diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 17398d2..e375d40 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -276,7 +276,13 @@ instead of working around it.
   (`serving/chrony/nts-cert.sh`), and **tcp/4460** (NTS-KE) open + udp/123. Confirm
   on a booted host: `chronyc -N authdata` shows the source in `NTS` mode, cookies
   > 0. `nocerttimecheck 1` lets a cold boot clock (no RTC) bootstrap the first sync.
-  **Toggle:** `secure_ntp=false` reverts the dispatcher to the legacy
+  **Bench finding (2026-07-11, FIXED):** the chrony RPM ships its OWN NM dispatcher
+  `/usr/lib/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/20-chrony-dhcp`; NM merges `/etc` + `/usr/lib`
+  dispatchers by name, so it ran AFTER our `10-chrony-dhcp-ntp` and overwrote the NTS
+  line in the shared `/run/chrony-dhcp/<iface>.sources` with the plain option-42
+  server — silently defeating NTS (authdata Mode `-`, Cook 0). The provisioner now
+  `rm`s it (NTS then reached Cook 8 on the bench). Don't re-add a competing writer to
+  that file. **Toggle:** `secure_ntp=false` reverts the dispatcher to the legacy
   unauthenticated **DHCP option 42** path (plain `server <ip> iburst`).
 - `fleet` Plymouth theme: confirm (a) the script plugin package actually
   installed (`/usr/lib64/plymouth/script.so` — else the build fell back to
diff --git a/diskless.pkr.hcl b/diskless.pkr.hcl
index 4880503..0074210 100644
--- a/diskless.pkr.hcl
+++ b/diskless.pkr.hcl
@@ -448,6 +448,15 @@ build {
       "if [ \"${var.secure_ntp}\" = \"true\" ]; then NTP_MODE=nts; else NTP_MODE=dhcp; fi",
       "sed -i \"s/@NTP_MODE@/$NTP_MODE/; s/@NTP_PREFIX@/${var.ntp_prefix}/\" /etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/10-chrony-dhcp-ntp",
       "restorecon /etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/10-chrony-dhcp-ntp",
+      # Remove the chrony package's OWN NM dispatcher. NetworkManager merges
+      # dispatchers from /etc AND /usr/lib sorted by name, so /usr/lib/.../20-chrony-dhcp
+      # runs AFTER our 10-chrony-dhcp-ntp and writes the DHCP option-42 server to the
+      # SAME /run/chrony-dhcp/<iface>.sources — clobbering our NTS line and silently
+      # defeating authenticated time (bench 2026-07-11, comet-beacon-54: chrony fell
+      # back to plain NTP, authdata Mode '-', Cook 0; removing it → NTS Cook 8). Our
+      # dispatcher supersedes it in BOTH modes, so drop it unconditionally. Leave
+      # 20-chrony-onoffline (only marks sources online/offline — harmless).
+      "rm -f /usr/lib/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/20-chrony-dhcp",
       "sed -i -E 's/^[[:space:]]*(pool|server)[[:space:]]/#&/' /etc/chrony.conf",
       "grep -q '^sourcedir /run/chrony-dhcp' /etc/chrony.conf || echo 'sourcedir /run/chrony-dhcp' >> /etc/chrony.conf",
       "if [ \"${var.secure_ntp}\" = \"true\" ]; then echo '==> secure NTP: NTS via <${var.ntp_prefix}>.<dhcp-domain> (fleet-CA-authenticated)'; { printf '\\n# Secure NTP (NTS, RFC 8915) — verify the server against the fleet CA. docs/secure-ntp-design.md\\n'; printf 'ntstrustedcerts /etc/dot1x/radius-ca.pem\\n'; printf 'nocerttimecheck 1\\n'; } >> /etc/chrony.conf; else echo '==> legacy NTP: unauthenticated DHCP option-42'; fi",
diff --git a/docs/secure-ntp-design.md b/docs/secure-ntp-design.md
index 78e5393..7189373 100644
--- a/docs/secure-ntp-design.md
+++ b/docs/secure-ntp-design.md
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 # Secure NTP design — CA-authenticated time via NTS (F-03 / P-18)
 
-> Status: **implemented (host + serving scaffold), BENCH-VERIFY.** Branch
-> `secure-ntp`. Closes SAR finding **F-03** / POA&M **P-18**.
+> Status: **NTS proven end-to-end on the metal (2026-07-11, comet-beacon-54:
+> `chronyc authdata` → NTS, Cook 8), pending a clean-build re-verify of the
+> dispatcher-collision fix.** Branch `secure-ntp`. Closes SAR finding **F-03** /
+> POA&M **P-18**. See "Bench findings" below.
 
