diff --git a/crates/teamtalk/src/utils/backoff.rs b/crates/teamtalk/src/utils/backoff.rs
index a407d65..67d0a99 100644
--- a/crates/teamtalk/src/utils/backoff.rs
+++ b/crates/teamtalk/src/utils/backoff.rs
@@ -1,13 +1,38 @@
 //! Exponential backoff helper.
+//!
+//! Implements an AWS-style exponential-backoff schedule with a
+//! parameterised jitter factor (see "Exponential Backoff And Jitter",
+//! AWS Architecture Blog, 2015). Given an attempt count `n`, a base
+//! delay `b`, a growth factor `f`, a cap `m`, and a jitter knob
+//! `j in [0, 1]`, the next delay is:
+//!
+//! ```text
+//! cap_n = min(b * f^n, m)
+//! delay = cap_n * (1 - j) + rand(0, cap_n * j)
+//! ```
+//!
+//! The extremes are:
+//!
+//! * `j = 1.0` — full jitter: `delay = rand(0, cap_n)`.
+//! * `j = 0.0` — no jitter:   `delay = cap_n`.
+//! * `j = 0.5` — equal jitter: `delay in [0.5*cap_n, cap_n]`.
+//!
+//! Full jitter is the default and is usually the safest choice for
+//! thundering-herd avoidance on reconnect storms.
+
 use rand::{RngExt, rng};
 use std::time::Duration;
 
+/// Default jitter factor used by [`Default`].
+const DEFAULT_JITTER: f32 = 1.0;
+
 /// Exponential backoff with jitter and a maximum cap.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct ExponentialBackoff {
     initial_delay: Duration,
     max_delay: Duration,
     factor: f32,
+    jitter: f32,
     attempts: u32,
     current_val: Duration,
 }
@@ -18,6 +43,7 @@ impl Default for ExponentialBackoff {
             initial_delay: Duration::from_secs(1),
             max_delay: Duration::from_secs(120),
             factor: 1.6,
+            jitter: DEFAULT_JITTER,
             attempts: 0,
             current_val: Duration::ZERO,
         }
@@ -26,17 +52,34 @@ impl Default for ExponentialBackoff {
 
 impl ExponentialBackoff {
     /// Creates a new backoff schedule.
+    ///
+    /// * `initial` — base delay for attempt 0.
+    /// * `max` — upper cap on any single delay (pre-jitter).
+    /// * `factor` — growth factor per attempt; the cap at attempt `n`
+    ///   is `initial * factor^n`, then clamped to `max`.
+    /// * `jitter` — jitter factor, clamped to `[0.0, 1.0]`. A value
+    ///   of `1.0` picks uniformly in `[0, cap]`; `0.0` returns the
+    ///   deterministic cap; `0.5` picks uniformly in
+    ///   `[cap/2, cap]`. Values outside `[0, 1]` are silently
+    ///   clamped.
     #[must_use]
-    pub fn new(initial: Duration, max: Duration, factor: f32, _jitter: f32) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(initial: Duration, max: Duration, factor: f32, jitter: f32) -> Self {
         Self {
             initial_delay: initial,
             max_delay: max,
             factor,
+            jitter: jitter.clamp(0.0, 1.0),
             attempts: 0,
             current_val: Duration::ZERO,
         }
     }
 
+    /// Returns the configured jitter factor, always in `[0.0, 1.0]`.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn jitter(&self) -> f32 {
+        self.jitter
+    }
+
     /// Returns the next delay in the schedule.
     #[must_use]
     pub fn next_delay(&mut self) -> Duration {
@@ -52,19 +95,48 @@ impl ExponentialBackoff {
             self.initial_delay
         };
 
