diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 76ecee41..c50ae1ac 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -371,6 +371,21 @@ Request created by `NewRequest` after `Jaws.Close` is never registered and insta
 tombstone, so two such post-close calls could receive the same key — harmless, since
 neither is claimable.)
 
+`ServeWithTimeout(requestTimeout)` requires an exact multiple of `time.Second`
+from `time.Second` through 2,147,483,646 seconds. Other values have unspecified
+behavior.
+
+Before `Request.ServeHTTP` begins WebSocket processing, timeout-based Request
+retirement is periodic and approximate, not a hard deadline. `NewRequest`, a
+successful `UseRequest`, and `ui.RequestWriter.Write` mark activity using
+whole-second samples from the epoch established by `jaws.New()`. Retirement is
+checked only during maintenance passes, so it is not timed precisely from those
+events.
+
+When `Jaws.WebSocketPingInterval` is positive, the same duration is passed
+directly as each keepalive ping's timeout on an active WebSocket. Ping timing does
+not use those activity samples or the maintenance schedule.
+
 `*Request` values are borrowed lifecycle objects. Do not store them in
 application state or pass them to background goroutines; copy the required
 application data and retain the Request context instead.
@@ -429,9 +444,6 @@ these invariants before relying on a green build alone:
   remains reachable).
 * Session grace windows remain deliberate for unclaimed, claimed, failed-upgrade,
   and closed-WebSocket requests.
-* Subsecond `ServeWithTimeout` values are not useful in production. AI-assisted
-  reviews should not assume subsecond timeout precision is required or treat its
-  absence as a source of bugs.
 * WebSocket upgrades keep the single-use key, client-IP binding, and Origin
   host/scheme checks together; changes to trusted forwarded headers must preserve
   the same fail-closed behavior.
diff --git a/errors.go b/errors.go
index e18877b0..12942416 100644
--- a/errors.go
+++ b/errors.go
@@ -207,9 +207,8 @@ func newErrTooManyPendingRequests(remoteIP netip.Addr, limit int) error {
 	return errTooManyPendingRequests{Addr: remoteIP, Limit: limit}
 }
 
-// ErrNoWebSocketRequest is returned when the WebSocket callback was not received
-// within the timeout period. The most common reason is that the client is not
-// using JavaScript.
+// ErrNoWebSocketRequest is reported when [Jaws.ServeWithTimeout] retires a
+// Request before [Request.ServeHTTP] begins WebSocket processing.
 var ErrNoWebSocketRequest errNoWebSocketRequest
 
 type errNoWebSocketRequest struct {
diff --git a/jaws.go b/jaws.go
index 63662ff7..61d7a9aa 100644
--- a/jaws.go
+++ b/jaws.go
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ const (
 	// DefaultWebSocketPingInterval is the default WebSocket keepalive ping interval.
 	DefaultWebSocketPingInterval = time.Minute
 
-	// DefaultWebSocketTimeout is the default time allowed for WebSocket connect and ping responses.
+	// DefaultWebSocketTimeout is the timeout [Jaws.Serve] passes to [Jaws.ServeWithTimeout].
 	DefaultWebSocketTimeout = time.Second * 10
 
 	// DefaultMaxPendingRequestsPerIP is the default maximum number of unclaimed
diff --git a/lib/ui/requestwriter.go b/lib/ui/requestwriter.go
index a15bee1a..1eabeb36 100644
--- a/lib/ui/requestwriter.go
+++ b/lib/ui/requestwriter.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func (rw RequestWriter) NewUI(ui jaws.UI, params ...any) (err error) {
 	return
 }
 
-// Write records the write instant (see [jaws.Request.MarkWritten]), then writes p
+// Write marks render activity through [jaws.Request.MarkWritten] before writing p
 // to the underlying writer.
 func (rw RequestWriter) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	rw.MarkWritten()
diff --git a/request.go b/request.go
index 6fef87d5..760dff19 100644
--- a/request.go
+++ b/request.go
@@ -215,12 +215,15 @@ func (rq *Request) String() string {
 	return "Request<" + rq.JawsKeyString() + ">"
 }
 
