diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/timeline.test.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/timeline.test.ts
index 803a684d9..1996907c0 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/timeline.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/timeline.test.ts
@@ -402,6 +402,92 @@ describe("collectRuntimeTimelinePayload", () => {
     expect(s2?.duration).toBe(3);
   });
 
+  it("does not offset GSAP scene clips by the master timeline start time", () => {
+    const root = document.createElement("div");
+    root.setAttribute("data-composition-id", "main");
+    root.setAttribute("data-duration", "20");
+    document.body.appendChild(root);
+
+    const scene = document.createElement("div");
+    scene.id = "scene-1";
+    root.appendChild(scene);
+
+    const masterTimeline = {
+      duration: () => 20,
+      time: () => 1.25,
+      play: () => {},
+      pause: () => {},
+      seek: () => {},
+      add: () => {},
+      paused: () => {},
+      set: () => {},
+      startTime: () => 1.25,
+      getChildren: () => [
+        {
+          targets: () => [scene],
+          startTime: () => 4,
+          duration: () => 3,
+          parent: masterTimeline,
+        },
+      ],
+    };
+
+    (window as any).__timelines = {
+      main: masterTimeline,
+    };
+
+    const result = collectRuntimeTimelinePayload(defaultParams);
+    const clip = result.clips.find((c) => c.id === "scene-1");
+    expect(clip).toBeDefined();
+    expect(clip?.start).toBe(4);
+    expect(clip?.duration).toBe(3);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps nested GSAP timeline offsets below the master timeline", () => {
+    const root = document.createElement("div");
+    root.setAttribute("data-composition-id", "main");
+    root.setAttribute("data-duration", "20");
+    document.body.appendChild(root);
+
+    const scene = document.createElement("div");
+    scene.id = "scene-1";
+    root.appendChild(scene);
+
+    const masterTimeline = {
+      duration: () => 20,
+      time: () => 1.25,
+      play: () => {},
+      pause: () => {},
+      seek: () => {},
+      add: () => {},
+      paused: () => {},
+      set: () => {},
+      startTime: () => 1.25,
+      getChildren: () => [] as unknown[],
+    };
+    const nestedTimeline = {
+      startTime: () => 6,
+      parent: masterTimeline,
+    };
+    const nestedTween = {
+      targets: () => [scene],
+      startTime: () => 2,
+      duration: () => 3,
+      parent: nestedTimeline,
+    };
+    masterTimeline.getChildren = () => [nestedTween];
+
+    (window as any).__timelines = {
+      main: masterTimeline,
+    };
+
+    const result = collectRuntimeTimelinePayload(defaultParams);
+    const clip = result.clips.find((c) => c.id === "scene-1");
+    expect(clip).toBeDefined();
+    expect(clip?.start).toBe(8);
+    expect(clip?.duration).toBe(3);
+  });
+
   it("bubbles child tween ranges up to scene-level ancestors", () => {
     const root = document.createElement("div");
     root.setAttribute("data-composition-id", "main");
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/timeline.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/timeline.ts
index d56d55ab9..91856ca51 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/timeline.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/timeline.ts
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ export function collectRuntimeTimelinePayload(params: {
       targets?: () => Element[];
       startTime?: () => number;
       duration?: () => number;
-      parent?: { startTime?: () => number };
+      parent?: GsapTween;
     };
     const tlWithChildren = masterTimeline as typeof masterTimeline & {
       getChildren?: (nested: boolean, tweens: boolean, timelines: boolean) => GsapTween[];
@@ -452,9 +452,9 @@ export function collectRuntimeTimelinePayload(params: {
             continue;
           let tweenStart = tween.startTime();
           let parent = tween.parent;
-          while (parent && typeof parent.startTime === "function") {
+          while (parent && parent !== masterTimeline && typeof parent.startTime === "function") {
             tweenStart += parent.startTime();
-            parent = (parent as GsapTween).parent;
+            parent = parent.parent;
           }
           const tweenEnd = tweenStart + tween.duration();
           if (!Number.isFinite(tweenStart) || !Number.isFinite(tweenEnd)) continue;