diff --git a/security/etpro-telemetry/Makefile b/security/etpro-telemetry/Makefile
index 3bef9fdd8..8d6f2ea3f 100644
--- a/security/etpro-telemetry/Makefile
+++ b/security/etpro-telemetry/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 PLUGIN_NAME=		etpro-telemetry
-PLUGIN_VERSION=		1.0
-PLUGIN_REVISION=	1
+PLUGIN_VERSION=		1.1
+#PLUGIN_REVISION=	1
 PLUGIN_COMMENT=		ET Pro Telemetry Edition
 PLUGIN_MAINTAINER=	ad@opnsense.org
 PLUGIN_WWW=		https://docs.opnsense.org/manual/etpro_telemetry.html
diff --git a/security/etpro-telemetry/src/opnsense/scripts/etpro_telemetry/send_heartbeat.py b/security/etpro-telemetry/src/opnsense/scripts/etpro_telemetry/send_heartbeat.py
index 232edb9ce..ba8da71b9 100755
--- a/security/etpro-telemetry/src/opnsense/scripts/etpro_telemetry/send_heartbeat.py
+++ b/security/etpro-telemetry/src/opnsense/scripts/etpro_telemetry/send_heartbeat.py
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ import sys
 import argparse
 import requests
 import syslog
+import time
+import random
 import urllib3
 import telemetry
 urllib3.disable_warnings(urllib3.exceptions.InsecureRequestWarning)
@@ -46,6 +48,10 @@ parser.add_argument('-c', '--config',
                     help='rule downloader configuration',
                     default="/usr/local/etc/suricata/rule-updater.config"
                     )
+parser.add_argument('-D', '--direct',
+                    help='do not sleep before send (disable traffic spread)',
+                    action="store_true",
+                    default=False)
 args = parser.parse_args()
 
 exit_code = -1
@@ -55,6 +61,9 @@ if cnf.token is not None:
     if args.insecure:
         params['verify'] = False
     try:
+        # spread traffic to remote host, usual cron interval is 30 minutes
+        if not args.direct:
+            time.sleep(random.randint(0, 1800))
         r = requests.head(args.endpoint, **params)
         if r.status_code == 200:
             # expected result, set exit code
diff --git a/security/etpro-telemetry/src/opnsense/scripts/etpro_telemetry/send_telemetry.py b/security/etpro-telemetry/src/opnsense/scripts/etpro_telemetry/send_telemetry.py
index ece86d1e3..331d9d262 100755
--- a/security/etpro-telemetry/src/opnsense/scripts/etpro_telemetry/send_telemetry.py
+++ b/security/etpro-telemetry/src/opnsense/scripts/etpro_telemetry/send_telemetry.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import os
 import argparse
 import requests
 import time
+import random
 import syslog
 import urllib3
 import ujson
@@ -51,6 +52,10 @@ parser.add_argument('-l', '--log', help='log directory containing eve.json files
 parser.add_argument('-s', '--state', help='persistent state (and lock) filename',
                     default="/usr/local/var/run/et_telemetry.state")
 parser.add_argument('-d', '--days', help='Maximum number of days to look back on initial run', type=int, default=2)
+parser.add_argument('-D', '--direct',
+                    help='do not sleep before send (disable traffic spread)',
+                    action="store_true",
+                    default=False)
 args = parser.parse_args()
 
 
@@ -79,6 +84,9 @@ if not telemetry_state.is_running():
                         row_count, time.time() - send_start_time, max_timestamp
                     )
                 )
+                # spread traffic to remote host, usual cron interval is 1 minute
+                if not args.direct:
+                    time.sleep(random.randint(0, 60))
                 for push_data in event_collector:
                     params = {
                         'timeout': 5,