diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/getSuggestions.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/getSuggestions.ts
index df580521af9..3bfeccfa28e 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/getSuggestions.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/getSuggestions.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ const skeleton = async (
 ): Promise<SkeletonState> => {
   const { db } = ctx
   const { viewer } = params
-  const alreadyIncluded = parseCursor(params.cursor)
+  const alreadyIncluded = parseCursor(params.cursor) // @NOTE handles bad cursor e.g. on appview swap
   const { ref } = db.db.dynamic
   const suggestions = await db.db
     .selectFrom('suggested_follow')
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/searchActors.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/searchActors.ts
index bcc30a6bd66..82f0327ef89 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/searchActors.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/searchActors.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
       let results: string[]
       let resCursor: string | undefined
       if (ctx.searchAgent) {
+        // @NOTE cursors wont change on appview swap
         const res =
           await ctx.searchAgent.api.app.bsky.unspecced.searchActorsSkeleton({
             q: query,
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getActorFeeds.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getActorFeeds.ts
index bc4ecd7caac..266839c7711 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getActorFeeds.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getActorFeeds.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
     handler: async ({ auth, params }) => {
       const { actor, limit, cursor } = params
       const viewer = auth.credentials.iss
+      if (TimeCidKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+        return {
+          encoding: 'application/json',
+          body: { feeds: [] },
+        }
+      }
 
       const db = ctx.db.getReplica()
       const actorService = ctx.services.actor(db)
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getActorLikes.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getActorLikes.ts
index 151e9086ca9..48d6437e494 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getActorLikes.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getActorLikes.ts
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ const skeleton = async (
     throw new InvalidRequestError('Profile not found')
   }
 
+  if (FeedKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+    return { params, feedItems: [] }
+  }
+
   let feedItemsQb = feedService
     .selectFeedItemQb()
     .innerJoin('like', 'like.subject', 'feed_item.uri')
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getAuthorFeed.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getAuthorFeed.ts
index f2163cd251b..6c783efdd0c 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getAuthorFeed.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getAuthorFeed.ts
@@ -81,6 +81,10 @@ export const skeleton = async (
     }
   }
 
+  if (FeedKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+    return { params, feedItems: [] }
+  }
+
   // defaults to posts, reposts, and replies
   let feedItemsQb = feedService
     .selectFeedItemQb()
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getFeed.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getFeed.ts
index 7620153121f..9d99f699781 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getFeed.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getFeed.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
         authorization: req.headers['authorization'],
         'accept-language': req.headers['accept-language'],
       })
+      // @NOTE feed cursors should not be affected by appview swap
       const { timerSkele, timerHydr, resHeaders, ...result } = await getFeed(
         { ...params, viewer },
         {
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getLikes.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getLikes.ts
index 8df916f29c9..2d59656a517 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getLikes.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getLikes.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ const skeleton = async (
   const { uri, cid, limit, cursor } = params
   const { ref } = db.db.dynamic
 
+  if (TimeCidKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+    return { params, likes: [] }
+  }
+
   let builder = db.db
     .selectFrom('like')
     .where('like.subject', '=', uri)
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getListFeed.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getListFeed.ts
index 8af7764a6b7..478d9b08efa 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getListFeed.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getListFeed.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ export const skeleton = async (
   const { db } = ctx
   const { ref } = db.db.dynamic
 
+  if (FeedKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+    return { params, feedItems: [] }
+  }
+
   const keyset = new FeedKeyset(ref('post.sortAt'), ref('post.cid'))
   const sortFrom = keyset.unpack(cursor)?.primary
 
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getRepostedBy.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getRepostedBy.ts
index e84bb745b42..7d28014a7b7 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getRepostedBy.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getRepostedBy.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ const skeleton = async (
   const { limit, cursor, uri, cid } = params
   const { ref } = db.db.dynamic
 
