A digital super-regenerative receiver has an analog RF detector and a regenerative oscillator. An output signal of the analog RF detector is used to generate a digital signal from which an oscillator bias is adjusted in order to maintain the oscillator start-up time at a fixed level. The circuit senses through the use of a multi-level threshold detector if the start-up time is earlier or later than the predetermined start-up time and produces an output signal when the majority of the start times are ahead of the expected start time.