diff --git a/lib/PBot/Core/Commands/LagChecker.pm b/lib/PBot/Core/Commands/LagChecker.pm
index c50778fb..da1496fd 100644
--- a/lib/PBot/Core/Commands/LagChecker.pm
+++ b/lib/PBot/Core/Commands/LagChecker.pm
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use parent 'PBot::Core::Class';
 use PBot::Imports;
 
 use Time::Duration qw/concise ago/;
-use Time::HiRes qw/gettimeofday/;
+use Time::HiRes qw/gettimeofday tv_interval/;
 
 sub initialize($self, %conf) {
     $self->{pbot}->{commands}->register(sub { $self->cmd_lagcheck(@_) }, "lagcheck", 0);
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ sub initialize($self, %conf) {
 sub cmd_lagcheck($self, $context) {
     if (defined $self->{pbot}->{lagchecker}->{pong_received} and $self->{pbot}->{lagchecker}->{pong_received} == 0) {
         # a ping has been sent (pong_received is not undef) and no pong has been received yet
-        my $elapsed   = tv_interval($self->{pbot}->{lagchecker}->{ping_send_time});
+        my $elapsed   = tv_interval($self->{pbot}->{lagchecker}->{ping_send_time}) * 1000;
         my $lag_total = $elapsed;
         my $len       = @{$self->{pbot}->{lagchecker}->{lag_history}};
 
diff --git a/lib/PBot/Core/LagChecker.pm b/lib/PBot/Core/LagChecker.pm
index eb5c458b..ae628b6b 100644
--- a/lib/PBot/Core/LagChecker.pm
+++ b/lib/PBot/Core/LagChecker.pm
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ use Time::HiRes qw(gettimeofday tv_interval);
 use Time::Duration;
 
 sub initialize($self, %conf) {
+    # are we fully connected yet?
+    $self->{welcomed} = 0;
+
     # average of entries in lag history, in seconds
     $self->{lag_average} = undef;
 
@@ -51,6 +54,9 @@ sub initialize($self, %conf) {
 
     # PONG IRC handler
     $self->{pbot}->{event_dispatcher}->register_handler('irc.pong', sub { $self->on_pong(@_) });
+
+    # Don't send PING until fully connected
+    $self->{pbot}->{event_dispatcher}->register_handler('irc.welcome', sub { $self->on_welcome(@_) });
 }
 
 # registry trigger fires when value changes
@@ -59,7 +65,9 @@ sub trigger_lag_history_interval($self, $section, $item, $newvalue) {
 }
 
 sub send_ping($self) {
-    return unless defined $self->{pbot}->{conn};
+    return unless defined $self->{pbot}->{conn} && $self->{pbot}->{conn}->connected && $self->{welcomed};
+
+    return if defined $self->{pong_received} && $self->{pong_received} == 0;
 
     $self->{ping_send_time} = [gettimeofday];
     $self->{pong_received}  = 0;
@@ -67,6 +75,10 @@ sub send_ping($self) {
     $self->{pbot}->{conn}->sl("PING :lagcheck");
 }
 
+sub on_welcome($self, $event_type, $event) {
+    $self->{welcomed} = 1;
+}
+
 sub on_pong($self, $event_type, $event) {
     $self->{pong_received} = 1;
 
diff --git a/lib/PBot/VERSION.pm b/lib/PBot/VERSION.pm
index 9e55fcc9..ac08e30e 100644
--- a/lib/PBot/VERSION.pm
+++ b/lib/PBot/VERSION.pm
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ use PBot::Imports;
 # These are set by the /misc/update_version script
 use constant {
     BUILD_NAME     => "PBot",
-    BUILD_REVISION => 4895,
+    BUILD_REVISION => 4896,
     BUILD_DATE     => "2025-09-25",
 };