-        let exponent = self.attempts as f32;
-        let cap_secs = base.as_secs_f32() * self.factor.powf(exponent);
-        let cap = Duration::from_secs_f32(cap_secs).min(self.max_delay);
+        // Compute the cap in integer milliseconds to avoid panics
+        // from `Duration::from_secs_f32` on overflow / NaN and to
+        // keep exact integer growth for typical millisecond-scale
+        // backoffs (no floating-point drift for bases like 10 ms).
+        let max_millis_u128 = self.max_delay.as_millis();
+        let mut cap_millis_u128 = base.as_millis().min(max_millis_u128);
+        for _ in 0..self.attempts {
+            if cap_millis_u128 >= max_millis_u128 {
+                cap_millis_u128 = max_millis_u128;
+                break;
+            }
+            let factor = f64::from(self.factor);
+            if !factor.is_finite() || factor <= 1.0 {
+                break;
+            }
+            let next = ((cap_millis_u128 as f64) * factor) as u128;
+            if next <= cap_millis_u128 {
+                break;
+            }
+            cap_millis_u128 = next.min(max_millis_u128);
+        }
+        let cap_millis = cap_millis_u128.min(u128::from(u64::MAX)) as u64;
 
         self.attempts += 1;
 
-        let max_millis = cap.as_millis() as u64;
-        if max_millis == 0 {
+        if cap_millis == 0 {
             self.current_val = Duration::ZERO;
             return Duration::ZERO;
         }
 
