diff --git a/src/browser/components/BackgroundProcessesBanner/BackgroundProcessesBanner.stories.tsx b/src/browser/components/BackgroundProcessesBanner/BackgroundProcessesBanner.stories.tsx
index 5077f51911..0de4b7b801 100644
--- a/src/browser/components/BackgroundProcessesBanner/BackgroundProcessesBanner.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/browser/components/BackgroundProcessesBanner/BackgroundProcessesBanner.stories.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { appMeta, AppWithMocks } from "@/browser/stories/meta.js";
 import { setupSimpleChatStory } from "@/browser/stories/helpers/chatSetup";
 import { createAssistantMessage, createUserMessage } from "@/browser/stories/mocks/messages";
 import { createTerminalTool } from "@/browser/stories/mocks/tools";
-import { STABLE_TIMESTAMP } from "@/browser/stories/mocks/workspaces";
+import { NOW, STABLE_TIMESTAMP } from "@/browser/stories/mocks/workspaces";
 
 const meta = {
   ...appMeta,
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export const BackgroundProcesses: AppStory = {
               script:
                 "export NODE_ENV=development\nexport PORT=3000\nnpm run dev -- --host 0.0.0.0 --port $PORT",
               displayName: "Dev Server",
-              startTime: Date.now() - 45000, // 45 seconds ago
+              startTime: NOW - 45000, // 45 seconds ago
               monitor: {
                 filter: "FAILED|ERROR",
                 filter_exclude: false,
@@ -67,14 +67,14 @@ export const BackgroundProcesses: AppStory = {
               pid: 12346,
               script: "npm test -- --watch",
               displayName: "Test Runner",
-              startTime: Date.now() - 30000, // 30 seconds ago
+              startTime: NOW - 30000, // 30 seconds ago
               status: "running",
             },
             {
               id: "bash_3",
               pid: 12347,
               script: "tail -f /var/log/app.log",
-              startTime: Date.now() - 120000, // 2 minutes ago
+              startTime: NOW - 120000, // 2 minutes ago
               status: "running",
             },
           ],
diff --git a/src/browser/components/LeftSidebar/LeftSidebar.stories.tsx b/src/browser/components/LeftSidebar/LeftSidebar.stories.tsx
index 11556c0977..7fb951bdb3 100644
--- a/src/browser/components/LeftSidebar/LeftSidebar.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/browser/components/LeftSidebar/LeftSidebar.stories.tsx
@@ -72,7 +72,16 @@ interface LeftSidebarStoryOverrides {
 
 // Vite re-evaluates this module on story edits; use a fresh token so the shell
 // can deterministically remount provider state after each hot update.
-const MODULE_RENDER_TOKEN = `${Date.now()}-${Math.random().toString(16).slice(2)}`;
+const MODULE_RENDER_TOKEN = (() => {
+  // Vite HMR re-evaluates this module; bump hot.data so provider trees remount
+  // after edits. Pixel/CI has no import.meta.hot, so the token stays stable.
+  if (import.meta.hot) {
+    const nextGeneration = (Number(import.meta.hot.data.renderGeneration) || 0) + 1;
+    import.meta.hot.data.renderGeneration = nextGeneration;
+    return `storybook-left-sidebar-${NOW}-hmr-${nextGeneration}`;
+  }
+  return `storybook-left-sidebar-${NOW}`;
+})();
 
 function LeftSidebarStoryScene(props: { leftSidebarProps?: LeftSidebarStoryOverrides }) {
   const { userProjects } = useProjectContext();
diff --git a/src/browser/components/ProjectSidebar/ProjectSidebar.stories.tsx b/src/browser/components/ProjectSidebar/ProjectSidebar.stories.tsx
index a0bbd9b1c0..1b80888eca 100644
--- a/src/browser/components/ProjectSidebar/ProjectSidebar.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/browser/components/ProjectSidebar/ProjectSidebar.stories.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import type { AppStory } from "@/browser/stories/meta.js";
 import { PIXEL_DUAL_THEME, appMeta, AppWithMocks } from "@/browser/stories/meta.js";
 import { expandProjects } from "@/browser/stories/helpers/uiState";
 import { createMockORPCClient } from "@/browser/stories/mocks/orpc";
-import { createWorkspace, groupWorkspacesByProject } from "@/browser/stories/mocks/workspaces";
+import { NOW, createWorkspace, groupWorkspacesByProject } from "@/browser/stories/mocks/workspaces";
 
 const PROJECT_PATH = "/home/user/projects/my-app";
 
