In one embodiment, a network device along a path in a network receives a schedule that controls when the networking device is to insert telemetry data into data traffic passing through the networking device. The networking device generates the telemetry data for insertion into the data traffic passing through the networking device. The networking device inserts, according to the schedule, the telemetry data into a particular packet of the data traffic passing through the networking device. The networking device sends the particular packet to a next hop along the path in the network.