+  if (TimeCidKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+    return { params, repostedBy: [] }
+  }
+
   let builder = db.db
     .selectFrom('repost')
     .where('repost.subject', '=', uri)
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getSuggestedFeeds.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getSuggestedFeeds.ts
index b72a191c9aa..b96ae2722fa 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getSuggestedFeeds.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getSuggestedFeeds.ts
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
   server.app.bsky.feed.getSuggestedFeeds({
     auth: ctx.authVerifier.standardOptional,
     handler: async ({ auth }) => {
+      // @NOTE ignores cursor, doesn't matter for appview swap
       const viewer = auth.credentials.iss
-
       const db = ctx.db.getReplica()
       const feedService = ctx.services.feed(db)
       const actorService = ctx.services.actor(db)
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getTimeline.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getTimeline.ts
index 3b6fbe70a33..05ef505ea04 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getTimeline.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getTimeline.ts
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ export const skeleton = async (
     return skeletonLimit1(params, ctx)
   }
 
+  if (FeedKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+    return { params, feedItems: [] }
+  }
+
   const keyset = new FeedKeyset(ref('feed_item.sortAt'), ref('feed_item.cid'))
   const sortFrom = keyset.unpack(cursor)?.primary
 
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/searchPosts.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/searchPosts.ts
index 9598c6ff88c..3ac0b3f9477 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/searchPosts.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/searchPosts.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ const skeleton = async (
   params: Params,
   ctx: Context,
 ): Promise<SkeletonState> => {
+  // @NOTE cursors wont change on appview swap
   const res = await ctx.searchAgent.api.app.bsky.unspecced.searchPostsSkeleton({
     q: params.q,
     cursor: params.cursor,
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getBlocks.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getBlocks.ts
index 518fd2d62ec..adc28752a25 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getBlocks.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getBlocks.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
     handler: async ({ params, auth }) => {
       const { limit, cursor } = params
       const requester = auth.credentials.iss
+      if (TimeCidKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+        return {
+          encoding: 'application/json',
+          body: { blocks: [] },
+        }
+      }
+
       const db = ctx.db.getReplica()
       const { ref } = db.db.dynamic
 
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollowers.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollowers.ts
index 9fb199c7563..bf22b2be6cb 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollowers.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollowers.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ const skeleton = async (
     throw new InvalidRequestError(`Actor not found: ${actor}`)
   }
 
+  if (TimeCidKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+    return { params, followers: [], subject }
+  }
+
   let followersReq = db.db
     .selectFrom('follow')
     .where('follow.subjectDid', '=', subject.did)
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollows.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollows.ts
index 2195824b696..8d294b27354 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollows.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollows.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ const skeleton = async (
     throw new InvalidRequestError(`Actor not found: ${actor}`)
   }
 
+  if (TimeCidKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+    return { params, follows: [], creator }
+  }
+
   let followsReq = db.db
     .selectFrom('follow')
     .where('follow.creator', '=', creator.did)
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getList.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getList.ts
index 08d3f725663..82007b45388 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getList.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getList.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ const skeleton = async (
     throw new InvalidRequestError(`List not found: ${list}`)
   }
 
+  if (TimeCidKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+    return { params, list: listRes, listItems: [] }
+  }
+
   let itemsReq = graphService
     .getListItemsQb()
     .where('list_item.listUri', '=', list)
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getListBlocks.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getListBlocks.ts
index b5a6e97986d..6fb6df55e82 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getListBlocks.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getListBlocks.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ const skeleton = async (
   const { limit, cursor, viewer } = params
   const { ref } = db.db.dynamic
 
+  if (TimeCidKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+    return { params, listInfos: [] }
+  }
+
   let listsReq = graphService
     .getListsQb(viewer)
     .whereExists(
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getListMutes.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getListMutes.ts
index f5f14844e32..8baa509ae47 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getListMutes.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getListMutes.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
     handler: async ({ params, auth }) => {
       const { limit, cursor } = params
       const requester = auth.credentials.iss
+      if (TimeCidKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+        return {
+          encoding: 'application/json',
+          body: { lists: [] },
+        }
+      }
+
       const db = ctx.db.getReplica()
       const { ref } = db.db.dynamic
 
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getLists.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getLists.ts
index 888963b3fa3..40bb903f5b4 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getLists.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getLists.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
     handler: async ({ params, auth }) => {
       const { actor, limit, cursor } = params
       const requester = auth.credentials.iss
+      if (TimeCidKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+        return {
+          encoding: 'application/json',
+          body: { lists: [] },
+        }
+      }
+
       const db = ctx.db.getReplica()
       const { ref } = db.db.dynamic
 
