diff --git a/packages/api/internal/ingest/ingest.go b/packages/api/internal/ingest/ingest.go
index c4bc789..e12bec3 100644
--- a/packages/api/internal/ingest/ingest.go
+++ b/packages/api/internal/ingest/ingest.go
@@ -90,21 +90,6 @@ func (r *Runner) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		if r.shouldSkipEvent(event.ID) {
-			if err := r.tap.AckEvent(ctx, event.ID); err != nil {
-				r.log.Warn("tap ack skipped event failed",
-					slog.Int64("event_id", event.ID),
-					slog.String("error", err.Error()),
-				)
-				continue
-			}
-			r.statusMu.Lock()
-			highWaterMark := r.highWaterMark
-			r.statusMu.Unlock()
-			r.log.Debug("skipped previously-processed event", slog.Int64("event_id", event.ID), slog.Int64("resume_cursor", highWaterMark))
-			continue
-		}
-
 		if err := r.processWithRetry(ctx, event); err != nil {
 			if ctx.Err() != nil {
 				return nil
@@ -137,16 +122,10 @@ func (r *Runner) initializeCursor(ctx context.Context) error {
 	r.highWaterMark = cursor
 	r.lastCursor = state.Cursor
 	r.statusMu.Unlock()
-	r.log.Info("indexer cursor resume enabled", slog.Int64("resume_cursor", cursor))
+	r.log.Info("indexer cursor state loaded", slog.Int64("cursor", cursor))
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (r *Runner) shouldSkipEvent(eventID int64) bool {
-	r.statusMu.Lock()
-	defer r.statusMu.Unlock()
-	return r.highWaterMark > 0 && eventID <= r.highWaterMark
-}
-
 func (r *Runner) processWithRetry(ctx context.Context, event normalize.TapRecordEvent) error {
 	attempt := 0
 	for {
diff --git a/packages/api/internal/ingest/ingest_test.go b/packages/api/internal/ingest/ingest_test.go
index ab5f420..d7f1ee0 100644
--- a/packages/api/internal/ingest/ingest_test.go
+++ b/packages/api/internal/ingest/ingest_test.go
@@ -305,8 +305,8 @@ func TestRunner_CursorHighWaterMarkDoesNotRegress(t *testing.T) {
 	if st.syncCursor != "200" {
 		t.Fatalf("cursor regressed: got %q want 200", st.syncCursor)
 	}
-	if !r.shouldSkipEvent(150) {
-		t.Fatal("expected older event id to be skipped once a newer cursor is recorded")
+	if r.highWaterMark != 200 {
+		t.Fatalf("high-water mark: got %d want 200", r.highWaterMark)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -320,11 +320,8 @@ func TestRunner_InitializeCursorUsesHighWaterMark(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("initialize cursor: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	if !r.shouldSkipEvent(150) {
-		t.Fatal("expected stored cursor to act as skip high-water mark")
-	}
-	if r.shouldSkipEvent(151) {
-		t.Fatal("did not expect events above the high-water mark to be skipped")
+	if r.highWaterMark != 150 {
+		t.Fatalf("high-water mark: got %d want 150", r.highWaterMark)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -401,29 +398,6 @@ func TestAllowlistMatching(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestRunner_InitializeCursorResume(t *testing.T) {
-	st := newFakeStore()
-	st.initialSync = &store.SyncState{ConsumerName: "indexer-tap-v1", Cursor: "150"}
-	tap := &fakeTapClient{}
-	r := newRunnerForTest(st, tap, "sh.tangled.*")
-
-	if err := r.initializeCursor(context.Background()); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("initialize cursor: %v", err)
-	}
-	if r.highWaterMark != 150 {
-		t.Fatalf("high-water mark: got %d want 150", r.highWaterMark)
-	}
-	if !r.shouldSkipEvent(149) {
-		t.Fatalf("expected event 149 to be skipped")
-	}
-	if !r.shouldSkipEvent(150) {
-		t.Fatalf("expected event 150 to be skipped")
-	}
-	if r.shouldSkipEvent(151) {
-		t.Fatalf("expected event 151 to be processed")
-	}
-}
-
 func TestRunner_PersistCursorBeforeAck(t *testing.T) {
 	st := newFakeStore()
 	tap := &fakeTapClient{}