An apparatus includes a clock tree circuit, a first phase interpolator circuit and a second phase interpolator circuit. The clock tree circuit may be configured to generate a first clock delayed from a system clock by a constant time. The first phase interpolator circuit may be in a calibration loop and configured to generate a second clock with a programmable phase delay relative to the first clock. The programmable phase delay may be controlled by a control value. The calibration loop may be configured to determine the control value that results in a given delay between the system clock and the second clock. The second phase interpolator circuit may be in a normal signal path and configured to generate a third clock with the given delay relative to the first clock using the control value such that the third clock is offset from the system clock by the given delay.