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ export const WorkflowRunGroups: AppStory = {
           reviewRun("wf-claims", "claims", {
             title: "Extract claims",
             taskStatus: "reported",
-            createdAt: new Date(Date.now() - 8 * 60_000).toISOString(),
+            createdAt: new Date(NOW - 8 * 60_000).toISOString(),
           }),
           createWorkspace({
             id: "wf-tests",
@@ -248,13 +248,13 @@ export const WorkflowRunGroups: AppStory = {
             title: "Run test matrix",
             parentWorkspaceId: "ws-main",
             taskStatus: "running",
-            createdAt: new Date(Date.now() - 6 * 60_000).toISOString(),
+            createdAt: new Date(NOW - 6 * 60_000).toISOString(),
             workflowTask: { runId: "wfr_legacy567890", stepId: "tests" },
           }),
           reviewRun("wf-verify", "verify", {
             title: "Verify claims",
             taskStatus: "running",
-            createdAt: new Date(Date.now() - 5 * 60_000).toISOString(),
+            createdAt: new Date(NOW - 5 * 60_000).toISOString(),
           }),
           createWorkspace({
             id: "var-a",
diff --git a/src/browser/components/WorkspaceMCPModal/WorkspaceMCPModal.stories.tsx b/src/browser/components/WorkspaceMCPModal/WorkspaceMCPModal.stories.tsx
index b581ad9024..6725de3bcf 100644
--- a/src/browser/components/WorkspaceMCPModal/WorkspaceMCPModal.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/browser/components/WorkspaceMCPModal/WorkspaceMCPModal.stories.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { getMCPTestResultsKey } from "@/common/constants/storage";
 import type { MCPServerInfo } from "@/common/types/mcp";
 
 import { WorkspaceMCPModal } from "./WorkspaceMCPModal";
+import { NOW } from "@/browser/stories/storyTime";
 
 const PROJECT_PATH = "/Users/test/my-app";
 const WORKSPACE_ID = "ws-mcp-test";
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ function setupWorkspaceMCPModalStory(options: WorkspaceMCPStoryOptions = {}): AP
     for (const [serverName, tools] of Object.entries(options.testResults)) {
       cachedResults[serverName] = {
         result: { success: true, tools },
-        testedAt: Date.now(),
+        testedAt: NOW,
       };
     }
 
diff --git a/src/browser/features/Messages/TranscriptDensity.stories.tsx b/src/browser/features/Messages/TranscriptDensity.stories.tsx
index 2a53ace6d9..6c3fafe745 100644
--- a/src/browser/features/Messages/TranscriptDensity.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/browser/features/Messages/TranscriptDensity.stories.tsx
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import {
   createProposePlanTool,
   createWebSearchTool,
 } from "@/browser/stories/mocks/tools";
-import { STABLE_TIMESTAMP } from "@/browser/stories/mocks/workspaces";
+import { NOW, STABLE_TIMESTAMP } from "@/browser/stories/mocks/workspaces";
 import { TRANSCRIPT_DENSITY_KEY, type TranscriptDensity } from "@/common/constants/storage";
 
