Cell division is a crucial but dangerous business. It unfolds in a cycle of many steps, including DNA replication, spindle formation, mitosis and others, and they must happen in the right order to prevent abnormal cell death and cancer formation. New research examines the activity of two proteins at the heart of the cell-cycle control system and finds that the cycle has not just one, but several independent processes that help to maintain order. The work suggests that autonomous oscillating proteins may coordinate the events of the cell cycle through a phenomena called “phase-locking,” similar to how our circadian rhythm syncs to the light-dark cycle of our environment.