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getMutes.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getMutes.ts
index 2481e8de240..827573258bd 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getMutes.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getMutes.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
     handler: async ({ params, auth }) => {
       const { limit, cursor } = params
       const requester = auth.credentials.iss
+      if (TimeCidKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+        return {
+          encoding: 'application/json',
+          body: { mutes: [] },
+        }
+      }
+
       const db = ctx.db.getReplica()
       const { ref } = db.db.dynamic
 
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/notification/listNotifications.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/notification/listNotifications.ts
index c0de1925120..ce5274a9da7 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/notification/listNotifications.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/notification/listNotifications.ts
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ const skeleton = async (
   if (params.seenAt) {
     throw new InvalidRequestError('The seenAt parameter is unsupported')
   }
+  if (NotifsKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+    return { params, notifs: [] }
+  }
   let notifBuilder = db.db
     .selectFrom('notification as notif')
     .where('notif.did', '=', viewer)
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/unspecced/getPopularFeedGenerators.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/unspecced/getPopularFeedGenerators.ts
index b8456d111a4..c15a5242b0f 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/unspecced/getPopularFeedGenerators.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/unspecced/getPopularFeedGenerators.ts
@@ -12,11 +12,17 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
     handler: async ({ auth, params }) => {
       const { limit, cursor, query } = params
       const requester = auth.credentials.iss
+      if (LikeCountKeyset.clearlyBad(cursor)) {
+        return {
+          encoding: 'application/json',
+          body: { feeds: [] },
+        }
+      }
+
       const db = ctx.db.getReplica()
       const { ref } = db.db.dynamic
       const feedService = ctx.services.feed(db)
       const actorService = ctx.services.actor(db)
-
       let inner = db.db
         .selectFrom('feed_generator')
         .select([
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/unspecced/getTimelineSkeleton.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/unspecced/getTimelineSkeleton.ts
index f45b657af1e..74f02a3df5a 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/unspecced/getTimelineSkeleton.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/unspecced/getTimelineSkeleton.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
       const feedService = ctx.services.feed(db)
       const viewer = auth.credentials.iss
 
+      // @NOTE bad cursor during appview swap handled within skeleton()
       const result = await skeleton({ ...params, viewer }, { db, feedService })
 
       return {
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/db/pagination.ts b/packages/bsky/src/db/pagination.ts
index b38c69e5ada..f08702cb003 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/db/pagination.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/db/pagination.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ export abstract class GenericKeyset<R, LR extends LabeledResult> {
   abstract labelResult(result: R): LR
   abstract labeledResultToCursor(labeled: LR): Cursor
   abstract cursorToLabeledResult(cursor: Cursor): LR
+  static clearlyBad(cursor?: string) {
+    return cursor !== undefined && !cursor.includes('::')
+  }
   packFromResult(results: R | R[]): string | undefined {
     const result = Array.isArray(results) ? results.at(-1) : results
     if (!result) return
diff --git a/packages/bsky/tests/views/notifications.test.ts b/packages/bsky/tests/views/notifications.test.ts
index fad620288af..376ead163fc 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/tests/views/notifications.test.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/tests/views/notifications.test.ts
@@ -296,4 +296,13 @@ describe('notification views', () => {
       ),
     )
   })
+
+  it('fails open on clearly bad cursor.', async () => {
+    const { data: notifs } =
+      await agent.api.app.bsky.notification.listNotifications(
+        { cursor: 'bad' },
+        { headers: await network.serviceHeaders(alice) },
+      )
+    expect(notifs).toEqual({ notifications: [] })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/packages/bsky/tests/views/timeline.test.ts b/packages/bsky/tests/views/timeline.test.ts
index 014bb5339ce..dd9b89535c8 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/tests/views/timeline.test.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/tests/views/timeline.test.ts
@@ -298,4 +298,12 @@ describe('timeline views', () => {
       ),
     )
   })
+
+  it('fails open on clearly bad cursor.', async () => {
+    const { data: timeline } = await agent.api.app.bsky.feed.getTimeline(
+      { cursor: 'bad' },
+      { headers: await network.serviceHeaders(alice) },
+    )
+    expect(timeline).toEqual({ feed: [] })
+  })
 })