diff --git a/__tests__/cronJobTest/sweepDelayIgnoreDrafts.test.ts b/__tests__/cronJobTest/sweepDelayIgnoreDrafts.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7d0baed6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/cronJobTest/sweepDelayIgnoreDrafts.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+import { Buffer } from 'node:buffer'
+import { http } from 'msw'
+import { setupServer } from 'msw/node'
+import { afterAll, afterEach, beforeAll, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+import { sweep } from '../../src/cronJobs/sweep'
+import { resetOwnersCaches } from '../../src/utils/owners'
+import labelFileContents from '../fixtures/labels/labelFileContentsResp.json'
+import pullReqListPulls from '../fixtures/pullReq/pullReqListPulls.json'
+import pullReqOpenedEvent from '../fixtures/pullReq/pullReqOpenedEvent.json'
+import * as utils from '../testUtils'
+import { blobSha } from '../utils/ownersFixtures'
+
+const server = setupServer()
+beforeAll(() => server.listen(utils.failOnUnhandledRequest))
+afterEach(() => server.resetHandlers())
+afterAll(() => server.close())
+
+const repo = `${utils.api}/repos/Codertocat/Hello-World`
+const now = new Date('2026-09-16T12:00:00Z')
+const owners = 'approvers:\n- alice\nreviewers:\n- carol\n'
+
+function ago(minutes: number): string {
+  return new Date(now.getTime() - minutes * 60_000).toISOString()
+}
+
+function prowYaml(text: string) {
+  const file = structuredClone(labelFileContents)
+  file.content = Buffer.from(text).toString('base64')
+  return http.get(utils.contentsUrl('.github/prow.yaml'), utils.mockResponse(200, file))
+}
+
+function draft(number: number, openedMinutesAgo: number) {
+  return {
+    ...structuredClone(pullReqListPulls[0]),
+    number,
+    draft: true,
+    labels: [],
+    created_at: ago(openedMinutesAgo),
+    updated_at: ago(openedMinutesAgo),
+    requested_reviewers: [],
+    requested_teams: [],
+    assignees: [],
+    user: { login: 'some-author' },
+    head: { sha: `sha${number}` },
+    base: { ref: 'master', sha: 'basesha' },
+  }
+}
+
+function json(body: unknown, status = 200) {
+  return new Response(JSON.stringify(body), { status, headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' } })
+}
+
+// Covers the `ignore_drafts` false arm of `requestReviewersIfDue`
+// (src/cronJobs/sweep.ts): with `blunderbuss.ignore_drafts: false` a delayed
+// sweep does not skip drafts and times every pull request from `created_at`
+// alone, so it never reads the timeline for a `ready_for_review` event. The
+// e2e suite drives this through the bundle; this pins it per request.
+describe('sweep with blunderbuss.delay and ignore_drafts off', () => {
+  let context: utils.MockContext
+  let requested: number[]
+  let timelineReads: number[]
+
+  function servePulls(pulls: ReturnType<typeof draft>[]) {
+    server.use(
+      http.get(`${repo}/pulls`, utils.mockResponse(200, pulls)),
+      http.get(`${repo}/pulls/:number`, ({ params }) => {
+        const item = pulls.find(pr => pr.number === Number(params.number))
+        return json(item ?? { message: 'Not Found' }, item ? 200 : 404)
+      }),
+    )
+  }
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    utils.setupJobsEnv('sweep')
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ now, toFake: ['Date'] })
+    resetOwnersCaches()
+    context = new utils.MockContext(pullReqOpenedEvent)
+    requested = []
+    timelineReads = []
+    server.use(
+      prowYaml('blunderbuss:\n  delay: 1h\n  ignore_drafts: false\n'),
+      ...utils.noOrgOrRepoConfigExcept(),
+      utils.defaultBranchTree(['OWNERS']),
+      http.get(`${repo}/branches/master`, utils.mockResponse(200, { commit: { sha: 'basesha' } })),
+      http.get(`${repo}/git/trees/basesha`, utils.mockResponse(200, { sha: 'basesha', truncated: false, tree: [{ path: 'OWNERS', type: 'blob', sha: blobSha('OWNERS') }] })),
+      http.get(`${repo}/git/blobs/${blobSha('OWNERS')}`, utils.mockResponse(200, { encoding: 'base64', content: Buffer.from(owners).toString('base64') })),
+      http.get(`${repo}/pulls/:number/files`, utils.mockResponse(200, [{ filename: 'x.go', status: 'modified' }])),
+      http.get(`${repo}/pulls/:number/reviews`, utils.mockResponse(200, [])),
+      http.get(`${repo}/issues/:number/timeline`, ({ params }) => {
+        timelineReads.push(Number(params.number))
+        return json([{ event: 'ready_for_review', created_at: ago(5) }])
+      }),
+      http.get(`${repo}/issues/:number`, utils.mockResponse(200, { labels: [] })),
+      http.get(`${repo}/issues/:number/comments`, utils.mockResponse(200, [])),
+      http.post(`${repo}/issues/:number/comments`, utils.mockResponse(201, {})),
+      http.post(`${repo}/pulls/:number/requested_reviewers`, ({ params }) => {
+        requested.push(Number(params.number))
+        return json({}, 201)
+      }),
+      utils.repoHasLabels(['approved', 'lgtm']),
+    )
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers()
+  })
+
+  it('requests reviewers on a due draft from its creation time without reading the timeline', async () => {
+    // the timeline would say the draft became ready 5 minutes ago, which is not consulted
+    servePulls([draft(1, 70)])
+
+    await expect(sweep(context)).resolves.toEqual({ candidates: [], merged: [], enqueued: [], failures: [] })
+    expect(requested).toEqual([1])
+    expect(timelineReads).toEqual([])
+  })
+
+  it('still leaves alone a draft opened after the due window', async () => {
+    servePulls([draft(1, 30), draft(2, 70)])
+
+    // #1 was updated inside the lookback, so it is a tide candidate, but it is not due for reviewers yet
+    await expect(sweep(context)).resolves.toEqual({ candidates: [1], merged: [], enqueued: [], failures: [] })
+    expect(requested).toEqual([2])
+    expect(timelineReads).toEqual([])
+  })
+})