diff --git a/bobbin/crates/xrpc/src/lib.rs b/bobbin/crates/xrpc/src/lib.rs
index e5e056236..7f7aec9e3 100644
--- a/bobbin/crates/xrpc/src/lib.rs
+++ b/bobbin/crates/xrpc/src/lib.rs
@@ -1831,10 +1831,15 @@ struct PageState<S> {
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn paged_tail(cursor: Option<String>, total: Option<TotalCount>) -> Vec<u8> {
-    let encoded = serde_json::to_string(&cursor).unwrap_or_else(|_| "null".to_owned());
-    match total {
-        Some(t) => format!("],\"cursor\":{encoded},\"total\":{}}}", t.get()).into_bytes(),
-        None => format!("],\"cursor\":{encoded}}}").into_bytes(),
+    let encoded =
+        cursor.map(|value| serde_json::to_string(&value).unwrap_or_else(|_| "\"\"".to_owned()));
+    match (encoded, total) {
+        (Some(cursor), Some(total)) => {
+            format!("],\"cursor\":{cursor},\"total\":{}}}", total.get()).into_bytes()
+        }
+        (Some(cursor), None) => format!("],\"cursor\":{cursor}}}").into_bytes(),
+        (None, Some(total)) => format!("],\"total\":{}}}", total.get()).into_bytes(),
+        (None, None) => unpaged_tail(),
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/bobbin/crates/xrpc/tests/aggregation.rs b/bobbin/crates/xrpc/tests/aggregation.rs
index 43cc18655..6b866cfe3 100644
--- a/bobbin/crates/xrpc/tests/aggregation.rs
+++ b/bobbin/crates/xrpc/tests/aggregation.rs
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ async fn list_issues_with_no_edges_returns_empty_items() {
     let (status, body) = json_response(resp).await;
     assert_eq!(status, StatusCode::OK);
     assert_eq!(body["items"], json!([]));
-    assert!(body["cursor"].is_null());
+    assert!(body.get("cursor").is_none());
 }
 
 #[tokio::test]
@@ -584,7 +584,10 @@ async fn list_paginates_via_cursor() {
     .await;
     let page2_items = page2["items"].as_array().unwrap().clone();
     assert_eq!(page2_items.len(), 3);
-    assert!(page2["cursor"].is_null(), "tail page must not promise more");
+    assert!(
+        page2.get("cursor").is_none(),
+        "tail page must not promise more"
+    );
 
     let union: Vec<&str> = page1_items
         .iter()
@@ -717,7 +720,7 @@ async fn list_paginates_via_offset() {
     .await;
     assert_eq!(page["items"].as_array().unwrap().len(), 0);
     assert_eq!(page["total"], json!(5));
-    assert!(page["cursor"].is_null());
+    assert!(page.get("cursor").is_none());
 }
 
 #[tokio::test]
@@ -1956,7 +1959,7 @@ async fn list_after_remove_source_returns_empty_items() {
     .await;
     assert_eq!(status, StatusCode::OK);
     assert_eq!(body["items"], json!([]));
-    assert!(body["cursor"].is_null());
+    assert!(body.get("cursor").is_none());
 }
 
 #[tokio::test]
diff --git a/bobbin/crates/xrpc/tests/search.rs b/bobbin/crates/xrpc/tests/search.rs
index 019e44224..a50cc8d97 100644
--- a/bobbin/crates/xrpc/tests/search.rs
+++ b/bobbin/crates/xrpc/tests/search.rs
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ async fn empty_query_returns_no_hits() {
     let (status, body) = json_response(resp).await;
     assert_eq!(status, StatusCode::OK);
     assert_eq!(body["hits"], json!([]));
-    assert!(body["cursor"].is_null());
+    assert!(body.get("cursor").is_none());
 }
 
 #[tokio::test]
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ async fn pagination_round_trips_via_cursor() {
     )
     .await;
     assert_eq!(page3["hits"].as_array().unwrap().len(), 1);
-    assert!(page3["cursor"].is_null());
+    assert!(page3.get("cursor").is_none());
 }
 
 #[tokio::test]