diff --git a/include/mimalloc.h b/include/mimalloc.h
index 4ecb8be0..8cbe265f 100644
--- a/include/mimalloc.h
+++ b/include/mimalloc.h
@@ -370,6 +370,7 @@ typedef enum mi_option_e {
   mi_option_guarded_max,                // only used when building with MI_GUARDED: maximal rounded object size for guarded objects (=0)
   mi_option_guarded_precise,            // disregard minimal alignment requirement to always place guarded blocks exactly in front of a guard page (=0)
   mi_option_guarded_sample_rate,        // 1 out of N allocations in the min/max range will be guarded (=1000)
+  mi_option_guarded_sample_seed,        // can be set to allow for a (more) deterministic re-execution when a guard page is triggered (=0)
   _mi_option_last,
   // legacy option names
   mi_option_large_os_pages = mi_option_allow_large_os_pages,
diff --git a/include/mimalloc/internal.h b/include/mimalloc/internal.h
index ae3a3358..7809503b 100644
--- a/include/mimalloc/internal.h
+++ b/include/mimalloc/internal.h
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ void       _mi_tld_init(mi_tld_t* tld, mi_heap_t* bheap);
 mi_threadid_t _mi_thread_id(void) mi_attr_noexcept;
 mi_heap_t*    _mi_heap_main_get(void);     // statically allocated main backing heap
 mi_subproc_t* _mi_subproc_from_id(mi_subproc_id_t subproc_id);
+void       _mi_heap_guarded_init(mi_heap_t* heap);
 
 // os.c
 void       _mi_os_init(void);                                            // called from process init
@@ -610,12 +611,21 @@ static inline bool mi_block_ptr_is_guarded(const mi_block_t* block, const void*
 }
 
 static inline bool mi_heap_malloc_use_guarded(mi_heap_t* heap, size_t size) {
-  MI_UNUSED(heap);
-  return (size <= (size_t)_mi_option_get_fast(mi_option_guarded_max)
-           && size >= (size_t)_mi_option_get_fast(mi_option_guarded_min));
+  MI_UNUSED(heap);  
+  if (heap->guarded_sample_rate==0 ||
+      size > heap->guarded_size_max ||
+      size < heap->guarded_size_min) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  if (++heap->guarded_sample_count < heap->guarded_sample_rate) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  heap->guarded_sample_count = 0;  // reset
+  return true;
 }
 
 mi_decl_restrict void* _mi_heap_malloc_guarded(mi_heap_t* heap, size_t size, bool zero) mi_attr_noexcept;
+
 #endif
 
 
diff --git a/include/mimalloc/types.h b/include/mimalloc/types.h
index 29ba8564..ec181e61 100644
--- a/include/mimalloc/types.h
+++ b/include/mimalloc/types.h
@@ -502,6 +502,13 @@ struct mi_heap_s {
   mi_heap_t*            next;                                // list of heaps per thread
   bool                  no_reclaim;                          // `true` if this heap should not reclaim abandoned pages
   uint8_t               tag;                                 // custom tag, can be used for separating heaps based on the object types
+  #if MI_GUARDED
+  size_t                guarded_size_min;                    // minimal size for guarded objects
+  size_t                guarded_size_max;                    // maximal size for guarded objects
+  size_t                guarded_sample_rate;                 // sample rate (set to 0 to disable guarded pages)
+  size_t                guarded_sample_seed;                 // starting sample count
+  size_t                guarded_sample_count;                // current sample count (wraps at `sample_rate`)
+  #endif
   mi_page_t*            pages_free_direct[MI_PAGES_DIRECT];  // optimize: array where every entry points a page with possibly free blocks in the corresponding queue for that size.
   mi_page_queue_t       pages[MI_BIN_FULL + 1];              // queue of pages for each size class (or "bin")
 };
@@ -594,6 +601,7 @@ typedef struct mi_stats_s {
   mi_stat_counter_t arena_count;
   mi_stat_counter_t arena_crossover_count;
   mi_stat_counter_t arena_rollback_count;
+  mi_stat_counter_t guarded_alloc_count;
 #if MI_STAT>1
   mi_stat_count_t normal_bins[MI_BIN_HUGE+1];
 #endif
diff --git a/src/alloc-aligned.c b/src/alloc-aligned.c
index 86b13dea..6aee38c3 100644
--- a/src/alloc-aligned.c
+++ b/src/alloc-aligned.c
@@ -36,6 +36,18 @@ static mi_decl_restrict void* mi_heap_malloc_guarded_aligned(mi_heap_t* heap, si
   mi_assert_internal(_mi_is_aligned(p, alignment));
   return p;
 }
+
+static void* mi_heap_malloc_zero_no_guarded(mi_heap_t* heap, size_t size, bool zero) {
+  const size_t rate = heap->guarded_sample_rate;
+  heap->guarded_sample_rate = 0;
+  void* p = _mi_heap_malloc_zero(heap, size, zero);
+  heap->guarded_sample_rate = rate;
+  return p;
+}
+#else
+static void* mi_heap_malloc_zero_no_guarded(mi_heap_t* heap, size_t size, bool zero) {
+  return _mi_heap_malloc_zero(heap, size, zero);
+}
 #endif
 