-        let jittered = rng().random_range(0..=max_millis);
+        // delay = cap * (1 - j) + rand(0, cap * j)
+        //
+        // Compute the random span in integer milliseconds so that we
+        // stay deterministic in ordering with the pre-existing tests
+        // and avoid floating-point drift on the cap boundary.
+        let random_span_millis = ((cap_millis as f64) * f64::from(self.jitter)) as u64;
+        let fixed_millis = cap_millis.saturating_sub(random_span_millis);
+        let jittered = if random_span_millis == 0 {
+            fixed_millis
+        } else {
+            fixed_millis + rng().random_range(0..=random_span_millis)
+        };
         self.current_val = Duration::from_millis(jittered);
         self.current_val
     }
diff --git a/crates/teamtalk/tests/backoff_jitter_tests.rs b/crates/teamtalk/tests/backoff_jitter_tests.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7fd2d0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/teamtalk/tests/backoff_jitter_tests.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+//! Integration tests for [`ExponentialBackoff`] jitter semantics.
+//!
+//! The core contract (repeated here so tests read top-to-bottom):
+//!
+//! ```text
+//! cap_n = min(initial * factor^n, max)
+//! delay = cap_n * (1 - jitter) + rand(0, cap_n * jitter)
+//! ```
+//!
+//! * `jitter = 1.0` — uniform `[0, cap_n]` (full jitter, AWS default).
+//! * `jitter = 0.0` — deterministic `cap_n`.
+//! * `jitter = 0.5` — uniform `[cap_n/2, cap_n]`.
+//! * Values outside `[0, 1]` are clamped.
+
+use std::time::Duration;
+use teamtalk::utils::backoff::ExponentialBackoff;
+
+#[test]
+fn jitter_zero_is_deterministic_cap() {
+    let mut backoff = ExponentialBackoff::new(
+        Duration::from_millis(50),
+        Duration::from_millis(50),
+        2.0,
+        0.0,
+    );
+    // With jitter = 0 and a flat cap we must always return the cap.
+    for _ in 0..10 {
+        let delay = backoff.next_delay();
+        assert_eq!(
+            delay,
+            Duration::from_millis(50),
+            "jitter = 0 must produce the deterministic cap each time",
+        );
+    }
+    assert_eq!(backoff.jitter(), 0.0);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn jitter_one_spans_full_range() {
+    let mut backoff = ExponentialBackoff::new(
+        Duration::from_millis(100),
+        Duration::from_millis(100),
+        2.0,
+        1.0,
+    );
+    let mut min_seen = Duration::from_millis(u64::MAX);
+    let mut max_seen = Duration::ZERO;
+    for _ in 0..1_000 {
+        let delay = backoff.next_delay();
+        assert!(
+            delay <= Duration::from_millis(100),
+            "jitter = 1 must stay at or below cap",
+        );
+        if delay < min_seen {
+            min_seen = delay;
+        }
+        if delay > max_seen {
+            max_seen = delay;
+        }
+    }
+    // Over 1 000 samples the spread should be wide; we assert a
+    // generous lower bound so the test is not flaky but still
+    // detects a regression to "always cap".
+    assert!(
+        min_seen <= Duration::from_millis(20),
+        "jitter = 1 should produce low values over 1 000 samples, got min {min_seen:?}",
+    );
+    assert!(
+        max_seen >= Duration::from_millis(80),
+        "jitter = 1 should produce high values over 1 000 samples, got max {max_seen:?}",
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn jitter_half_stays_in_upper_half_of_cap() {
+    let mut backoff = ExponentialBackoff::new(
+        Duration::from_millis(100),
+        Duration::from_millis(100),
+        2.0,
+        0.5,
+    );
+    for _ in 0..500 {
+        let delay = backoff.next_delay();
+        assert!(
+            delay >= Duration::from_millis(50),
+            "jitter = 0.5 must stay at or above cap/2, got {delay:?}",
+        );
+        assert!(
+            delay <= Duration::from_millis(100),
+            "jitter = 0.5 must stay at or below cap, got {delay:?}",
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn jitter_above_one_is_clamped() {
+    let backoff = ExponentialBackoff::new(
+        Duration::from_millis(10),
+        Duration::from_millis(10),
+        2.0,
+        5.0,
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        backoff.jitter(),
+        1.0,
+        "jitter > 1 must be clamped to the full-jitter upper bound",
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn jitter_below_zero_is_clamped() {
+    let backoff = ExponentialBackoff::new(
+        Duration::from_millis(10),
+        Duration::from_millis(10),
+        2.0,
+        -0.5,
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        backoff.jitter(),
+        0.0,
+        "jitter < 0 must be clamped to the no-jitter lower bound",
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn jitter_nan_is_clamped_to_zero() {
+    // f32::clamp(NaN, 0, 1) returns NaN in the spec; use the
+    // observable behaviour instead: a NaN jitter must never produce
+    // a delay outside the cap range.
+    let mut backoff = ExponentialBackoff::new(
+        Duration::from_millis(100),
+        Duration::from_millis(100),
+        2.0,
+        f32::NAN,
+    );
+    let delay = backoff.next_delay();
+    assert!(
+        delay <= Duration::from_millis(100),
+        "NaN jitter must not produce delays above the cap, got {delay:?}",
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn next_delay_advances_cap_until_max() {
+    // With jitter = 0 we can observe the raw cap sequence.
+    let mut backoff = ExponentialBackoff::new(
+        Duration::from_millis(10),
+        Duration::from_millis(1_000),
+        2.0,
+        0.0,
+    );
+    let d0 = backoff.next_delay();
+    let d1 = backoff.next_delay();
+    let d2 = backoff.next_delay();
+    assert_eq!(d0, Duration::from_millis(10));
+    assert_eq!(d1, Duration::from_millis(20));
+    assert_eq!(d2, Duration::from_millis(40));
+    for _ in 0..20 {
+        let _ = backoff.next_delay();
+    }
+    // Eventually the cap must hit the configured max.
+    assert_eq!(backoff.next_delay(), Duration::from_millis(1_000));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn reset_clears_current_delay() {
+    let mut backoff = ExponentialBackoff::new(
+        Duration::from_millis(10),
+        Duration::from_millis(100),
+        2.0,
+        0.5,
+    );
+    let _ = backoff.next_delay();
+    assert!(backoff.attempts() >= 1);
+    backoff.reset();
+    assert_eq!(backoff.attempts(), 0);
+    assert_eq!(backoff.current_delay(), Duration::ZERO);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn default_is_full_jitter() {
+    let backoff = ExponentialBackoff::default();
+    assert_eq!(
+        backoff.jitter(),
+        1.0,
+        "Default should be full jitter for safe thundering-herd avoidance",
+    );
+}