diff --git a/.changeset/pretty-sloths-admire.md b/.changeset/pretty-sloths-admire.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a878c9bf5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/pretty-sloths-admire.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@hyperdx/app": patch
+---
+
+fix: optimize query key for aliasMap to prevent jitter
diff --git a/packages/app/src/DBSearchPage.tsx b/packages/app/src/DBSearchPage.tsx
index d45052cf4..90c83a3bc 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/DBSearchPage.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/DBSearchPage.tsx
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ import {
   useDocumentVisibility,
 } from '@mantine/hooks';
 import { notifications } from '@mantine/notifications';
-import { keepPreviousData, useIsFetching } from '@tanstack/react-query';
+import { useIsFetching } from '@tanstack/react-query';
 import { SortingState } from '@tanstack/react-table';
 import CodeMirror from '@uiw/react-codemirror';
 
@@ -1147,10 +1147,7 @@ function DBSearchPage() {
     }
   }, [isReady, queryReady, isChartConfigLoading, onSearch]);
 
-  const { data: aliasMap } = useAliasMapFromChartConfig(dbSqlRowTableConfig, {
-    placeholderData: keepPreviousData,
-    queryKey: ['aliasMap', dbSqlRowTableConfig, 'withPlaceholder'],
-  });
+  const { data: aliasMap } = useAliasMapFromChartConfig(dbSqlRowTableConfig);
 
   const aliasWith = useMemo(
     () =>
diff --git a/packages/app/src/hooks/useChartConfig.tsx b/packages/app/src/hooks/useChartConfig.tsx
index 54fa77f32..591f27de2 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/hooks/useChartConfig.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/hooks/useChartConfig.tsx
@@ -286,8 +286,30 @@ export function useAliasMapFromChartConfig(
   config: ChartConfigWithOptDateRange | undefined,
   options?: UseQueryOptions<Record<string, string>>,
 ) {
+  // For granularity: 'auto', the bucket size depends on dateRange duration (not absolute times).
+  // Include duration in key to detect when bucket size changes, but omit absolute times
+  // to prevent refetches when the time window just slides forward (e.g., live tail).
+  const dateRangeDuration =
+    config?.dateRange && isUsingGranularity(config)
+      ? config.dateRange[1].getTime() - config.dateRange[0].getTime()
+      : undefined;
+
   return useQuery<Record<string, string>>({
-    queryKey: ['aliasMap', config],
+    // Only include config properties that affect SELECT structure and aliases.
+    // When adding new ChartConfig fields, check renderChartConfig.ts to see if they
+    // affect the SELECT clause. If yes, add them here to avoid stale alias maps.
+    queryKey: [
+      'aliasMap',
+      config?.select,
+      config?.from,
+      config?.connection,
+      config?.with,
+      config?.groupBy,
+      config?.selectGroupBy,
+      config?.granularity,
+      config?.seriesReturnType,
+      dateRangeDuration,
+    ],
     queryFn: async () => {
       if (config == null) {
         return {};