diff --git a/src/core/border_router/routing_manager.cpp b/src/core/border_router/routing_manager.cpp
index eb9e6907e..7fdde20c5 100644
--- a/src/core/border_router/routing_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/core/border_router/routing_manager.cpp
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ RoutingManager::RoutingManager(Instance &aInstance)
     , mPdPrefixManager(aInstance)
 #endif
     , mRsSender(aInstance)
-    , mDiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer(aInstance)
     , mRoutingPolicyTimer(aInstance)
 {
     mBrUlaPrefix.Clear();
@@ -343,8 +342,7 @@ void RoutingManager::Stop(void)
 
     SendRouterAdvertisement(kInvalidateAllPrevPrefixes);
 
-    mRxRaTracker.RemoveAllEntries();
-    mDiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer.Stop();
+    mRxRaTracker.Stop();
 
     mTxRaInfo.mTxCount = 0;
 
@@ -707,12 +705,6 @@ void RoutingManager::HandleRsSenderFinished(TimeMilli aStartTime)
     ScheduleRoutingPolicyEvaluation(kImmediately);
 }
 
-void RoutingManager::HandleDiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer(void)
-{
-    LogInfo("Stale On-Link or OMR Prefixes or RA messages are detected");
-    mRsSender.Start();
-}
-
 void RoutingManager::HandleRouterSolicit(const InfraIf::Icmp6Packet &aPacket, const Ip6::Address &aSrcAddress)
 {
     OT_UNUSED_VARIABLE(aPacket);
@@ -840,7 +832,6 @@ void RoutingManager::HandleRaPrefixTableChanged(void)
 
     VerifyOrExit(mIsRunning);
 
-    ResetDiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer();
     mOnLinkPrefixManager.HandleRaPrefixTableChanged();
     mRoutePublisher.Evaluate();
 
@@ -870,34 +861,6 @@ bool RoutingManager::NetworkDataContainsUlaRoute(void) const
     return contains;
 }
 
-void RoutingManager::ResetDiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer(void)
-{
-    TimeMilli now = TimerMilli::GetNow();
-    TimeMilli nextStaleTime;
-
-    OT_ASSERT(mIsRunning);
-
-    // The stale timer triggers sending RS to check the state of
-    // discovered prefixes and host RA messages.
-
-    nextStaleTime = mRxRaTracker.CalculateNextStaleTime(now);
-
-    if (nextStaleTime == now.GetDistantFuture())
-    {
-        if (mDiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer.IsRunning())
-        {
-            LogDebg("Prefix stale timer stopped");
-        }
-
-        mDiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer.Stop();
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        mDiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer.FireAt(nextStaleTime);
-        LogDebg("Prefix stale timer scheduled in %lu ms", ToUlong(nextStaleTime - now));
-    }
-}
-
 #if OT_SHOULD_LOG_AT(OT_LOG_LEVEL_INFO)
 
 void RoutingManager::LogPrefixInfoOption(const Ip6::Prefix &aPrefix,
@@ -1059,7 +1022,8 @@ void RoutingManager::RoutePrefix::CopyInfoTo(PrefixTableEntry &aEntry, TimeMilli
 
 RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::RxRaTracker(Instance &aInstance)
     : InstanceLocator(aInstance)
-    , mEntryTimer(aInstance)
+    , mExpirationTimer(aInstance)
+    , mStaleTimer(aInstance)
     , mRouterTimer(aInstance)
     , mSignalTask(aInstance)
 {
@@ -1210,7 +1174,7 @@ void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::ProcessRaHeader(const RouterAdvert::Header &aR
         entry->SetFrom(aRaHeader);
     }
 
-    mEntryTimer.FireAtIfEarlier(entry->GetExpireTime());
+    mExpirationTimer.FireAtIfEarlier(entry->GetExpireTime());
 
     SignalTableChanged();
 
@@ -1255,7 +1219,7 @@ void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::ProcessPrefixInfoOption(const PrefixInfoOption
         entry->AdoptValidAndPreferredLifetimesFrom(newPrefix);
     }
 