 ## Problem
 
@@ -120,6 +122,35 @@ and is the standard chrony guidance for RTC-less devices.
 7. STIG: confirm remediation doesn't strip `ntstrustedcerts`/`nocerttimecheck` or
    the `nts` option in the sourcedir (host is a client; STIG-compatible).
 
+## Bench findings
+
+**2026-07-11 (comet-beacon-54, `secure-ntp-d1621e9`) — the chrony package's own NM
+dispatcher clobbered the NTS source (FIXED).** On the first clean-build deploy NTS
+was inactive: `chronyc -N authdata` showed the source as a plain IP (`192.168.50.10`)
+in Mode `-`, Cook 0, and the journal showed **no NTS-KE attempt at all** — chrony was
+on plain NTP. Root cause: NetworkManager runs dispatcher scripts from **both**
+`/etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/` and `/usr/lib/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/`,
+merged and sorted by filename. The `chrony` RPM ships
+`/usr/lib/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/20-chrony-dhcp`, which writes the DHCP
+option-42 server to the **same** `/run/chrony-dhcp/<iface>.sources` file our
+`10-chrony-dhcp-ntp` uses. Because `20-` sorts after `10-`, it ran last and
+**overwrote our `server ntp.fleet.lab iburst nts` line with `server 192.168.50.10
+iburst`**, then reloaded chrony — silently defeating authenticated time (last writer
+wins on a shared filename).
+
+Proof + isolation: removing the distro script and hand-writing the NTS source
+(`printf 'server ntp.fleet.lab iburst nts\n' > …`) + `chronyc reload sources`
+immediately brought NTS up — `ntp.fleet.lab NTS … Cook 8`, zero NAKs — confirming
+the host image, the fleet-signed NTS-KE cert, DNS (`ntp.fleet.lab`→serving host),
+and tcp/4460 were **all already correct**; the collision was the sole defect.
+
+Fix: the provisioner removes `/usr/lib/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/20-chrony-dhcp`
+at build time (our dispatcher supersedes it in both modes); `20-chrony-onoffline`
+is left in place (harmless — it only marks sources online/offline). **BENCH-VERIFY
+on the next clean build:** with the distro script gone, a normal boot leaves
+`/run/chrony-dhcp/<iface>.sources` = the NTS line and `chronyc authdata` reaches
+`NTS`/cookies > 0 with no manual intervention.
+
 ## Toggle
 
 `secure_ntp=false` reverts the dispatcher to the legacy unauthenticated DHCP
diff --git a/files/etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/10-chrony-dhcp-ntp b/files/etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/10-chrony-dhcp-ntp
index a62c784..71c55b8 100644
--- a/files/etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/10-chrony-dhcp-ntp
+++ b/files/etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/10-chrony-dhcp-ntp
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@
 #
 # Installed 0755 root:root. Lenient on purpose: a hiccup here must never break
 # networking. @NTP_MODE@/@NTP_PREFIX@ are substituted at build time.
+#
+# NB: the chrony package ships its OWN dispatcher at
+# /usr/lib/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/20-chrony-dhcp writing option-42 servers to
+# the SAME <iface>.sources. NM merges /etc + /usr/lib sorted by name, so it runs
+# AFTER us and would clobber the NTS line — the provisioner removes it (it defeated
+# NTS on the bench: chrony fell back to plain NTP). This script supersedes it.
 
 MODE="@NTP_MODE@"      # nts | dhcp
 PREFIX="@NTP_PREFIX@"  # nts: server name = <PREFIX>.<dhcp-domain>