diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/cycle_analytics/usage_data_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/cycle_analytics/usage_data_spec.rb
index 56a316318cb..a785b17f682 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/cycle_analytics/usage_data_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/cycle_analytics/usage_data_spec.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,12 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 describe Gitlab::CycleAnalytics::UsageData do
   describe '#to_json' do
     before do
-      Timecop.freeze do
+      # Since git commits only have second precision, round up to the
+      # nearest second to ensure we have accurate median and standard
+      # deviation calculations.
+      current_time = Time.at(Time.now.to_i)
+
+      Timecop.freeze(current_time) do
         user = create(:user, :admin)
         projects = create_list(:project, 2, :repository)
 
@@ -37,13 +42,7 @@ describe Gitlab::CycleAnalytics::UsageData do
 
           expected_values.each_pair do |op, value|
             expect(stage_values).to have_key(op)
-
-            if op == :missing
-              expect(stage_values[op]).to eq(value)
-            else
-              # delta is used because of git timings that Timecop does not stub
-              expect(stage_values[op].to_i).to be_within(5).of(value.to_i)
-            end
+            expect(stage_values[op]).to eq(value)
           end
         end
       end
@@ -58,8 +57,8 @@ describe Gitlab::CycleAnalytics::UsageData do
             missing: 0
           },
           plan: {
-            average: 2,
-            sd: 2,
+            average: 1,
+            sd: 0,
             missing: 0
           },
           code: {
diff --git a/spec/support/helpers/cycle_analytics_helpers.rb b/spec/support/helpers/cycle_analytics_helpers.rb
index 55359d36597..06a76d53354 100644
--- a/spec/support/helpers/cycle_analytics_helpers.rb
+++ b/spec/support/helpers/cycle_analytics_helpers.rb
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@ module CycleAnalyticsHelpers
     create_commit("Commit for ##{issue.iid}", issue.project, user, branch_name)
   end
 
-  def create_commit(message, project, user, branch_name, count: 1)
+  def create_commit(message, project, user, branch_name, count: 1, commit_time: nil, skip_push_handler: false)
     repository = project.repository
-    oldrev = repository.commit(branch_name).sha
+    oldrev = repository.commit(branch_name)&.sha || Gitlab::Git::BLANK_SHA
 
     if Timecop.frozen? && Gitlab::GitalyClient.feature_enabled?(:operation_user_commit_files)
-      mock_gitaly_multi_action_dates(repository.raw)
+      mock_gitaly_multi_action_dates(repository.raw, commit_time)
     end
 
     commit_shas = Array.new(count) do |index|
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ module CycleAnalyticsHelpers
       commit_sha
     end
 
+    return if skip_push_handler
+
     GitPushService.new(project,
                        user,
                        oldrev: oldrev,
@@ -44,13 +46,11 @@ module CycleAnalyticsHelpers
       project.repository.add_branch(user, source_branch, 'master')
     end
 
-    sha = project.repository.create_file(
-      user,
-      generate(:branch),
-      'content',
-      message: commit_message,
-      branch_name: source_branch)
-    project.repository.commit(sha)
+    # Cycle analytic specs often test with frozen times, which causes metrics to be
+    # pinned to the current time. For example, in the plan stage, we assume that an issue
+    # milestone has been created before any code has been written. We add a second
+    # to ensure that the plan time is positive.
+    create_commit(commit_message, project, user, source_branch, commit_time: Time.now + 1.second, skip_push_handler: true)
 
     opts = {
       title: 'Awesome merge_request',
@@ -116,9 +116,9 @@ module CycleAnalyticsHelpers
       protected: false)
   end
 
-  def mock_gitaly_multi_action_dates(raw_repository)
+  def mock_gitaly_multi_action_dates(raw_repository, commit_time)
     allow(raw_repository).to receive(:multi_action).and_wrap_original do |m, *args|
-      new_date = Time.now
+      new_date = commit_time || Time.now
       branch_update = m.call(*args)
 
       if branch_update.newrev