-    mEntryTimer.FireAtIfEarlier(entry->GetExpireTime());
+    mExpirationTimer.FireAtIfEarlier(entry->GetExpireTime());
 
     SignalTableChanged();
 
@@ -1297,7 +1261,7 @@ void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::ProcessRouteInfoOption(const RouteInfoOption &
         entry->SetFrom(aRio);
     }
 
-    mEntryTimer.FireAtIfEarlier(entry->GetExpireTime());
+    mExpirationTimer.FireAtIfEarlier(entry->GetExpireTime());
 
     SignalTableChanged();
 
@@ -1472,15 +1436,15 @@ exit:
     return;
 }
 
-void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::RemoveAllEntries(void)
+void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::Stop(void)
 {
-    // Remove all entries from the table.
-
     mRouters.Free();
-    mEntryTimer.Stop();
-
     mLocalRaHeader.Clear();
 
+    mExpirationTimer.Stop();
+    mStaleTimer.Stop();
+    mRouterTimer.Stop();
+
     SignalTableChanged();
 }
 
@@ -1550,23 +1514,26 @@ void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::RemoveOrDeprecateEntriesFromInactiveRouters(vo
     RemoveExpiredEntries();
 }
 
-TimeMilli RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::CalculateNextStaleTime(TimeMilli aNow) const
+void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::ScheduleStaleTimer(void)
 {
-    TimeMilli onLinkStaleTime = aNow;
-    TimeMilli staleTime       = aNow.GetDistantFuture();
+    TimeMilli now             = TimerMilli::GetNow();
+    TimeMilli onLinkStaleTime = now;
+    TimeMilli staleTime       = now.GetDistantFuture();
     bool      foundOnLink     = false;
 
     // For on-link prefixes, we consider stale time as when all on-link
     // prefixes become stale (the latest stale time) but for route
     // prefixes we consider the earliest stale time.
 
+    mStaleTimer.Stop();
+
     for (const Router &router : mRouters)
     {
         for (const OnLinkPrefix &entry : router.mOnLinkPrefixes)
         {
             if (!entry.IsDeprecated())
             {
-                TimeMilli entryStaleTime = Max(aNow, entry.GetStaleTime());
+                TimeMilli entryStaleTime = Max(now, entry.GetStaleTime());
 
                 onLinkStaleTime = Max(onLinkStaleTime, entryStaleTime);
                 foundOnLink     = true;
@@ -1575,7 +1542,7 @@ TimeMilli RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::CalculateNextStaleTime(TimeMilli aNow) co
 
         for (const RoutePrefix &entry : router.mRoutePrefixes)
         {
-            TimeMilli entryStaleTime = Max(aNow, entry.GetStaleTime());
+            TimeMilli entryStaleTime = Max(now, entry.GetStaleTime());
 
             staleTime = Min(staleTime, entryStaleTime);
         }
@@ -1588,12 +1555,26 @@ TimeMilli RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::CalculateNextStaleTime(TimeMilli aNow) co
 
     if (mLocalRaHeader.IsValid())
     {
-        TimeMilli raHeaderStaleTime = Max(aNow, mLocalRaHeaderUpdateTime + Time::SecToMsec(kRtrAdvStaleTime));
+        TimeMilli raHeaderStaleTime = Max(now, mLocalRaHeaderUpdateTime + Time::SecToMsec(kRtrAdvStaleTime));
 
         staleTime = Min(staleTime, raHeaderStaleTime);
     }
 
-    return staleTime;
+    if (staleTime != now.GetDistantFuture())
+    {
+        mStaleTimer.FireAt(staleTime);
+    }
+}
+
+void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::HandleStaleTimer(void)
+{
+    VerifyOrExit(Get<RoutingManager>().IsRunning());
+
+    LogInfo("Stale timer expired");
+    Get<RoutingManager>().mRsSender.Start();
+
+exit:
+    return;
 }
 
 void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::RemoveRoutersWithNoEntriesOrFlags(void)
@@ -1601,7 +1582,7 @@ void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::RemoveRoutersWithNoEntriesOrFlags(void)
     mRouters.RemoveAndFreeAllMatching(Router::kContainsNoEntriesOrFlags);
 }
 