 const meta = { ...appMeta, title: "App/Chat/Transcript Density" };
@@ -200,7 +200,9 @@ export const HyperEdgeCaseGallery: AppStory = {
       setup={() => {
         collapseLeftSidebar();
         setDensity("hyper");
-        const activeStartedAt = Date.now() - 39_000;
+        // Base on NOW (not STABLE_TIMESTAMP) so the active bundle stays ~39s old and
+        // renders seconds rather than crossing into "1m …" elapsed formatting.
+        const activeStartedAt = NOW - 39_000;
         return setupSimpleChatStory({
           messages: [
             // Scenario 1: critical events remain visible in hyper density.
diff --git a/src/browser/features/RightSidebar/GoalTab.stories.tsx b/src/browser/features/RightSidebar/GoalTab.stories.tsx
index f865e92430..07ebb4afbf 100644
--- a/src/browser/features/RightSidebar/GoalTab.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/browser/features/RightSidebar/GoalTab.stories.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import type {
 } from "@/common/types/goal";
 
 import { GoalTab } from "./GoalTab";
+import { NOW } from "@/browser/stories/storyTime";
 
 const meta: Meta<typeof GoalTab> = {
   title: "Features/RightSidebar/GoalTab",
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ const STATE_VARIANTS: GalleryVariant[] = [
       costCents: 0,
       turnsUsed: 0,
       turnCap: null,
-      startedAtMs: Date.now(),
+      startedAtMs: NOW,
     },
   },
   {
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ const STATE_VARIANTS: GalleryVariant[] = [
       costCents: 125,
       turnsUsed: 3,
       turnCap: 10,
-      startedAtMs: Date.now() - 90_000,
+      startedAtMs: NOW - 90_000,
     },
   },
   {
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ const STATE_VARIANTS: GalleryVariant[] = [
       costCents: 125,
       turnsUsed: 3,
       turnCap: null,
-      startedAtMs: Date.now(),
+      startedAtMs: NOW,
     },
   },
   {
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ const STATE_VARIANTS: GalleryVariant[] = [
       costCents: 525,
       turnsUsed: 4,
       turnCap: 10,
-      startedAtMs: Date.now() - 120_000,
+      startedAtMs: NOW - 120_000,
     },
   },
   {
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ const STATE_VARIANTS: GalleryVariant[] = [
       turnsUsed: 5,
       turnCap: null,
       completionSummary: "The lifecycle controls shipped with persistence and tests.",
-      startedAtMs: Date.now(),
+      startedAtMs: NOW,
     },
   },
   {
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ const STATE_VARIANTS: GalleryVariant[] = [
       costCents: 150,
       turnsUsed: 2,
       turnCap: null,
-      startedAtMs: Date.now() - 30_000,
+      startedAtMs: NOW - 30_000,
     },
   },
 ];
@@ -167,7 +168,6 @@ export const States: Story = {
 // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 const STORY_WORKSPACE_ID = "ws-story-goaltab";
-const NOW = Date.UTC(2026, 4, 20, 12, 0, 0);
 
 function makeBoardGoal(
   overrides: Partial<GoalRecordV1> & Pick<GoalRecordV1, "goalId">
diff --git a/src/browser/features/RightSidebar/Memory/MemoryTab.stories.tsx b/src/browser/features/RightSidebar/Memory/MemoryTab.stories.tsx
index 54cb3e3b16..cdfdf4a238 100644
--- a/src/browser/features/RightSidebar/Memory/MemoryTab.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/browser/features/RightSidebar/Memory/MemoryTab.stories.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import type {
 } from "@/common/orpc/schemas/memory";
 
 import { EXPERIMENT_IDS, getExperimentKey } from "@/common/constants/experiments";
+import { NOW } from "@/browser/stories/storyTime";
 import { MemoryTab } from "./MemoryTab";
 
