diff --git a/cmd/appview/serve.go b/cmd/appview/serve.go
index 5668239..dda4465 100644
--- a/cmd/appview/serve.go
+++ b/cmd/appview/serve.go
@@ -601,11 +601,14 @@ func initializeUIRoutes(database *sql.DB, readOnlyDB *sql.DB, sessionStore *db.S
 		jetstreamURL = "wss://jetstream2.us-west.bsky.network/subscribe"
 	}
 
-	// Start real-time Jetstream worker (no cursor = start from now)
-	worker := jetstream.NewWorker(database, jetstreamURL, 0)
+	// Start real-time Jetstream worker with cursor tracking for reconnects
 	go func() {
+		var lastCursor int64 = 0 // Start from now on first connect
 		for {
+			worker := jetstream.NewWorker(database, jetstreamURL, lastCursor)
 			if err := worker.Start(context.Background()); err != nil {
+				// Save cursor from this connection for next reconnect
+				lastCursor = worker.GetLastCursor()
 				fmt.Printf("Jetstream: Real-time worker error: %v, reconnecting in 10s...\n", err)
 				time.Sleep(10 * time.Second)
 			}
@@ -613,8 +616,8 @@ func initializeUIRoutes(database *sql.DB, readOnlyDB *sql.DB, sessionStore *db.S
 	}()
 	fmt.Println("Jetstream: Real-time worker started")
 
-	// Start backfill worker if enabled
-	if backfillEnabled := os.Getenv("ATCR_BACKFILL_ENABLED"); backfillEnabled == "true" {
+	// Start backfill worker (enabled by default, set ATCR_BACKFILL_ENABLED=false to disable)
+	if backfillEnabled := os.Getenv("ATCR_BACKFILL_ENABLED"); backfillEnabled != "false" {
 		// Get relay endpoint for sync API (defaults to Bluesky's relay)
 		relayEndpoint := os.Getenv("ATCR_RELAY_ENDPOINT")
 		if relayEndpoint == "" {
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 75f34ad..520c55b 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ services:
       ATCR_LOG_LEVEL: info
     volumes:
       # Auth keys (JWT signing keys)
-      - atcr-auth:/var/lib/atcr/auth
+      # - atcr-auth:/var/lib/atcr/auth
       # UI database (includes OAuth sessions, devices, and Jetstream cache)
       - atcr-ui:/var/lib/atcr
     restart: unless-stopped
diff --git a/pkg/appview/db/schema.go b/pkg/appview/db/schema.go
index 601f884..172b32c 100644
--- a/pkg/appview/db/schema.go
+++ b/pkg/appview/db/schema.go
@@ -80,20 +80,6 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS tags (
 );
 CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_tags_did_repo ON tags(did, repository);
 
-CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS firehose_cursor (
-    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY CHECK (id = 1),
-    cursor INTEGER NOT NULL,
-    updated_at TIMESTAMP NOT NULL
-);
-
-CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS backfill_state (
-    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY CHECK (id = 1),
-    start_cursor INTEGER NOT NULL,
-    current_cursor INTEGER NOT NULL,
-    completed BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
-    updated_at TIMESTAMP NOT NULL
-);
-
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS oauth_sessions (
     session_key TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
     account_did TEXT NOT NULL,
diff --git a/pkg/appview/jetstream/worker.go b/pkg/appview/jetstream/worker.go
index 2e5818a..54c95ab 100644
--- a/pkg/appview/jetstream/worker.go
+++ b/pkg/appview/jetstream/worker.go
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ type Worker struct {
 	pongsReceived int64
 	lastPongTime  time.Time
 	pongMutex     sync.Mutex
+
+	// In-memory cursor tracking for reconnects
+	lastCursor int64
+	cursorMutex sync.RWMutex
 }
 
 // NewWorker creates a new Jetstream worker
@@ -83,10 +87,14 @@ func (w *Worker) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 		q.Add("wantedCollections", collection)
 	}
 
-	// Add cursor if specified (for backfilling historical data)
+	// Add cursor if specified (for backfilling historical data or reconnects)
 	if w.startCursor > 0 {
 		q.Set("cursor", fmt.Sprintf("%d", w.startCursor))
-		fmt.Printf("Starting from cursor: %d (replaying historical events)\n", w.startCursor)
+
+		// Calculate lag (cursor is in microseconds)
+		now := time.Now().UnixMicro()
+		lagSeconds := float64(now-w.startCursor) / 1_000_000.0
+		fmt.Printf("Jetstream: Starting from cursor %d (%.1f seconds behind live)\n", w.startCursor, lagSeconds)
 	}
 
 	// Disable compression for now to debug
@@ -263,6 +271,13 @@ func (w *Worker) SetEventCallback(cb EventCallback) {
 	w.eventCallback = cb
 }
 
+// GetLastCursor returns the last processed cursor (time_us) for reconnects
+func (w *Worker) GetLastCursor() int64 {
+	w.cursorMutex.RLock()
+	defer w.cursorMutex.RUnlock()
+	return w.lastCursor
+}
+
 // processMessage processes a single Jetstream event
 func (w *Worker) processMessage(message []byte) error {
 	var event JetstreamEvent
@@ -270,6 +285,11 @@ func (w *Worker) processMessage(message []byte) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal event: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	// Update cursor for reconnects (do this first, even if processing fails)
+	w.cursorMutex.Lock()
+	w.lastCursor = event.TimeUS
+	w.cursorMutex.Unlock()
+
 	// Call callback if set
 	if w.eventCallback != nil {
 		w.eventCallback(event.TimeUS)