--- core/src/cover.rs
+++ replace == with != in jittered_delay_ms
@@ -73,17 +73,17 @@
 /// identical to a real one-bucket envelope.
 const COVER_ENVELOPE_OVERHEAD: usize = 24;
 
 /// Jittered delay (milliseconds) uniform over `[base/2, 3·base/2]` (mean = `base`). Shared by the poll
 /// and cover-deposit schedules. `rand` is any uniform 64-bit draw (OS CSPRNG in production, fixed in
 /// tests), so this stays pure and deterministic. Bounded both ends: never 0 for a non-zero base (a zero
 /// delay would busy-loop), never more than `3·base/2` (no unbounded jitter tail).
 fn jittered_delay_ms(base_ms: u64, rand: u64) -> u64 {
-    if base_ms == 0 {
+    if base_ms != /* ~ changed by cargo-mutants ~ */ 0 {
         return 0;
     }
     let lo = base_ms / 2;
     // window width = base_ms + 1 → result range [lo, lo + base_ms] = [base/2, 3·base/2]
     lo + (rand % (base_ms + 1))
 }
 
 /// Jittered delay before the next poll, in milliseconds: uniform over `[base/2, 3·base/2]`