-void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::HandleEntryTimer(void) { RemoveExpiredEntries(); }
+void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::HandleExpirationTimer(void) { RemoveExpiredEntries(); }
 
 void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::RemoveExpiredEntries(void)
 {
@@ -1640,12 +1621,18 @@ void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::RemoveExpiredEntries(void)
 
     if (nextExpireTime != now.GetDistantFuture())
     {
-        mEntryTimer.FireAt(nextExpireTime);
+        mExpirationTimer.FireAt(nextExpireTime);
     }
 }
 
 void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::SignalTableChanged(void) { mSignalTask.Post(); }
 
+void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::HandleSignalTask(void)
+{
+    ScheduleStaleTimer();
+    Get<RoutingManager>().HandleRaPrefixTableChanged();
+}
+
 void RoutingManager::RxRaTracker::ProcessNeighborAdvertMessage(const NeighborAdvertMessage &aNaMessage)
 {
     Router *router;
diff --git a/src/core/border_router/routing_manager.hpp b/src/core/border_router/routing_manager.hpp
index 824a3766c..1460ad8ad 100644
--- a/src/core/border_router/routing_manager.hpp
+++ b/src/core/border_router/routing_manager.hpp
@@ -719,8 +719,9 @@ private:
 
     //- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
-    void HandleRaPrefixTableChanged(void); // Declare early so we can use in `mSignalTask`
-    void HandleRxRaTrackerEntryTimer(void) { mRxRaTracker.HandleEntryTimer(); }
+    void HandleRxRaTrackerSignalTask(void) { mRxRaTracker.HandleSignalTask(); }
+    void HandleRxRaTrackerExpirationTimer(void) { mRxRaTracker.HandleExpirationTimer(); }
+    void HandleRxRaTrackerStaleTimer(void) { mRxRaTracker.HandleStaleTimer(); }
     void HandleRxRaTrackerRouterTimer(void) { mRxRaTracker.HandleRouterTimer(); }
 
     class RxRaTracker : public InstanceLocator
@@ -740,6 +741,8 @@ private:
     public:
         explicit RxRaTracker(Instance &aInstance);
 
+        void Stop(void);
+
         void ProcessRouterAdvertMessage(const RouterAdvert::RxMessage &aRaMessage,
                                         const Ip6::Address            &aSrcAddress,
                                         RouterAdvOrigin                aRaOrigin);
@@ -754,20 +757,19 @@ private:
         void RemoveOnLinkPrefix(const Ip6::Prefix &aPrefix);
         void RemoveRoutePrefix(const Ip6::Prefix &aPrefix);
 
-        void RemoveAllEntries(void);
         void RemoveOrDeprecateOldEntries(TimeMilli aTimeThreshold);
 
         const RouterAdvert::Header &GetLocalRaHeaderToMirror(void) const { return mLocalRaHeader; }
 
-        TimeMilli CalculateNextStaleTime(TimeMilli aNow) const;
-
         void DetermineAndSetFlags(RouterAdvert::Header &aHeader) const;
 
         void  InitIterator(PrefixTableIterator &aIterator) const;
         Error GetNextEntry(PrefixTableIterator &aIterator, PrefixTableEntry &aEntry) const;
         Error GetNextRouter(PrefixTableIterator &aIterator, RouterEntry &aEntry) const;
 
