diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 373eba9..09ce499 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -72,8 +72,9 @@ OIDC_USE_DISCOVERY=true
 YNAB_ACCESS_TOKEN=your-ynab-personal-access-token
 # Optional: Specify a budget ID, or leave empty to use the default/first budget
 YNAB_BUDGET_ID=
-# Seconds between background YNAB delta syncs (agent tools also sync on demand)
-YNAB_SYNC_INTERVAL=900
+# Seconds between background YNAB delta syncs. Keep under the agent tools' 120s
+# freshness window so tools rarely wait on an inline YNAB fetch.
+YNAB_SYNC_INTERVAL=90
 
 # Mealie Configuration
 # Base URL for your Mealie instance (e.g., http://192.168.1.5:9000 or https://mealie.example.com)
diff --git a/blueprints/ynab/sync.py b/blueprints/ynab/sync.py
index 3ddb27e..b73e36c 100644
--- a/blueprints/ynab/sync.py
+++ b/blueprints/ynab/sync.py
@@ -630,7 +630,8 @@ async def ensure_fresh(max_age_seconds: int = 120) -> YnabSyncState | None:
 
 async def ynab_sync_loop() -> None:
     """Background task: delta-sync YNAB every ``YNAB_SYNC_INTERVAL`` seconds."""
-    interval = int(os.getenv("YNAB_SYNC_INTERVAL", "900"))
+    # Below ensure_fresh's 120s window, so tool calls rarely sync inline.
+    interval = int(os.getenv("YNAB_SYNC_INTERVAL", "90"))
     logger.info(f"YNAB sync loop started (interval={interval}s)")
     while True:
         try:
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 59bde2f..982aae3 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ x-raggr-common: &raggr-common
     - TAVILY_API_KEY=${TAVILIY_API_KEY}
     - YNAB_ACCESS_TOKEN=${YNAB_ACCESS_TOKEN}
     - YNAB_BUDGET_ID=${YNAB_BUDGET_ID}
-    - YNAB_SYNC_INTERVAL=${YNAB_SYNC_INTERVAL:-900}
+    - YNAB_SYNC_INTERVAL=${YNAB_SYNC_INTERVAL:-90}
     - MEALIE_BASE_URL=${MEALIE_BASE_URL}
     - MEALIE_API_TOKEN=${MEALIE_API_TOKEN}
     - MEALIE_GROUP_SLUG=${MEALIE_GROUP_SLUG:-home}