diff --git a/appview/firehose.go b/appview/firehose.go
index 3603b10..f0dcde6 100644
--- a/appview/firehose.go
+++ b/appview/firehose.go
@@ -18,10 +18,15 @@ import (
 	"github.com/bluesky-social/indigo/repo"
 	"github.com/bluesky-social/indigo/repomgr"
 	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
+	"gorm.io/gorm/clause"
 	"tangled.org/sparrowtek.com/effem-AppView/appview/database"
 	"tangled.org/sparrowtek.com/effem-AppView/appview/metrics"
 )
 
+// firehoseCursorRowID is the singleton row holding the stream seq. We pin it
+// to 1 so the persist path can run as a single upsert keyed on the PK.
+const firehoseCursorRowID = 1
+
 const (
 	effemNSPrefix = "xyz.effem."
 
@@ -375,13 +380,13 @@ func (srv *Server) loadFirehoseCursor(ctx context.Context) (int64, error) {
 }
 
 func (srv *Server) saveFirehoseCursor(ctx context.Context, seq int64) error {
-	db := srv.db.WithContext(ctx)
-	var cur database.FirehoseCursor
-	err := db.First(&cur).Error
-	if err != nil {
-		cur = database.FirehoseCursor{Seq: seq}
-		return db.Create(&cur).Error
+	cur := database.FirehoseCursor{
+		ID:        firehoseCursorRowID,
+		Seq:       seq,
+		UpdatedAt: time.Now(),
 	}
-	cur.Seq = seq
-	return db.Save(&cur).Error
+	return srv.db.WithContext(ctx).Clauses(clause.OnConflict{
+		Columns:   []clause.Column{{Name: "id"}},
+		DoUpdates: clause.AssignmentColumns([]string{"seq", "updated_at"}),
+	}).Create(&cur).Error
 }