 // Fallback aligned allocation that over-allocates -- split out for better codegen
@@ -58,6 +70,7 @@ static mi_decl_noinline void* mi_heap_malloc_zero_aligned_at_overalloc(mi_heap_t
       return NULL;
     }
     oversize = (size <= MI_SMALL_SIZE_MAX ? MI_SMALL_SIZE_MAX + 1 /* ensure we use generic malloc path */ : size);
+    // note: no guarded as alignment > 0
     p = _mi_heap_malloc_zero_ex(heap, oversize, false, alignment); // the page block size should be large enough to align in the single huge page block
     // zero afterwards as only the area from the aligned_p may be committed!
     if (p == NULL) return NULL;
@@ -65,7 +78,7 @@ static mi_decl_noinline void* mi_heap_malloc_zero_aligned_at_overalloc(mi_heap_t
   else {
     // otherwise over-allocate
     oversize = size + alignment - 1;
-    p = _mi_heap_malloc_zero(heap, oversize, zero);
+    p = mi_heap_malloc_zero_no_guarded(heap, oversize, zero);
     if (p == NULL) return NULL;
   }
   mi_page_t* page = _mi_ptr_page(p);
@@ -80,7 +93,7 @@ static mi_decl_noinline void* mi_heap_malloc_zero_aligned_at_overalloc(mi_heap_t
     mi_page_set_has_aligned(page, true);
     #if MI_GUARDED
     // set tag to aligned so mi_usable_size works with guard pages
-    if (adjust > sizeof(mi_block_t)) {
+    if (adjust >= sizeof(mi_block_t)) {
       mi_block_t* const block = (mi_block_t*)p;
       block->next = MI_BLOCK_TAG_ALIGNED;
     }
@@ -93,7 +106,11 @@ static mi_decl_noinline void* mi_heap_malloc_zero_aligned_at_overalloc(mi_heap_t
   mi_assert_internal(((uintptr_t)aligned_p + offset) % alignment == 0);
   mi_assert_internal(mi_usable_size(aligned_p)>=size);
   mi_assert_internal(mi_usable_size(p) == mi_usable_size(aligned_p)+adjust);
-  mi_assert_internal(p == _mi_page_ptr_unalign(_mi_ptr_page(aligned_p), aligned_p));
+  #if MI_DEBUG > 1
+  mi_page_t* const apage = _mi_ptr_page(aligned_p);
+  void* unalign_p = _mi_page_ptr_unalign(apage, aligned_p);
+  mi_assert_internal(p == unalign_p);
+  #endif
 
