diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9ff0d41..e22386e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -15,3 +15,4 @@ calmr.Rproj
 sketch.R
 docs
 revdep/
+.vscode/
diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index b7082d7..081ac80 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ Encoding: UTF-8
 Language: en-US
 LazyData: true
 Roxygen: list(markdown = TRUE)
-RoxygenNote: 7.2.3
+RoxygenNote: 7.3.1
 Collate: 
     'HD2022.R'
     'HDI2020.R'
diff --git a/R/anccr_helpers.R b/R/anccr_helpers.R
index 35c0409..4587e6e 100644
--- a/R/anccr_helpers.R
+++ b/R/anccr_helpers.R
@@ -47,23 +47,28 @@ set_reward_parameters <- function(parameters, rewards = c("US")) {
     transitions <- mapping$transitions[[trial_name]]
     period_funcs <- mapping$period_functionals[[trial_name]]
     # sample start of the trial
-    if (timings$use_exponential) {
-      new_ts <- min(
-        with(timings$trial_ts, max_ITI[trial == trial_name]),
-        stats::rexp(
-          1, 1 / with(timings$trial_ts, mean_ITI[trial == trial_name])
-        ),
-        timings$time_resolution
-      )
+    if (!timings$sample_timings) {
+      # no sampling: use mean ITI
+      new_ts <- with(timings$trial_ts, mean_ITI[trial == trial_name])
     } else {
-      new_ts <- stats::runif(1) *
-        with(timings$trial_ts, mean_ITI[trial == trial_name]) *
-        0.4 +
-        with(
-          timings$trial_ts,
-          mean_ITI[trial == trial_name]
-        ) * 0.8
+      if (timings$use_exponential) {
+        new_ts <- min(
+          with(timings$trial_ts, max_ITI[trial == trial_name]),
+          stats::rexp(
+            1, 1 / with(timings$trial_ts, mean_ITI[trial == trial_name])
+          )
+        )
+      } else {
+        new_ts <- stats::runif(1) *
+          with(timings$trial_ts, mean_ITI[trial == trial_name]) *
+          0.4 +
+          with(
+            timings$trial_ts,
+            mean_ITI[trial == trial_name]
+          ) * 0.8
+      }
     }
+
     running_time <- running_time + new_ts
     for (p in seq_along(period_funcs)) {
       eventlog <- rbind(
diff --git a/R/get_timings.R b/R/get_timings.R
index 254e057..e06b8fe 100644
--- a/R/get_timings.R
+++ b/R/get_timings.R
@@ -97,20 +97,21 @@ get_timings <- function(design, model) {
 .default_global_timings <- function() {
   list(
     "use_exponential" = TRUE,
-    "time_resolution" = 0.5
+    "time_resolution" = 0.5,
+    "sample_timings" = TRUE
   )
 }
 
 .model_timings <- function(model) {
   timings_map <- list(
     "ANCCR" = list(
-      "global" = c("use_exponential"),
+      "global" = c("use_exponential", "sample_timings"),
       "transitions" = c("transition_delay"),
       "periods" = c(),
       "trials" = c("post_trial_delay", "mean_ITI", "max_ITI")
     ),
     "TD" = list(
-      "global" = c("use_exponential", "time_resolution"),
+      "global" = c("use_exponential", "time_resolution", "sample_timings"),
       "transitions" = c("transition_delay"),
       "periods" = c("stimulus_duration"),
       "trials" = c("post_trial_delay", "mean_ITI", "max_ITI")
diff --git a/R/td_helpers.R b/R/td_helpers.R
index 182b124..3ff3a4b 100644
--- a/R/td_helpers.R
+++ b/R/td_helpers.R
@@ -25,22 +25,27 @@
     trial_name <- experience$tn[ti]
     transitions <- mapping$transitions[[trial_name]]
     period_funcs <- mapping$period_functionals[[trial_name]]
-    # sample start of the trial
-    if (timings$use_exponential) {
-      new_ts <- min(
-        with(timings$trial_ts, max_ITI[trial == trial_name]),
-        stats::rexp(
-          1, 1 / with(timings$trial_ts, mean_ITI[trial == trial_name])
-        )
-      )
+    # sample start of the trial if needed
+    if (!timings$sample_timings) {
+      # no sampling: use mean ITI
+      new_ts <- with(timings$trial_ts, mean_ITI[trial == trial_name])
     } else {
-      new_ts <- stats::runif(1) *
-        with(timings$trial_ts, mean_ITI[trial == trial_name]) *
-        0.4 +
-        with(
-          timings$trial_ts,
-          mean_ITI[trial == trial_name]
-        ) * 0.8
+      if (timings$use_exponential) {
+        new_ts <- min(
+          with(timings$trial_ts, max_ITI[trial == trial_name]),
+          stats::rexp(
+            1, 1 / with(timings$trial_ts, mean_ITI[trial == trial_name])
+          )
+        )
+      } else {
+        new_ts <- stats::runif(1) *
+          with(timings$trial_ts, mean_ITI[trial == trial_name]) *
+          0.4 +
+          with(
+            timings$trial_ts,
+            mean_ITI[trial == trial_name]
+          ) * 0.8
+      }
     }
     running_time <- running_time + new_ts
     for (p in seq_along(period_funcs)) {
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-anccr_tests.R b/tests/testthat/test-anccr_tests.R
index 5b5ea16..a06501b 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-anccr_tests.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-anccr_tests.R
@@ -28,6 +28,15 @@ test_that("can run without exponential", {
   )
 })
 
+test_that("can run without sampling timings", {
+  nots <- tims
+  nots$sample_timings <- FALSE
+  expect_no_error(run_experiment(df,
+    parameters = pars,
+    timings = nots, model = "ANCCR"
+  ))
+})
+
 test_that("can run with timed alpha", {
   talpha <- pars
   talpha$use_timed_alpha <- 1