diff --git a/src/ingest/firehose.rs b/src/ingest/firehose.rs
--- a/src/ingest/firehose.rs
+++ b/src/ingest/firehose.rs
@@ -139,9 +139,11 @@
 impl<R: rand::Rng> AddJitter for R {}
 
 fn select_start_cursor(local_cursor: Option<i64>, is_pds: bool) -> Option<i64> {
-    local_cursor
-        .filter(|cursor| *cursor > 0)
-        .or_else(|| is_pds.then_some(0))
+    match local_cursor {
+        Some(cursor) if cursor > 0 => Some(cursor),
+        Some(cursor) if cursor < 0 => None,
+        _ => is_pds.then_some(0),
+    }
 }
 pub struct FirehoseIngestor {
     state: Arc<AppState>,
@@ -508,12 +510,11 @@
     }
 
     fn clear_stale_cursor(&self) -> Result<()> {
-        let key = crate::db::keys::firehose_cursor_key_from_url(&self.relay_host);
-        self.state.db.cursors.remove(key).into_diagnostic()?;
+        crate::db::set_firehose_cursor(&self.state.db, &self.relay_host, -1)?;
         self.state
             .firehose_cursors
             .peek_with(&self.relay_host, |_, cursor| {
-                cursor.store(0, Ordering::SeqCst)
+                cursor.store(-1, Ordering::SeqCst)
             });
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -652,16 +653,15 @@
 
         ingestor.clear_stale_cursor()?;
 
-        assert!(
-            crate::db::get_firehose_cursor(&state.db, &relay_host)
-                .await?
-                .is_none()
+        assert_eq!(
+            crate::db::get_firehose_cursor(&state.db, &relay_host).await?,
+            Some(-1)
         );
         let in_memory = state
             .firehose_cursors
             .peek_with(&relay_host, |_, cursor| cursor.load(Ordering::SeqCst))
-            .unwrap_or(-1);
-        assert_eq!(in_memory, 0);
+            .unwrap_or(0);
+        assert_eq!(in_memory, -1);
 
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -673,7 +673,7 @@
         assert_eq!(select_start_cursor(None, true), Some(0));
         assert_eq!(select_start_cursor(Some(0), false), None);
         assert_eq!(select_start_cursor(None, false), None);
-        assert_eq!(select_start_cursor(Some(-5), true), Some(0));
+        assert_eq!(select_start_cursor(Some(-5), true), None);
         assert_eq!(select_start_cursor(Some(-5), false), None);
     }
 }