   // now zero the block if needed
   if (alignment > MI_BLOCK_ALIGNMENT_MAX) {
@@ -126,7 +143,7 @@ static mi_decl_noinline void* mi_heap_malloc_zero_aligned_at_generic(mi_heap_t*
   // this is important to try as the fast path in `mi_heap_malloc_zero_aligned` only works when there exist
   // a page with the right block size, and if we always use the over-alloc fallback that would never happen.
   if (offset == 0 && mi_malloc_is_naturally_aligned(size,alignment)) {
-    void* p = _mi_heap_malloc_zero(heap, size, zero);
+    void* p = mi_heap_malloc_zero_no_guarded(heap, size, zero);
     mi_assert_internal(p == NULL || ((uintptr_t)p % alignment) == 0);
     const bool is_aligned_or_null = (((uintptr_t)p) & (alignment-1))==0;
     if mi_likely(is_aligned_or_null) {
diff --git a/src/alloc.c b/src/alloc.c
index 561b0026..25b05526 100644
--- a/src/alloc.c
+++ b/src/alloc.c
@@ -668,6 +668,7 @@ mi_decl_restrict void* _mi_heap_malloc_guarded(mi_heap_t* heap, size_t size, boo
   if (p != NULL) {
     if (!mi_heap_is_initialized(heap)) { heap = mi_prim_get_default_heap(); }
     mi_heap_stat_increase(heap, malloc, mi_usable_size(p));
+    mi_heap_stat_counter_increase(heap, guarded_alloc_count, 1);
   }
   #endif
   #if MI_DEBUG>3
diff --git a/src/heap.c b/src/heap.c
index 78ebcd1e..581b3f71 100644
--- a/src/heap.c
+++ b/src/heap.c
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ void _mi_heap_init(mi_heap_t* heap, mi_tld_t* tld, mi_arena_id_t arena_id, bool
   heap->cookie  = _mi_heap_random_next(heap) | 1;
   heap->keys[0] = _mi_heap_random_next(heap);
   heap->keys[1] = _mi_heap_random_next(heap);
+  _mi_heap_guarded_init(heap);
   // push on the thread local heaps list
   heap->next = heap->tld->heaps;
   heap->tld->heaps = heap;
diff --git a/src/init.c b/src/init.c
index 75458a1f..822d5a18 100644
--- a/src/init.c
+++ b/src/init.c
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ const mi_page_t _mi_page_empty = {
   MI_STAT_COUNT_NULL(), \
   { 0, 0 }, { 0, 0 }, { 0, 0 }, { 0, 0 }, \
   { 0, 0 }, { 0, 0 }, { 0, 0 }, { 0, 0 }, \
-  { 0, 0 }, { 0, 0 }, { 0, 0 }, { 0, 0 } \
+  { 0, 0 }, { 0, 0 }, { 0, 0 }, { 0, 0 }, \
+  { 0, 0 } \
   MI_STAT_COUNT_END_NULL()
 
 // --------------------------------------------------------
@@ -111,6 +112,9 @@ mi_decl_cache_align const mi_heap_t _mi_heap_empty = {
   NULL,             // next
   false,            // can reclaim
   0,                // tag
+  #if MI_GUARDED
+  0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
+  #endif
   MI_SMALL_PAGES_EMPTY,
   MI_PAGE_QUEUES_EMPTY
 };
@@ -151,6 +155,9 @@ mi_decl_cache_align mi_heap_t _mi_heap_main = {
   NULL,             // next heap
   false,            // can reclaim
   0,                // tag
+  #if MI_GUARDED
+  0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
+  #endif
   MI_SMALL_PAGES_EMPTY,
   MI_PAGE_QUEUES_EMPTY
 };
@@ -159,6 +166,22 @@ bool _mi_process_is_initialized = false;  // set to `true` in `mi_process_init`.
 
 mi_stats_t _mi_stats_main = { MI_STATS_NULL };
 
+#if MI_GUARDED
+void _mi_heap_guarded_init(mi_heap_t* heap) {
+  heap->guarded_sample_rate = mi_option_get_clamp(mi_option_guarded_sample_rate, 0, LONG_MAX);
+  heap->guarded_size_max = mi_option_get_clamp(mi_option_guarded_max, 0, LONG_MAX);
+  heap->guarded_size_min = mi_option_get_clamp(mi_option_guarded_min, 0, (long)heap->guarded_size_max);
+  heap->guarded_sample_seed = (size_t)mi_option_get(mi_option_guarded_sample_seed);
+  if (heap->guarded_sample_seed == 0) { heap->guarded_sample_seed = _mi_heap_random_next(heap); }
+  heap->guarded_sample_seed  = heap->guarded_sample_seed % heap->guarded_sample_rate;
+  heap->guarded_sample_count = heap->guarded_sample_seed;
+}
+#else
+void _mi_heap_guarded_init(mi_heap_t* heap) {
+  MI_UNUSED(heap);
+}
+#endif
+
 
