diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/r2dbc/internal/BySliceQuery.scala b/core/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/r2dbc/internal/BySliceQuery.scala
index fdc212a7..b8ece0e0 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/r2dbc/internal/BySliceQuery.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/r2dbc/internal/BySliceQuery.scala
@@ -433,9 +433,12 @@ import org.slf4j.Logger
 
       def disableBacktrackingWhenFarBehindCurrentWallClockTime: Boolean = {
         val aheadOfInitial =
-          initialOffset == TimestampOffset.Zero || state.latestBacktracking.timestamp.isAfter(initialOffset.timestamp)
+          initialOffset == TimestampOffset.Zero ||
+          state.latestBacktracking.timestamp.compareTo(initialOffset.timestamp) >= 0
+
         val previousTimestamp =
           if (state.previous == TimestampOffset.Zero) state.latest.timestamp else state.previous.timestamp
+
         aheadOfInitial &&
         previousTimestamp.isBefore(clock.instant().minus(firstBacktrackingQueryWindow))
       }
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/r2dbc/query/EventsBySliceBacktrackingSpec.scala b/core/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/r2dbc/query/EventsBySliceBacktrackingSpec.scala
index 0962f436..ad944179 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/r2dbc/query/EventsBySliceBacktrackingSpec.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/r2dbc/query/EventsBySliceBacktrackingSpec.scala
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ class EventsBySliceBacktrackingSpec
       result1.cancel()
     }
 
-    "still make initial backtracking until ahead of start offset" in {
+    "still make initial backtracking until caught up to start offset, then skip backtracking" in {
       pendingIfMoreThanOneDataPartition()
 
       val entityType = nextEntityType()
@@ -317,7 +317,11 @@ class EventsBySliceBacktrackingSpec
       writeEvent(slice1, pid1, 2, startTime.plusMillis(3), "e1-2")
       writeEvent(slice2, pid2, 2, startTime.plusMillis(4), "e2-2")
 
-      (3 to 10).foreach { n =>
+      // will start query at next event
+      val startOffset = TimestampOffset(startTime.plusSeconds(23).plusMillis(1), Map.empty)
+
+      // go past switch-to-backtracking trigger of 3 * buffer size (of 10)
+      (3 to 30).foreach { n =>
         writeEvent(slice1, pid1, n, startTime.plusSeconds(20 + n).plusMillis(1), s"e1-$n")
         writeEvent(slice2, pid2, n, startTime.plusSeconds(20 + n).plusMillis(2), s"e2-$n")
       }
@@ -339,15 +343,16 @@ class EventsBySliceBacktrackingSpec
         env.offset
       }
 
-      val result1 = startQuery(TimestampOffset(startTime.plusSeconds(20), Map.empty))
+      val result1 = startQuery(startOffset)
       // from backtracking
       expect(result1.expectNext(), pid1, 1, None)
       expect(result1.expectNext(), pid2, 1, None)
       expect(result1.expectNext(), pid1, 2, None)
       expect(result1.expectNext(), pid2, 2, None)
+      expect(result1.expectNext(), pid1, 3, None) // start offset
 
       // from normal
-      (3 to 10).foreach { n =>
+      (3 to 30).foreach { n =>
         expect(result1.expectNext(), pid1, n, Some(s"e1-$n"))
         expect(result1.expectNext(), pid2, n, Some(s"e2-$n"))
       }