-        void HandleEntryTimer(void);
+        void HandleSignalTask(void);
+        void HandleExpirationTimer(void);
+        void HandleStaleTimer(void);
         void HandleRouterTimer(void);
 
     private:
@@ -901,6 +903,7 @@ private:
         void RemoveRoutersWithNoEntriesOrFlags(void);
         void RemoveExpiredEntries(void);
         void SignalTableChanged(void);
+        void ScheduleStaleTimer(void);
         void UpdateRouterOnRx(Router &aRouter);
         void SendNeighborSolicitToRouter(const Router &aRouter);
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_BORDER_ROUTING_USE_HEAP_ENABLE
@@ -909,13 +912,15 @@ private:
         template <class Type> Entry<Type> *AllocateEntry(void);
 #endif
 
-        using SignalTask  = TaskletIn<RoutingManager, &RoutingManager::HandleRaPrefixTableChanged>;
-        using EntryTimer  = TimerMilliIn<RoutingManager, &RoutingManager::HandleRxRaTrackerEntryTimer>;
-        using RouterTimer = TimerMilliIn<RoutingManager, &RoutingManager::HandleRxRaTrackerRouterTimer>;
-        using RouterList  = OwningList<Entry<Router>>;
+        using SignalTask      = TaskletIn<RoutingManager, &RoutingManager::HandleRxRaTrackerSignalTask>;
+        using ExpirationTimer = TimerMilliIn<RoutingManager, &RoutingManager::HandleRxRaTrackerExpirationTimer>;
+        using StaleTimer      = TimerMilliIn<RoutingManager, &RoutingManager::HandleRxRaTrackerStaleTimer>;
+        using RouterTimer     = TimerMilliIn<RoutingManager, &RoutingManager::HandleRxRaTrackerRouterTimer>;
+        using RouterList      = OwningList<Entry<Router>>;
 
         RouterList           mRouters;
-        EntryTimer           mEntryTimer;
+        ExpirationTimer      mExpirationTimer;
+        StaleTimer           mStaleTimer;
         RouterTimer          mRouterTimer;
         SignalTask           mSignalTask;
         RouterAdvert::Header mLocalRaHeader;
@@ -1378,8 +1383,6 @@ private:
     void HandleRsSenderFinished(TimeMilli aStartTime);
     void SendRouterAdvertisement(RouterAdvTxMode aRaTxMode);
 
-    void HandleDiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer(void);
-
     void HandleRouterAdvertisement(const InfraIf::Icmp6Packet &aPacket, const Ip6::Address &aSrcAddress);
     void HandleRouterSolicit(const InfraIf::Icmp6Packet &aPacket, const Ip6::Address &aSrcAddress);
     void HandleNeighborAdvertisement(const InfraIf::Icmp6Packet &aPacket);
@@ -1387,7 +1390,8 @@ private:
     bool ShouldProcessRouteInfoOption(const RouteInfoOption &aRio, const Ip6::Prefix &aPrefix);
     void UpdateRxRaTrackerOnNetDataChange(void);
     bool NetworkDataContainsUlaRoute(void) const;
-    void ResetDiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer(void);
+
+    void HandleRaPrefixTableChanged(void);
 
     static bool IsValidBrUlaPrefix(const Ip6::Prefix &aBrUlaPrefix);
     static bool IsValidOnLinkPrefix(const PrefixInfoOption &aPio);
@@ -1401,8 +1405,7 @@ private:
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     // Variables
 
-    using RoutingPolicyTimer         = TimerMilliIn<RoutingManager, &RoutingManager::EvaluateRoutingPolicy>;
-    using DiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer = TimerMilliIn<RoutingManager, &RoutingManager::HandleDiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer>;
+    using RoutingPolicyTimer = TimerMilliIn<RoutingManager, &RoutingManager::EvaluateRoutingPolicy>;
 
     // Indicates whether the Routing Manager is running (started).
     bool mIsRunning;
@@ -1441,8 +1444,7 @@ private:
     RsSender   mRsSender;
     Heap::Data mExtraRaOptions;
 
-    DiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer mDiscoveredPrefixStaleTimer;
-    RoutingPolicyTimer         mRoutingPolicyTimer;
+    RoutingPolicyTimer mRoutingPolicyTimer;
 };
 
 #if !OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_BORDER_ROUTING_USE_HEAP_ENABLE