diff --git a/src/policies/power_of_two.rs b/src/policies/power_of_two.rs
index 4d06a0df..4c841436 100644
--- a/src/policies/power_of_two.rs
+++ b/src/policies/power_of_two.rs
@@ -26,15 +26,19 @@ impl PowerOfTwoPolicy {
     }
 
     fn get_worker_load(&self, worker: &dyn Worker) -> isize {
-        // First check cached loads (from external monitoring)
+        let local = worker.load() as isize;
+
+        // Combine cached load (external monitoring, e.g. vLLM /load endpoint)
+        // with local counter (in-flight requests tracked by router).
+        // This avoids thundering herd when cached loads go stale between
+        // 5-second polling intervals.
         if let Ok(loads) = self.cached_loads.read() {
-            if let Some(&load) = loads.get(worker.url()) {
-                return load;
+            if let Some(&cached) = loads.get(worker.url()) {
+                return cached + local;
             }
         }
 
-        // Fall back to local load counter
-        worker.load() as isize
+        local
     }
 }
 
@@ -184,8 +188,75 @@ mod tests {
             }
         }
 
-        // Worker2 should be selected significantly more often
-        assert!(w2_selected > 35); // Should win most of the time
+        // With only 2 workers, power-of-two always picks the same pair,
+        // so the less-loaded one wins every time
+        assert_eq!(w2_selected, 50);
+    }
+
+    /// Verify that cached_load and local_counter are combined:
+    /// When two workers have equal cached_load, local_counter should break the tie.
+    /// This prevents thundering herd when cached_load goes stale between polling intervals.
+    #[test]
+    fn test_power_of_two_combines_cached_and_local_load() {
+        let policy = PowerOfTwoPolicy::new();
+        let worker1 = BasicWorker::new("http://w1:8000".to_string(), WorkerType::Regular);
+        let worker2 = BasicWorker::new("http://w2:8000".to_string(), WorkerType::Regular);
+
+        // Set equal cached_loads, but worker1 has higher local counter
+        let mut loads = HashMap::new();
+        loads.insert("http://w1:8000".to_string(), 50);
+        loads.insert("http://w2:8000".to_string(), 50);
+        policy.update_loads(&loads);
+
+        // Increment worker1's local counter
+        for _ in 0..5 {
+            worker1.increment_load();
+        }
+        // worker2 local counter remains 0
+
+        // worker1 total load = cached(50) + local(5) = 55
+        // worker2 total load = cached(50) + local(0) = 50
+        // So worker2 should be selected more often
+        let workers: Vec<Arc<dyn Worker>> = vec![Arc::new(worker1), Arc::new(worker2)];
+
+        let mut w2_selected = 0;
+        for _ in 0..50 {
+            if let Some(idx) = policy.select_worker(&workers, None) {
+                if idx == 1 {
+                    w2_selected += 1;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // With only 2 workers, the less-loaded one is always selected
+        assert_eq!(w2_selected, 50);
+    }
+
+    /// Verify that without cached_load, only local_counter is used
+    #[test]
+    fn test_power_of_two_without_cached_loads_uses_local() {
+        let policy = PowerOfTwoPolicy::new();
+        let worker1 = BasicWorker::new("http://w1:8000".to_string(), WorkerType::Regular);
+        let worker2 = BasicWorker::new("http://w2:8000".to_string(), WorkerType::Regular);
+
+        // No cached_load set, rely only on local counter
+        for _ in 0..10 {
+            worker1.increment_load();
+        }
+
+        let workers: Vec<Arc<dyn Worker>> = vec![Arc::new(worker1), Arc::new(worker2)];
+
+        let mut w2_selected = 0;
+        for _ in 0..50 {
+            if let Some(idx) = policy.select_worker(&workers, None) {
+                if idx == 1 {
+                    w2_selected += 1;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // With only 2 workers, the less-loaded one is always selected
+        assert_eq!(w2_selected, 50);
     }
 
     #[test]