diff --git a/openc3/lib/openc3/utilities/topic_lag_monitor.rb b/openc3/lib/openc3/utilities/topic_lag_monitor.rb
index 885c54319c..78d8c88658 100644
--- a/openc3/lib/openc3/utilities/topic_lag_monitor.rb
+++ b/openc3/lib/openc3/utilities/topic_lag_monitor.rb
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ def initialize(name:, logger:, metric: nil)
       @max_lag = 0.0
       @max_lag_topic = nil
       @below_since = nil
+      @below_ok_since = nil
       @last_notify = nil
       @last_notify_level = OK
       @notified = false
@@ -104,6 +105,11 @@ def update_gauge(metric_name, help, lag, now)
     end
 
     def update_state(topic, lag, now)
+      if lag < @warn_seconds * CLEAR_RATIO
+        @below_ok_since ||= now
+      else
+        @below_ok_since = nil
+      end
       if lag > @max_lag
         @max_lag = lag
         @max_lag_topic = topic
@@ -131,8 +137,9 @@ def update_state(topic, lag, now)
           @below_since ||= now
           if (now - @below_since) >= @clear_seconds
             @below_since = nil
-            if @state == CRITICAL and lag >= @warn_seconds * CLEAR_RATIO
+            if @state == CRITICAL and (@below_ok_since.nil? or (now - @below_ok_since) < @clear_seconds)
               @state = WARN
+              @below_since = @below_ok_since
             else
               @state = OK
               @logger.info("#{@name} has caught up processing (max lag #{@max_lag.round(1)}s on #{@max_lag_topic})", type: Logger::NOTIFICATION) if @notified
diff --git a/openc3/python/openc3/utilities/topic_lag_monitor.py b/openc3/python/openc3/utilities/topic_lag_monitor.py
index 8382acbf37..2afb5b5f7c 100644
--- a/openc3/python/openc3/utilities/topic_lag_monitor.py
+++ b/openc3/python/openc3/utilities/topic_lag_monitor.py
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ def __init__(self, name, logger, metric=None):
         self.max_lag = 0.0
         self.max_lag_topic = None
         self.below_since = None
+        self.below_ok_since = None
         self.last_notify = None
         self.last_notify_level = self.OK
         self.notified = False
@@ -101,6 +102,11 @@ def _update_gauge(self, metric_name, help, lag, now):
         self.metric.set(name=metric_name, value=value, type="gauge", unit="seconds", help=help)
 
     def _update_state(self, topic, lag, now):
+        if lag < self.warn_seconds * self.CLEAR_RATIO:
+            if self.below_ok_since is None:
+                self.below_ok_since = now
+        else:
+            self.below_ok_since = None
         if lag > self.max_lag:
             self.max_lag = lag
             self.max_lag_topic = topic
@@ -130,8 +136,11 @@ def _update_state(self, topic, lag, now):
                     self.below_since = now
                 if (now - self.below_since) >= self.clear_seconds:
                     self.below_since = None
-                    if self.state == self.CRITICAL and lag >= self.warn_seconds * self.CLEAR_RATIO:
+                    if self.state == self.CRITICAL and (
+                        self.below_ok_since is None or (now - self.below_ok_since) < self.clear_seconds
+                    ):
                         self.state = self.WARN
+                        self.below_since = self.below_ok_since
                     else:
                         self.state = self.OK
                         if self.notified:
diff --git a/openc3/python/test/utilities/test_topic_lag_monitor.py b/openc3/python/test/utilities/test_topic_lag_monitor.py
index cfe697f871..df8d612d3d 100644
--- a/openc3/python/test/utilities/test_topic_lag_monitor.py
+++ b/openc3/python/test/utilities/test_topic_lag_monitor.py
@@ -111,6 +111,19 @@ def test_steps_down_from_critical_to_warning_silently(self):
         self.assertEqual(monitor.state, TopicLagMonitor.WARN)
         self.logger.info.assert_not_called()
 
+    def test_critical_recovery_requires_hold_below_warning_clear_threshold(self):
+        monitor = self.monitor()
+        self.rec(monitor, 40, 0)
+        self.rec(monitor, 10, 1)
+        self.rec(monitor, 1, 11)
+        self.assertEqual(monitor.state, TopicLagMonitor.WARN)
+        self.logger.info.assert_not_called()
+        self.rec(monitor, 1, 20)
+        self.logger.info.assert_not_called()
+        self.rec(monitor, 1, 21)
+        self.assertEqual(monitor.state, TopicLagMonitor.OK)
+        self.logger.info.assert_called_once()
+
     def test_rate_limits_repeated_notifications(self):
         monitor = self.monitor()
         self.rec(monitor, 6, 0)
diff --git a/openc3/spec/utilities/topic_lag_monitor_spec.rb b/openc3/spec/utilities/topic_lag_monitor_spec.rb
index 786a4c70b1..97d180ce41 100644
--- a/openc3/spec/utilities/topic_lag_monitor_spec.rb
+++ b/openc3/spec/utilities/topic_lag_monitor_spec.rb
@@ -90,6 +90,19 @@ def rec_gauge(lag, at)
       expect(monitor.state).to eq(TopicLagMonitor::WARN)
     end
 
+    it "requires the full hold below the warning clear threshold to recover from critical" do
+      rec(40, 0)
+      rec(10, 1)
+      rec(1, 11)
+      expect(monitor.state).to eq(TopicLagMonitor::WARN)
+      expect(logger).not_to have_received(:info)
+      rec(1, 20)
+      expect(logger).not_to have_received(:info)
+      rec(1, 21)
+      expect(monitor.state).to eq(TopicLagMonitor::OK)
+      expect(logger).to have_received(:info).once
+    end
+
     it "rate limits repeated notifications while lagging" do
       expect(logger).to receive(:warn).twice
       rec(6, 0)