 const meta: Meta<typeof MemoryTab> = {
@@ -27,6 +28,8 @@ const STORY_WORKSPACE_ID = "ws-story-memorytab";
 // Multi-file fixture covering every row permutation the tree cares about:
 // all three scopes, root files, a dir with multiple files, two-level nesting,
 // a pinned file, with/without descriptions, and used/never-used usage stats.
+// Use the storybook NOW fixture (preview also stubs Date.now) so relative
+// access labels stay stable even if a path bypasses the stub.
 const MEMORY_FILES: MemoryFileInfo[] = [
   {
     path: "/memories/global/preferences.md",
@@ -34,7 +37,7 @@ const MEMORY_FILES: MemoryFileInfo[] = [
     description: "Coding style and tooling preferences",
     pinned: true,
     accessCount: 12,
-    lastAccessedAt: Date.now() - 3_600_000,
+    lastAccessedAt: NOW - 3_600_000,
   },
   {
     path: "/memories/global/people/reviewers.md",
@@ -42,7 +45,7 @@ const MEMORY_FILES: MemoryFileInfo[] = [
     description: "Preferred reviewers per code area",
     pinned: false,
     accessCount: 3,
-    lastAccessedAt: Date.now() - 86_400_000,
+    lastAccessedAt: NOW - 86_400_000,
   },
   {
     path: "/memories/global/people/teammates.md",
@@ -58,7 +61,7 @@ const MEMORY_FILES: MemoryFileInfo[] = [
     description: "High-level architecture notes",
     pinned: false,
     accessCount: 5,
-    lastAccessedAt: Date.now() - 600_000,
+    lastAccessedAt: NOW - 600_000,
   },
   {
     path: "/memories/project/conventions.md",
@@ -66,7 +69,7 @@ const MEMORY_FILES: MemoryFileInfo[] = [
     description: "Repo conventions distilled from AGENTS.md",
     pinned: false,
     accessCount: 7,
-    lastAccessedAt: Date.now() - 7_200_000,
+    lastAccessedAt: NOW - 7_200_000,
   },
   {
     path: "/memories/project/testing.md",
@@ -82,12 +85,12 @@ const MEMORY_FILES: MemoryFileInfo[] = [
     description: "Notes for the current branch work",
     pinned: false,
     accessCount: 1,
-    lastAccessedAt: Date.now() - 60_000,
+    lastAccessedAt: NOW - 60_000,
   },
 ];
 
 const CONSOLIDATION_RECORD: MemoryConsolidationRecordPayload = {
-  lastRunAt: Date.now() - 30 * 60 * 1000,
+  lastRunAt: NOW - 30 * 60 * 1000,
   trigger: "manual",
   summary: "Merged duplicate project notes",
   ops: [{ command: "delete", path: "/memories/project/duplicate.md", applied: true }],
@@ -107,8 +110,8 @@ function renderTab(width: string) {
           globalRecord: CONSOLIDATION_RECORD,
           latestHarvestRecord: {
             status: "completed",
-            startedAt: Date.now() - 45 * 60 * 1000,
-            completedAt: Date.now() - 44 * 60 * 1000,
+            startedAt: NOW - 45 * 60 * 1000,
+            completedAt: NOW - 44 * 60 * 1000,
             attemptCount: 1,
             boundaryKey: "summary-story",
             compactionEpoch: 3,
diff --git a/src/browser/features/RightSidebar/RightSidebar.stories.tsx b/src/browser/features/RightSidebar/RightSidebar.stories.tsx
index b3d8c9f7b7..56a4262187 100644
--- a/src/browser/features/RightSidebar/RightSidebar.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/browser/features/RightSidebar/RightSidebar.stories.tsx
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ import { expect, userEvent, waitFor, within } from "@storybook/test";
 import type { ComponentType, ReactNode } from "react";
 import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
 import { RightSidebar } from "./RightSidebar.js";
+import { NOW } from "@/browser/stories/storyTime";
 
 const meta: Meta = {
   title: "Features/RightSidebar/RightSidebar",
@@ -637,7 +638,7 @@ export const ReviewTabSortByLastEdit: Story = {
         // Clear persisted layout to ensure review tab appears in fresh default layout
         const workspaceId = "ws-review-sort";
         localStorage.removeItem(getRightSidebarLayoutKey(workspaceId));
-        const now = Date.now();
+        const now = NOW;
 