-// MarkWritten records an initial HTML write.
+// MarkWritten records initial-render activity for the Request.
 //
-// The pending-eviction logic uses the timestamp to prefer an idle Request while
-// a render is in flight. [RequestWriter.Write] calls MarkWritten on every write.
-// It is lock-free and safe to call concurrently. Concurrent calls never move the
-// recorded second backward.
+// The ui package's RequestWriter calls MarkWritten before each write. Call it
+// before each initial HTML write made through another writer. Recorded activity
+// affects timeout retirement before [Request.ServeHTTP] begins and which Request
+// is retired when [Jaws.MaxPendingRequestsPerIP] is reached.
+//
+// MarkWritten is safe to call concurrently. Calls never move recorded activity
+// backward.
 func (rq *Request) MarkWritten() {
 	// A cached runtime sample avoids a clock read. The recorded second drives the
 	// recency window in pendingEvictionVictimLocked and the idle expiry in
diff --git a/requestpool.go b/requestpool.go
index 024441fb..1992d883 100644
--- a/requestpool.go
+++ b/requestpool.go
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ import (
 // Do not retain the pointer beyond the initial HTTP handling and rendering; see
 // [Request].
 //
-// Automatic timeout handling is performed by [Jaws.ServeWithTimeout]. The default
-// [Jaws.Serve] helper uses a 10-second timeout.
+// [Jaws.ServeWithTimeout] periodically retires idle Requests before WebSocket
+// processing starts; [Jaws.Serve] uses [DefaultWebSocketTimeout].
 //
 // When [Jaws.MaxPendingRequestsPerIP] is positive and already reached,
 // NewRequest retires the oldest idle pending Request from the same IP. If every
@@ -215,6 +215,9 @@ func (jw *Jaws) nonZeroRandomLocked() key.Key {
 // associated [Request], and then call its [Request.ServeHTTP] method to process the
 // WebSocket messages.
 //
+// A successful claim marks activity used by [Jaws.ServeWithTimeout] while the
+// Request waits for [Request.ServeHTTP].
+//
 // Returns nil if the key was not found, the request was already claimed by an
 // earlier WebSocket callback, or the IP doesn't match, in which case you
 // should return an HTTP "404 Not Found" status.
diff --git a/serve.go b/serve.go
index 2c296ae2..42455a77 100644
--- a/serve.go
+++ b/serve.go
@@ -29,9 +29,23 @@ func (jw *Jaws) getWebSocketTimeout() (t time.Duration) {
 	return
 }
 
-// ServeWithTimeout begins processing requests with the given timeout.
-// It is intended to run on its own goroutine.
-// It returns when [Jaws.Close] is called.
+// ServeWithTimeout begins processing requests.
+//
+// requestTimeout must be an exact multiple of [time.Second] from [time.Second]
+// through 2,147,483,646 seconds. Other values have unspecified behavior.
+//
+// Before [Request.ServeHTTP] begins WebSocket processing, timeout-based Request
+// retirement is periodic and approximate, not a hard deadline. [Jaws.NewRequest],
+// a successful [Jaws.UseRequest], and [Request.MarkWritten] mark activity using
+// whole-second samples from the epoch established by [New]. Retirement is checked
+// only during maintenance passes, so it is not timed precisely from those events.
+//
+// When [Jaws.WebSocketPingInterval] is positive, each keepalive ping on an active
+// WebSocket uses requestTimeout directly as its timeout. Ping timing does not use
+// those activity samples or the maintenance schedule.
+//
+// It is intended to run on its own goroutine and returns when [Jaws.Close] is
+// called.
 func (jw *Jaws) ServeWithTimeout(requestTimeout time.Duration) {
 	if !jw.serving.CompareAndSwap(false, true) {
 		jw.reportMisuse(ErrServeAlreadyRunning)
@@ -128,9 +142,9 @@ func (jw *Jaws) ServeWithTimeout(requestTimeout time.Duration) {
 	}
 }
 
-// Serve calls ServeWithTimeout(DefaultWebSocketTimeout).
-// It is intended to run on its own goroutine.
-// It returns when [Jaws.Close] is called.
+// Serve calls [Jaws.ServeWithTimeout] with [DefaultWebSocketTimeout].
+// It is intended to run on its own goroutine and returns when [Jaws.Close] is
+// called.
 func (jw *Jaws) Serve() {
 	jw.ServeWithTimeout(DefaultWebSocketTimeout)
 }