diff --git a/knotserver/events.go b/knotserver/events.go
--- a/knotserver/events.go
+++ b/knotserver/events.go
@@ -43,10 +43,14 @@
 		}
 	}()
 
+	defaultCursor := time.Now().UnixNano()
 	cursorStr := r.URL.Query().Get("cursor")
 	cursor, err := strconv.ParseInt(cursorStr, 10, 64)
 	if err != nil {
-		l.Error("empty or invalid cursor, defaulting to zero", "invalidCursor", cursorStr)
+		l.Error("empty or invalid cursor", "invalidCursor", cursorStr, "default", defaultCursor)
+	}
+	if cursor == 0 {
+		cursor = defaultCursor
 	}
 
 	// complete backfill first before going to live data
diff --git a/knotserver/db/events.go b/knotserver/db/events.go
--- a/knotserver/db/events.go
+++ b/knotserver/db/events.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"time"
 
 	"tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/notifier"
 )
@@ -16,10 +17,11 @@
 func (d *DB) InsertEvent(event Event, notifier *notifier.Notifier) error {
 
 	_, err := d.db.Exec(
-		`insert into events (rkey, nsid, event) values (?, ?, ?)`,
+		`insert into events (rkey, nsid, event, created) values (?, ?, ?, ?)`,
 		event.Rkey,
 		event.Nsid,
 		event.EventJson,
+		time.Now().UnixNano(),
 	)
 
 	notifier.NotifyAll()