diff --git a/packages/sqlite-shared/src/cursor.ts b/packages/sqlite-shared/src/cursor.ts
index d94f161..9eb7632 100644
--- a/packages/sqlite-shared/src/cursor.ts
+++ b/packages/sqlite-shared/src/cursor.ts
@@ -26,14 +26,10 @@ export const decodeCursor = (cursor: string): DecodedCursor => {
     throw new StackQueryError(`Invalid cursor: malformed "${cursor}"`);
   }
   const parts = decoded.split('|');
-  // Three parts: field|value|id. Two parts: value|id, implying createdAt.
-  const [field, value, id] =
-    parts.length === 3
-      ? (parts as [string, string, string])
-      : (['createdAt', ...parts] as [string, string, string]);
-  if (field === undefined || value === undefined || id === undefined) {
+  if (parts.length !== 3) {
     throw new StackQueryError(`Invalid cursor: malformed "${cursor}"`);
   }
+  const [field, value, id] = parts as [string, string, string];
   if (!SORT_FIELDS.includes(field as SortField)) {
     throw new StackQueryError(`Invalid cursor: unknown sort field "${field}"`);
   }
diff --git a/packages/sqlite-shared/tests/cursor.test.ts b/packages/sqlite-shared/tests/cursor.test.ts
index b9d9aa7..26030a9 100644
--- a/packages/sqlite-shared/tests/cursor.test.ts
+++ b/packages/sqlite-shared/tests/cursor.test.ts
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ describe('encodeCursor / decodeCursor', () => {
     expect(decodeCursor(cursor)).toEqual({ field: 'createdAt', value: 12345, id: 'rec01' });
   });
 
-  test('accepts the legacy 2-part (value|id) format as createdAt', () => {
+  test('throws StackQueryError for a 2-part (value|id) cursor', () => {
     const legacy = btoa('12345|rec01');
-    expect(decodeCursor(legacy)).toEqual({ field: 'createdAt', value: 12345, id: 'rec01' });
+    expect(() => decodeCursor(legacy)).toThrow(StackQueryError);
   });
 
   test('throws StackQueryError for non-base64 garbage', () => {