diff --git a/addons/netfox/network-time-synchronizer.gd b/addons/netfox/network-time-synchronizer.gd
index 2a97934..b2df22b 100644
--- a/addons/netfox/network-time-synchronizer.gd
+++ b/addons/netfox/network-time-synchronizer.gd
@@ -142,10 +142,9 @@ signal on_panic(offset: float)
 func start() -> void:
 	if _active:
 		return
-		
-	_clock.set_time(0.)
 
 	if not multiplayer.is_server():
+		_clock.set_time(0.)
 		_active = true
 		_sample_idx = 0
 		_sample_buffer = _RingBuffer.new(sync_samples)
diff --git a/examples/multiplayer-fps/scripts/player-spawner.gd b/examples/multiplayer-fps/scripts/player-spawner.gd
index 0e6d08b..da8f38b 100644
--- a/examples/multiplayer-fps/scripts/player-spawner.gd
+++ b/examples/multiplayer-fps/scripts/player-spawner.gd
@@ -73,8 +73,15 @@ func _handle_host():
 		round_manager.start_match()
 
 func _handle_new_peer(id: int):
+	# On a dedicated server, peer 1 (the server process) has no avatar.
+	# When a client connects, it receives on_peer_join for peer 1, but
+	# should skip spawning because the server doesn't have that avatar.
+	# This also applies to listen-server: the server replicates peer 1's
+	# avatar to clients; spawning a local copy would duplicate it.
+	if id == 1 and not multiplayer.is_server():
+		print("[PlayerSpawner] Client skipping spawn for peer 1 (server has no dedicated avatar)")
+		return
 	if _dedicated_server and id == 1:
-		# Peer 1 is the server itself — no avatar needed
 		return
 	if id == 1 and not spawn_host_avatar:
 		print("[PlayerSpawner] Skipping spawn for peer 1 (spawn_host_avatar=false)")