The dynamics of an order parameters amplitude and phase determines the collective behaviour of novel states emerged in complex materials^1. Time- and momentum-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy, by virtue of its ability to measure material properties at atomic and electronic time scales^2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and create excited states not accessible by the conventional means can decouple entangled degrees of freedom by visualizing their corresponding dynamics in the time domain. Here, combining time-resolved femotosecond optical and resonant x-ray diffraction measurements on striped La_1.75Sr_0.25NiO_4 , we reveal unforeseen photo-induced phase fluctuations of the charge order parameter. Such fluctuations preserve long-range order without creating topological defects, unlike thermal phase fluctuations near the critical temperature in equilibrium^10. Importantly, relaxation of the phase fluctuations are found to be an order of magnitude slower than that of the order parameters amplitude fluctuations, and thus limit charge order recovery. This discovery of new aspect to phase fluctuation provides more holistic view for the importance of phase in ordering phenomena of quantum matter. Show Partial Abstract