diff --git a/src/scheduler.py b/src/scheduler.py
index 0c7a680..c4eec92 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.py
+++ b/src/scheduler.py
@@ -22,9 +22,17 @@ class SchedulerManager:
         interval = Setting.get(
             "fetch_interval_hours", default=config.FETCH_INTERVAL_HOURS
         )
+        
+        # Calculate the next half-hour mark (XX:00 or XX:30)
+        now = datetime.now()
+        if now.minute < 30:
+            next_run = now.replace(minute=30, second=0, microsecond=0)
+        else:
+            next_run = (now + timedelta(hours=1)).replace(minute=0, second=0, microsecond=0)
+            
         self.scheduler.add_job(
             self._run_fetch,
-            IntervalTrigger(hours=interval),
+            IntervalTrigger(hours=interval, start_date=next_run),
             id="rss_fetch",
             replace_existing=True,
         )
@@ -153,14 +161,14 @@ class SchedulerManager:
     def get_status(self) -> dict:
         status = {"running": self.scheduler.running}
         fetch_job = self.scheduler.get_job("rss_fetch")
-        if fetch_job:
+        if fetch_job and fetch_job.next_run_time:
             status["rss_fetch"] = {
-                "next_run": str(fetch_job.next_run_time),
+                "next_run": fetch_job.next_run_time.strftime("%b %d, %Y %I:%M %p"),
                 "interval_hours": fetch_job.trigger.interval.total_seconds() / 3600,
             }
         pub_job = self.scheduler.get_job("auto_publish")
-        if pub_job:
+        if pub_job and pub_job.next_run_time:
             status["auto_publish"] = {
-                "next_run": str(pub_job.next_run_time),
+                "next_run": pub_job.next_run_time.strftime("%b %d, %Y %I:%M %p"),
             }
         return status
diff --git a/templates/dashboard.html b/templates/dashboard.html
index 162af2b..670a350 100644
--- a/templates/dashboard.html
+++ b/templates/dashboard.html
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@
 <hgroup>
     <h3>Scheduler</h3>
     <p>
-        Status: <strong>{{ "Running" if scheduler_status.running else "Stopped" }}</strong>
+        Status: <strong>{{ "Enabled" if scheduler_status.running else "Disabled" }}</strong>
         {% if scheduler_status.rss_fetch %}
-        · Next fetch: {{ scheduler_status.rss_fetch.next_run }}
-        · Interval: {{ scheduler_status.rss_fetch.interval_hours }}h
+        &middot; Next fetch: {{ scheduler_status.rss_fetch.next_run }}
+        &middot; Interval: {{ scheduler_status.rss_fetch.interval_hours }}h
         {% endif %}
     </p>
 </hgroup>
diff --git a/tests/test_scheduler.py b/tests/test_scheduler.py
index 8c8096a..bed506c 100644
--- a/tests/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/tests/test_scheduler.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import json
 import os
-from datetime import date, datetime
+from datetime import date, datetime, timedelta
+from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 
 from PIL import Image as PILImage
@@ -63,6 +64,48 @@ def test_scheduler_get_status(app):
         mgr.shutdown()
 
 
+def test_scheduler_starts_on_half_hour(app):
+    with app.app_context():
+        mgr = SchedulerManager(app)
+        
+        # Test when current time is before :30
+        with patch('src.scheduler.datetime') as mock_dt:
+            # Use a date far in the future so APScheduler doesn't fast-forward it
+            mock_dt.now.return_value = datetime(2030, 4, 6, 10, 15, 0)
+            mgr.start()
+            job = mgr.scheduler.get_job("rss_fetch")
+            assert job.next_run_time.minute == 30
+            assert job.next_run_time.hour == 10
+            mgr.shutdown()
+            
+        mgr = SchedulerManager(app)
+        # Test when current time is after :30
+        with patch('src.scheduler.datetime') as mock_dt:
+            mock_dt.now.return_value = datetime(2030, 4, 6, 10, 45, 0)
+            mgr.start()
+            job = mgr.scheduler.get_job("rss_fetch")
+            assert job.next_run_time.minute == 0
+            assert job.next_run_time.hour == 11
+            mgr.shutdown()
+
+
+def test_scheduler_get_status_formatting(app):
+    with app.app_context():
+        mgr = SchedulerManager(app)
+        with patch('src.scheduler.datetime') as mock_dt:
+            # Force it to start at exactly 10:30 in the future
+            mock_dt.now.return_value = datetime(2030, 4, 6, 10, 15, 0)
+            mgr.start()
+            
+            # The job's next_run_time will be timezone aware in APScheduler
+            status = mgr.get_status()
+            
+            assert "rss_fetch" in status
+            # Should look like "Apr 06, 2030 10:30 AM"
+            assert "Apr 06, 2030 10:30 AM" in status["rss_fetch"]["next_run"]
+            mgr.shutdown()
+
+
 def test_auto_publish_passes_ordered_image_paths_to_generate_cover(app, tmp_path, db):
     """First image per article in pub_date order passed to generate_cover."""
     os.makedirs(tmp_path, exist_ok=True)