {
   value.duration = hapDuration;
   // calculate absolute time
   t = typeof t === 'string' && t.startsWith('=') ? Number(t.slice(1)) : ac.currentTime + t;
+  if (t < ac.currentTime) {
+    console.warn(
+      `[superdough]: cannot schedule sounds in the past (target: ${t.toFixed(2)}, now: ${ac.currentTime.toFixed(2)})`,
+    );
+    return;
+  }
   // destructure
   let {
     s = 'triangle',