diff --git a/Game/scripts/match_mode.gd b/Game/scripts/match_mode.gd
index d8219f16..1bf58bee 100644
--- a/Game/scripts/match_mode.gd
+++ b/Game/scripts/match_mode.gd
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ const KICKOFF_COUNTDOWN_SECONDS := 3
 var match_timer: Timer
 var _in_overtime := false
 var _match_over := false
+var _last_timer_remaining := -1
 
 
 func _get_arena_scene_path() -> String:
@@ -64,7 +65,9 @@ func _make_opponent_controller() -> ShipController:
 func _process(_delta):
 	if match_timer and match_timer.time_left > 0:
 		var remaining := ceili(match_timer.time_left)
-		timer_updated.emit(floori(remaining / 60.0), remaining % 60)
+		if remaining != _last_timer_remaining:
+			_last_timer_remaining = remaining
+			timer_updated.emit(floori(remaining / 60.0), remaining % 60)
 
 
 func _on_goal_scored(conceding_team: int) -> void:
diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 8cf13cc6..0a7df77f 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ Bugs found in an adversarial review. None are gameplay- or physics-affecting, so
 - [x] Collapse the four disagreeing team palettes into one source of truth — `ship.gd`, `HUDController.gd` and `goal.gd` each declare `TEAM_COLORS`, `arena_boundary.gd` exports `team0_tint`/`team1_tint`, and `arena_deck.gdshader` defaults to a fifth pair. Three of them disagree, so nose, goal rim, end zone and scoreboard are all different blues.
 - [ ] Goal scoring volume (3.5 x 1.5, `objects/goal.tscn`) is smaller than the drawn mouth (3.7 x 1.65, `ArenaBoundary.GOAL_APERTURE_*`) — a ball crossing the visible edge doesn't score. Derive the aperture constants from the goal's collision shape, the way `goal.gd:53` already measures its own visuals.
 - [x] `match_mode.gd`: full time can fire mid-kickoff-countdown, and the stalled coroutine resumes into the dying scene (can re-emit `kickoff_countdown` / unfreeze bodies for a frame). Guard `_run_kickoff_countdown` with a match-over flag.
-- [ ] `match_mode.gd` emits `timer_updated` every frame for a value that changes once a second; the HUD re-formats and re-shapes the label each time. Emit only on change, matching `ship.gd`'s threshold-gated telemetry discipline.
+- [x] `match_mode.gd` emits `timer_updated` every frame for a value that changes once a second; the HUD re-formats and re-shapes the label each time. Emit only on change, matching `ship.gd`'s threshold-gated telemetry discipline.
 - [ ] `HUDController` binds to `get_first_node_in_group("ship")` in a group that always has 2+ members — works only because the player ship happens to spawn first. Have the game mode hand the HUD its target ship.
 - [ ] Reuse a member `ShipAction` in `ship.gd` (controllerless path) and `player_ship_controller.gd` instead of allocating one per physics tick; `ai_ship_controller.gd` already does this correctly.
 - [ ] Delete the duplicate 1 MB texture — `assets/textures/planet_surface.png` and `assets/models/nebula_planet_planet_surface.png` are byte-identical.