diff --git a/src/herder/HerderImpl.cpp b/src/herder/HerderImpl.cpp
index 983a0ee523..0ab9b0df09 100644
--- a/src/herder/HerderImpl.cpp
+++ b/src/herder/HerderImpl.cpp
@@ -1229,16 +1229,69 @@ HerderImpl::setupTriggerNextLedger()
     // bootstrap with a pessimistic estimate of when
     // the ballot protocol started last
     auto now = mApp.getClock().now();
-    auto lastBallotStart = now - milliseconds;
-    auto lastStart = mHerderSCPDriver.getPrepareStart(lastIndex);
-    if (lastStart)
+    auto lastLedgerStatingPoint = now - milliseconds;
+
+#ifdef BUILD_TESTS
+    if (mApp.getConfig().EXPERIMENTAL_TRIGGER_TIMER &&
+        mApp.getClock().getMode() == VirtualClock::REAL_TIME)
+    {
+        auto consensusCloseTime = trackingConsensusCloseTime();
+
+        // Bootstrap to pessimistic estimate on startup
+        if (consensusCloseTime == 0)
+        {
+            CLOG_WARNING(
+                Herder,
+                "Consensus close time is 0, using pessimistic estimate");
+            // Keep the existing lastLedgerStatingPoint
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            // The externalized close time is a unix timestamp. We convert it to
+            // steady_clock time by:
+            // 1. Converting unix timestamp to system_clock::time_point (wall
+            // clock time)
+            // 2. Calculating how long ago that was from current system time
+            // 3. Subtracting that duration from current steady_clock time
+            auto externalizedSystemTime =
+                VirtualClock::from_time_t(consensusCloseTime);
+            auto currentSystemTime = mApp.getClock().system_now();
+
+            // Handle clock drift: if externalized time is in the future,
+            // fall back to pessimistic estimate
+            if (externalizedSystemTime >= currentSystemTime)
+            {
+                CLOG_WARNING(Herder,
+                             "Externalized closeTime {} is in the future "
+                             "(current time {}), "
+                             "using pessimistic estimate",
+                             consensusCloseTime,
+                             VirtualClock::to_time_t(currentSystemTime));
+                // Keep the existing lastLedgerStatingPoint which is already set
+                // to the pessimistic estimate (now - milliseconds)
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                // Calculate how long ago the externalized closeTime was
+                auto timeSinceExternalized =
+                    currentSystemTime - externalizedSystemTime;
+                lastLedgerStatingPoint = now - timeSinceExternalized;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    else
+#endif
     {
-        lastBallotStart = *lastStart;
+        auto lastStart = mHerderSCPDriver.getPrepareStart(lastIndex);
+        if (lastStart)
+        {
+            lastLedgerStatingPoint = *lastStart;
+        }
     }
 
     // Adjust trigger time in case node's clock has drifted.
     // This ensures that next value to nominate is valid
-    auto triggerTime = lastBallotStart + milliseconds;
+    auto triggerTime = lastLedgerStatingPoint + milliseconds;
 
     if (triggerTime < now)
     {
diff --git a/src/main/Config.cpp b/src/main/Config.cpp
index 6322c18c47..f8e5fd4a08 100644
--- a/src/main/Config.cpp
+++ b/src/main/Config.cpp
@@ -357,6 +357,7 @@ Config::Config() : NODE_SEED(SecretKey::random())
     CATCHUP_SKIP_KNOWN_RESULTS_FOR_TESTING = false;
     MODE_USES_IN_MEMORY_LEDGER = false;
     SKIP_HIGH_CRITICAL_VALIDATOR_CHECKS_FOR_TESTING = false;
+    EXPERIMENTAL_TRIGGER_TIMER = false;
 #endif
 
 #ifdef BEST_OFFER_DEBUGGING
@@ -1131,6 +1132,8 @@ Config::processConfig(std::shared_ptr<cpptoml::table> t)
                      EXPERIMENTAL_BACKGROUND_TX_SIG_VERIFICATION =
                          readBool(item);
                  }},
+                {"EXPERIMENTAL_TRIGGER_TIMER",
+                 [&]() { EXPERIMENTAL_TRIGGER_TIMER = readBool(item); }},
                 {"ARTIFICIALLY_DELAY_LEDGER_CLOSE_FOR_TESTING",
                  [&]() {
                      ARTIFICIALLY_DELAY_LEDGER_CLOSE_FOR_TESTING =
diff --git a/src/main/Config.h b/src/main/Config.h
index f6c5906c9d..19491a8ba3 100644
--- a/src/main/Config.h
+++ b/src/main/Config.h
@@ -848,6 +848,11 @@ class Config : public std::enable_shared_from_this<Config>
     size_t TESTING_MAX_SOROBAN_BYTE_ALLOWANCE;
     size_t TESTING_MAX_CLASSIC_BYTE_ALLOWANCE;
 
+    // Experimental flag to use externalized close time for trigger timer
+    // calculation instead of prepare start time. Should only be used for
+    // testing.
+    bool EXPERIMENTAL_TRIGGER_TIMER;
+
     // Set QUORUM_SET using automatic quorum set configuration based on
     // `validators`.
     void
diff --git a/src/test/test.cpp b/src/test/test.cpp
index f0a49ce396..df1562db87 100644
--- a/src/test/test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/test.cpp
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ getTestConfig(int instanceNumber, Config::TestDbMode mode)
         thisConfig.MANUAL_CLOSE = true;
 
         thisConfig.TEST_CASES_ENABLED = true;
+        thisConfig.EXPERIMENTAL_TRIGGER_TIMER = true;
 
         thisConfig.PEER_PORT =
             static_cast<unsigned short>(DEFAULT_PEER_PORT + instanceNumber * 2);