         // Set up first-seen timestamps for hunks (oldest to newest: format -> button -> client)
         // We use placeholder IDs since exact hash depends on content
@@ -1330,7 +1331,7 @@ export const CompactionModelWarning: Story = {
  * Helper to create realistic output log entries with mixed levels and locations.
  */
 function createOutputLogEntries() {
-  const now = Date.now();
+  const now = NOW;
 
   return [
     {
diff --git a/src/browser/features/Settings/Sections/MCPSettingsSection.stories.tsx b/src/browser/features/Settings/Sections/MCPSettingsSection.stories.tsx
index 2490c76e0b..0816e107ca 100644
--- a/src/browser/features/Settings/Sections/MCPSettingsSection.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/browser/features/Settings/Sections/MCPSettingsSection.stories.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import type { MCPOAuthAuthStatus } from "@/common/types/mcpOauth";
 import type { Secret } from "@/common/types/secrets";
 
 import { MCPSettingsSection } from "./MCPSettingsSection";
+import { NOW } from "@/browser/stories/storyTime";
 
 const MOCK_TOOLS = [
   "file_read",
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ function setupMCPSettingsSectionStory(options: MCPSectionStoryOptions = {}): API
     for (const [serverName, tools] of Object.entries(options.testResults)) {
       cachedResults[serverName] = {
         result: { success: true, tools },
-        testedAt: Date.now(),
+        testedAt: NOW,
       };
     }
 
@@ -400,7 +401,7 @@ export const ProjectSettingsOAuthLoggedIn: Story = {
                 serverUrl: "https://example.com/mcp",
                 isLoggedIn: true,
                 hasRefreshToken: true,
-                updatedAtMs: Date.now() - 60_000,
+                updatedAtMs: NOW - 60_000,
               },
             ],
           ]),
diff --git a/src/browser/features/Settings/Sections/MemorySection.stories.tsx b/src/browser/features/Settings/Sections/MemorySection.stories.tsx
index 14034264aa..1c02587428 100644
--- a/src/browser/features/Settings/Sections/MemorySection.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/browser/features/Settings/Sections/MemorySection.stories.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { createMockORPCClient } from "@/browser/stories/mocks/orpc";
 import type { MemoryFileInfo } from "@/common/orpc/schemas/memory";
 import { MemorySection } from "./MemorySection.js";
 import { SettingsSectionStory } from "./settingsStoryUtils.js";
+import { NOW } from "@/browser/stories/storyTime";
 
 // Settings → Memory only manages the global scope (no workspace context),
 // so the fixture is global files only — incl. a nested path, a pinned file,
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ const GLOBAL_MEMORY_FILES: MemoryFileInfo[] = [
     description: "Coding style and tooling preferences",
     pinned: true,
     accessCount: 12,
-    lastAccessedAt: Date.now() - 3_600_000,
+    lastAccessedAt: NOW - 3_600_000,
   },
   {
     path: "/memories/global/people/reviewers.md",
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ const GLOBAL_MEMORY_FILES: MemoryFileInfo[] = [
     description: "Preferred reviewers per code area",
     pinned: false,
     accessCount: 3,
-    lastAccessedAt: Date.now() - 86_400_000,
+    lastAccessedAt: NOW - 86_400_000,
   },
   {
     path: "/memories/global/glossary.md",
diff --git a/src/browser/features/Tools/Bash/BashToolCall.stories.tsx b/src/browser/features/Tools/Bash/BashToolCall.stories.tsx
index 72b3a12a26..eb2c1971f0 100644
--- a/src/browser/features/Tools/Bash/BashToolCall.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/browser/features/Tools/Bash/BashToolCall.stories.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { BashBackgroundTerminateToolCall } from "@/browser/features/Tools/BashBa
 import { BashOutputToolCall } from "@/browser/features/Tools/BashOutputToolCall";
 import { BashToolCall } from "@/browser/features/Tools/BashToolCall";
 import { lightweightMeta } from "@/browser/stories/meta.js";
+import { NOW } from "@/browser/stories/storyTime";
 
 const meta = {
   ...lightweightMeta,
@@ -144,7 +145,7 @@ export const IntentExecutingSummary: Story = {
           display_name: "Dev server readiness",
         }}
         status="executing"
-        startedAt={Date.now() - 1_000}
+        startedAt={NOW - 1_000}
       />
     </ToolStoryShell>
   ),