diff --git a/src/fixers.rs b/src/fixers.rs
index 9605d34..2b6b9ea 100644
--- a/src/fixers.rs
+++ b/src/fixers.rs
@@ -115,10 +115,11 @@ impl<S: TryStream<Ok = Chunk> + Unpin> Stream for Throttle<S>
 
         let next_chunk = self.stream.try_poll_next_unpin(cx);
         if let Poll::Ready(Some(Ok(Chunk::Cluster(ref cluster_head, _)))) = next_chunk {
-            // we have actual data, so start the clock if we haven't yet
-            let start_time = self.start_time.get_or_insert_with(Instant::now);
-            // snooze until real time has "caught up" to the stream
             let offset = Duration::from_millis(cluster_head.end);
+            // we have actual data, so start the clock if we haven't yet;
+            // if we're starting the clock now, though, don't insert delays if the first chunk happens to start after zero
+            let start_time = self.start_time.get_or_insert_with(|| Instant::now() - offset);
+            // snooze until real time has "caught up" to the stream
             let sleep_until = *start_time + offset;
             self.sleep.reset(sleep_until);
         }