diff --git a/internal/tasks/inventoryHelpers.go b/internal/tasks/inventoryHelpers.go
index 31259ad..e40cd62 100644
--- a/internal/tasks/inventoryHelpers.go
+++ b/internal/tasks/inventoryHelpers.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"database/sql"
 	"fmt"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -43,18 +44,47 @@ func boolStringFromInterface(value interface{}) string {
 
 // latestHourlySnapshotBefore finds the most recent hourly snapshot table prior to the given time, skipping empty tables.
 func latestHourlySnapshotBefore(ctx context.Context, dbConn *sqlx.DB, cutoff time.Time) (string, error) {
-	rows, err := dbConn.QueryxContext(ctx, `
-SELECT table_name, snapshot_time, snapshot_count
-FROM snapshot_registry
-WHERE snapshot_type = 'hourly' AND snapshot_time < ? AND snapshot_count > 0
-ORDER BY snapshot_time DESC
-LIMIT 50
-`, cutoff.Unix())
+	tables, err := listLatestHourlyWithRows(ctx, dbConn, "", cutoff.Unix(), 1)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
+	if len(tables) == 0 {
+		return "", nil
+	}
+	return tables[0].Table, nil
+}
+
+// parseSnapshotTime extracts the unix suffix from an inventory_hourly table name.
+func parseSnapshotTime(table string) (int64, bool) {
+	const prefix = "inventory_hourly_"
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(table, prefix) {
+		return 0, false
+	}
+	ts, err := strconv.ParseInt(strings.TrimPrefix(table, prefix), 10, 64)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, false
+	}
+	return ts, true
+}
+
+// listLatestHourlyWithRows returns recent hourly snapshot tables (ordered desc by time) that have rows, optionally filtered by vcenter.
+func listLatestHourlyWithRows(ctx context.Context, dbConn *sqlx.DB, vcenter string, beforeUnix int64, limit int) ([]snapshotTable, error) {
+	if limit <= 0 {
+		limit = 50
+	}
+	rows, err := dbConn.QueryxContext(ctx, `
+SELECT table_name, snapshot_time, snapshot_count
+FROM snapshot_registry
+WHERE snapshot_type = 'hourly' AND snapshot_time < ?
+ORDER BY snapshot_time DESC
+LIMIT ?
+`, beforeUnix, limit)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	defer rows.Close()
 
+	var out []snapshotTable
 	for rows.Next() {
 		var name string
 		var ts int64
@@ -65,23 +95,34 @@ LIMIT 50
 		if err := db.ValidateTableName(name); err != nil {
 			continue
 		}
-		// Rely on snapshot_count to avoid costly table scans; fall back to a cheap row check only if count is zero.
-		if count > 0 {
-			return name, nil
+		// Use snapshot_count first; fall back to row check (and vcenter filter) only when needed.
+		if count == 0 {
+			if has, _ := db.TableHasRows(ctx, dbConn, name); !has {
+				continue
+			}
 		}
-		if hasRows, _ := db.TableHasRows(ctx, dbConn, name); hasRows {
-			return name, nil
+		if vcenter != "" {
+			vrows, qerr := querySnapshotRows(ctx, dbConn, name, []string{"VmId"}, `"Vcenter" = ? LIMIT 1`, vcenter)
+			if qerr != nil {
+				continue
+			}
+			hasVcenter := vrows.Next()
+			vrows.Close()
+			if !hasVcenter {
+				continue
+			}
 		}
+		out = append(out, snapshotTable{Table: name, Time: ts})
 	}
-	return "", nil
+	return out, nil
 }
 
-// HasSnapshotGap reports whether the gap between prev and curr exceeds 2x the expected interval.
-func HasSnapshotGap(prevUnix, currUnix int64, expectedSeconds int64) bool {
+// SnapshotTooSoon reports whether the gap between prev and curr is significantly shorter than expected (default: <50% interval).
+func SnapshotTooSoon(prevUnix, currUnix int64, expectedSeconds int64) bool {
 	if prevUnix == 0 || currUnix == 0 || expectedSeconds <= 0 {
 		return false
 	}
-	return currUnix-prevUnix > expectedSeconds*2
+	return currUnix-prevUnix < expectedSeconds/2
 }
 
 // querySnapshotRows builds a SELECT with proper rebind for the given table/columns/where.
diff --git a/internal/tasks/inventorySnapshots.go b/internal/tasks/inventorySnapshots.go
index 434be75..ed5fd80 100644
--- a/internal/tasks/inventorySnapshots.go
+++ b/internal/tasks/inventorySnapshots.go
@@ -1104,23 +1104,16 @@ func (c *CronTask) compareWithPreviousSnapshot(
 		c.Logger.Warn("failed to locate previous hourly snapshot for deletion comparison", "error", prevTableErr, "url", url)
 	}
 
-	prevSnapshotTime := int64(0)
-	if prevTableName != "" {
-		if suffix := strings.TrimPrefix(prevTableName, "inventory_hourly_"); suffix != prevTableName {
-			if ts, err := strconv.ParseInt(suffix, 10, 64); err == nil {
-				prevSnapshotTime = ts
-			}
-		}
-	}
+	prevSnapshotTime, _ := parseSnapshotTime(prevTableName)
 
 	newCount := 0
 	if prevTableName != "" {
 		moreMissing := c.markMissingFromPrevious(ctx, dbConn, prevTableName, url, startTime, presentSnapshots, presentByUuid, presentByName, inventoryByVmID, inventoryByUuid, inventoryByName)
 		missingCount += moreMissing
 		expectedSeconds := int64(durationFromSeconds(c.Settings.Values.Settings.VcenterInventorySnapshotSeconds, time.Hour).Seconds())
-		// Allow runs as soon as half the normal interval; treat larger gaps as unreliable for "new" detection.
-		if HasSnapshotGap(prevSnapshotTime, startTime.Unix(), expectedSeconds/2) {
-			c.Logger.Info("skipping new-VM detection due to gap between snapshots", "prev_table", prevTableName, "prev_snapshot_unix", prevSnapshotTime, "current_snapshot_unix", startTime.Unix())
+		// Skip only if snapshots are much closer together than the configured cadence (e.g., rerun inside half interval).
+		if SnapshotTooSoon(prevSnapshotTime, startTime.Unix(), expectedSeconds) {
+			c.Logger.Info("skipping new-VM detection because snapshots are too close together", "prev_table", prevTableName, "prev_snapshot_unix", prevSnapshotTime, "current_snapshot_unix", startTime.Unix(), "expected_interval_seconds", expectedSeconds)
 		} else {
 			newCount = countNewFromPrevious(ctx, dbConn, prevTableName, url, presentSnapshots)
 			if newCount > 0 {