diff --git a/.github/workflows/runglobal.yml b/.github/workflows/runglobal.yml
index a615768..a71df08 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/runglobal.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/runglobal.yml
@@ -120,6 +120,10 @@ jobs:
 
           echo -e '\n====== Setting up and running the long-lived process ======\n'
 
+          cd /mnt/globalData
+
+          wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CeciliaKelley33Mm/global/refs/heads/master/checkTime.js
+
           wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CeciliaKelley33Mm/global/refs/heads/master/loop.sh
           chmod +x loop.sh
           bash loop.sh ${{ inputs.runNext }} $GH_TOKEN global runglobal.yml master global $WEBHOOK_URL true ${{ inputs.oldTailscaleHostname }}
diff --git a/checkTime.js b/checkTime.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce0cd99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checkTime.js
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+const process = require('process')
+
+if (process.argv.length < 3) {
+    console.error('Invalid format. Expected HH:MM')
+    process.exit(69)
+}
+
+const startTimeString = process.argv[2]
+const [startHours, startMinutes] = startTimeString.split(':').map(Number)
+
+if (
+    isNaN(startHours) || isNaN(startMinutes) ||
+    startHours > 23 || startMinutes > 59
+) {
+    console.error('Invalid time format. Expected HH:MM format WITH VALID TIME')
+    process.exit(69)
+}
+
+const startTime = new Date()
+startTime.setHours(startHours, startMinutes, 0, 0)
+
+const targetTime = new Date(startTime.getTime() + 5 * 60 * 60 * 1000) // 5 hours after startTime
+targetTime.setSeconds(0) // fixes the precise time, we don't want them
+targetTime.setMilliseconds(0)
+
+const currentTime = new Date()
+currentTime.setSeconds(0)
+currentTime.setMilliseconds(0)
+
+if (currentTime.getTime() === targetTime.getTime()) {
+    console.log('[checkTime] time matches, now exiting with status 0 to make another runtime')
+    process.exit(0)
+} else {
+    process.exit(1)
+}
diff --git a/loop.sh b/loop.sh
index d7d90b7..c746d06 100755
--- a/loop.sh
+++ b/loop.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+START_TIME=$(date +"%H:%M:%S") # the checkTime.js script uses local time
+
 GH_TOKEN=$2
 
 REPO=$3
@@ -58,7 +60,10 @@ requestWebhook() {
 }
 
 check() {
-    currentTime=$(TZ=Etc/UTC date +"%H-%M")
+    # currentTime=$(TZ=Etc/UTC date +"%H-%M")
+
+    ### the following pattern is now deprecated. i am now using checkTime.js
+    ### which adds the start time by 5 hours
 
     # this is the pattern. the old machine will activate the new machine 1 hour before it terminates
 
@@ -82,11 +87,15 @@ check() {
     # 5 00:00 ACTIVATE 1
     # 5 01:50 TERMINATE
 
-    targetTimes=("00-00" "05-50" "10-50" "15-50" "20-50")
+    # targetTimes=("00-00" "05-50" "10-50" "15-50" "20-50")
 
-    for target in "${targetTimes[@]}"; do
-        if [[ "$currentTime" != "$target" ]]; then continue; fi
+    # for target in "${targetTimes[@]}"; do
+    #     if [[ "$currentTime" != "$target" ]]; then continue; fi
 
+    node checkTime.js $START_TIME
+    exitCode=$?
+
+    if [ $exitCode -eq 0 ]; then
         alreadyDone=1
 
         hostname="old-$NAME-$RANDOM"
@@ -133,7 +142,9 @@ check() {
         fi
 
         eval "$command"
-    done
+    fi
+
+    # done
 }
 
 if [ "$1" == "true" ]; then