diff --git a/media/libheadtracking/HeadTrackingProcessor-test.cpp b/media/libheadtracking/HeadTrackingProcessor-test.cpp
index ae5567d..1739c6d 100644
--- a/media/libheadtracking/HeadTrackingProcessor-test.cpp
+++ b/media/libheadtracking/HeadTrackingProcessor-test.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,11 @@
 
     std::unique_ptr<HeadTrackingProcessor> processor =
             createHeadTrackingProcessor(Options{}, HeadTrackingMode::SCREEN_RELATIVE);
+
+    // Establish a baseline for the drift compensators.
+    processor->setWorldToHeadPose(0, Pose3f(), Twist3f());
+    processor->setWorldToScreenPose(0, Pose3f());
+
     processor->setWorldToHeadPose(0, worldToHead, Twist3f());
     processor->setWorldToScreenPose(0, worldToScreen);
     processor->setScreenToStagePose(screenToStage);
@@ -76,6 +81,11 @@
 
     std::unique_ptr<HeadTrackingProcessor> processor = createHeadTrackingProcessor(
             Options{.predictionDuration = 2.f}, HeadTrackingMode::WORLD_RELATIVE);
+
+    // Establish a baseline for the drift compensators.
+    processor->setWorldToHeadPose(0, Pose3f(), Twist3f());
+    processor->setWorldToScreenPose(0, Pose3f());
+
     processor->setWorldToHeadPose(0, worldToHead, headTwist);
     processor->setWorldToScreenPose(0, worldToScreen);
     processor->calculate(0);
@@ -100,6 +110,10 @@
     std::unique_ptr<HeadTrackingProcessor> processor = createHeadTrackingProcessor(
             Options{.maxTranslationalVelocity = 1}, HeadTrackingMode::STATIC);
 
+    // Establish a baseline for the drift compensators.
+    processor->setWorldToHeadPose(0, Pose3f(), Twist3f());
+    processor->setWorldToScreenPose(0, Pose3f());
+
     processor->calculate(0);
 
     processor->setDesiredMode(HeadTrackingMode::WORLD_RELATIVE);
diff --git a/media/libheadtracking/PoseDriftCompensator-test.cpp b/media/libheadtracking/PoseDriftCompensator-test.cpp
index 74f4bee..df0a05f 100644
--- a/media/libheadtracking/PoseDriftCompensator-test.cpp
+++ b/media/libheadtracking/PoseDriftCompensator-test.cpp
@@ -39,17 +39,22 @@
     Pose3f pose2({4, 5, 6}, Quaternionf::UnitRandom());
     PoseDriftCompensator comp(Options{});
 
+    // First pose sets the baseline.
     comp.setInput(1000, pose1);
-    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), Pose3f());
 
     comp.setInput(2000, pose2);
-    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose1.inverse() * pose2);
 
+    // Recentering resets the baseline.
     comp.recenter();
     EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), Pose3f());
 
     comp.setInput(3000, pose1);
-    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose2.inverse() * pose1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), Pose3f());
+
+    comp.setInput(4000, pose2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose1.inverse() * pose2);
 }
 
 TEST(PoseDriftCompensator, NoDriftZeroTime) {
@@ -58,16 +63,19 @@
     PoseDriftCompensator comp(Options{});
 
     comp.setInput(1000, pose1);
-    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), Pose3f());
 
     comp.setInput(1000, pose2);
-    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose1.inverse() * pose2);
 
     comp.recenter();
     EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), Pose3f());
 
     comp.setInput(1000, pose1);
-    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose2.inverse() * pose1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), Pose3f());
+
+    comp.setInput(1000, pose2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose1.inverse() * pose2);
 }
 
 TEST(PoseDriftCompensator, Asymptotic) {
@@ -92,16 +100,19 @@
             Options{.translationalDriftTimeConstant = 1e7, .rotationalDriftTimeConstant = 1e7});
 
     comp.setInput(0, pose1);
-    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), Pose3f());
 
     comp.setInput(1, pose2);
-    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose1.inverse() * pose2);
 
     comp.recenter();
     EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), Pose3f());
 
     comp.setInput(2, pose1);
-    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose2.inverse() * pose1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), Pose3f());
+
+    comp.setInput(3, pose2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose1.inverse() * pose2);
 }
 
 TEST(PoseDriftCompensator, Drift) {
@@ -109,6 +120,9 @@
     PoseDriftCompensator comp(
             Options{.translationalDriftTimeConstant = 500, .rotationalDriftTimeConstant = 1000});
 
+    // Establish a baseline.
+    comp.setInput(1000, Pose3f());
+
     // Initial pose is used as is.
     comp.setInput(1000, pose1);
     EXPECT_EQ(comp.getOutput(), pose1);
diff --git a/media/libheadtracking/PoseDriftCompensator.cpp b/media/libheadtracking/PoseDriftCompensator.cpp
index 9dfe172..0e90cad 100644
--- a/media/libheadtracking/PoseDriftCompensator.cpp
+++ b/media/libheadtracking/PoseDriftCompensator.cpp
@@ -29,10 +29,8 @@
 PoseDriftCompensator::PoseDriftCompensator(const Options& options) : mOptions(options) {}
 
 void PoseDriftCompensator::setInput(int64_t timestamp, const Pose3f& input) {
-    if (!mTimestamp.has_value()) {
-        // First input sample sets the output directly.
-        mOutput = input;
-    } else {
+    if (mTimestamp.has_value()) {
+        // Avoid computation upon first input (only sets the initial state).
         Pose3f prevInputToInput = mPrevInput.inverse() * input;
         mOutput = scale(mOutput, timestamp - mTimestamp.value()) * prevInputToInput;
     }
@@ -41,6 +39,7 @@
 }
 
 void PoseDriftCompensator::recenter() {
+    mTimestamp.reset();
     mOutput = Pose3f();
 }