 static void mi_heap_main_init(void) {
   if (_mi_heap_main.cookie == 0) {
@@ -174,6 +197,7 @@ static void mi_heap_main_init(void) {
     _mi_heap_main.keys[1] = _mi_heap_random_next(&_mi_heap_main);
     mi_lock_init(&mi_subproc_default.abandoned_os_lock);
     mi_lock_init(&mi_subproc_default.abandoned_os_visit_lock);
+    _mi_heap_guarded_init(&_mi_heap_main);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index c5f1e2a1..2c6814c8 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ static mi_option_desc_t options[_mi_option_last] =
 #else
   { 0,   UNINIT, MI_OPTION(guarded_sample_rate)},
 #endif
+  { 0,   UNINIT, MI_OPTION(guarded_sample_seed)},
 };
 
 static void mi_option_init(mi_option_desc_t* desc);
@@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ void _mi_options_init(void) {
   mi_max_error_count = mi_option_get(mi_option_max_errors);
   mi_max_warning_count = mi_option_get(mi_option_max_warnings);
   #if MI_GUARDED
-  if (mi_option_get(mi_option_guarded_max) > 0) {
+  if (mi_option_get(mi_option_guarded_sample_rate) > 0) {
     if (mi_option_is_enabled(mi_option_allow_large_os_pages)) {
       mi_option_disable(mi_option_allow_large_os_pages);
       _mi_warning_message("option 'allow_large_os_pages' is disabled to allow for guarded objects\n");
diff --git a/src/stats.c b/src/stats.c
index 99cf89c5..29376ace 100644
--- a/src/stats.c
+++ b/src/stats.c
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ static void mi_stats_add(mi_stats_t* stats, const mi_stats_t* src) {
   mi_stat_counter_add(&stats->searches, &src->searches, 1);
   mi_stat_counter_add(&stats->normal_count, &src->normal_count, 1);
   mi_stat_counter_add(&stats->huge_count, &src->huge_count, 1);  
+  mi_stat_counter_add(&stats->guarded_alloc_count, &src->guarded_alloc_count, 1);
 #if MI_STAT>1
   for (size_t i = 0; i <= MI_BIN_HUGE; i++) {
     if (src->normal_bins[i].allocated > 0 || src->normal_bins[i].freed > 0) {
@@ -342,6 +343,7 @@ static void _mi_stats_print(mi_stats_t* stats, mi_output_fun* out0, void* arg0)
   mi_stat_counter_print(&stats->commit_calls, "commits", out, arg);
   mi_stat_counter_print(&stats->reset_calls, "resets", out, arg);
   mi_stat_counter_print(&stats->purge_calls, "purges", out, arg);
+  mi_stat_counter_print(&stats->guarded_alloc_count, "guarded", out, arg);
   mi_stat_print(&stats->threads, "threads", -1, out, arg);
   mi_stat_counter_print_avg(&stats->searches, "searches", out, arg);
   _mi_fprintf(out, arg, "%10s: %5zu\n", "numa nodes", _mi_os_numa_node_count());
diff --git a/test/test-stress.c b/test/test-stress.c
index cb769dbf..88c39f23 100644
--- a/test/test-stress.c
+++ b/test/test-stress.c
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ terms of the MIT license.
 #include <string.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 
-// #define MI_GUARDED
 // #define USE_STD_MALLOC
 
 // > mimalloc-test-stress [THREADS] [SCALE] [ITER]
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ static int ITER    = 400;
 static int THREADS = 8;
 static int SCALE   = 25;
 static int ITER    = 20;
-#elif defined(MI_GUARDED) // with debug guard pages reduce parameters to stay within the azure pipeline limits
+#elif defined(MI_XGUARDED)     // with debug guard pages reduce parameters to stay within the azure pipeline limits
 static int THREADS = 8;
 static int SCALE   = 10;
 static int ITER    = 10;