diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/dynamodb/internal/BySliceQuery.scala b/core/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/dynamodb/internal/BySliceQuery.scala
index de83618..36c6ef0 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/dynamodb/internal/BySliceQuery.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/akka/persistence/dynamodb/internal/BySliceQuery.scala
@@ -281,7 +281,8 @@ 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
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/dynamodb/query/EventsBySliceBacktrackingSpec.scala b/core/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/dynamodb/query/EventsBySliceBacktrackingSpec.scala
index 3ed22a4..1d60a99 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/dynamodb/query/EventsBySliceBacktrackingSpec.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/akka/persistence/dynamodb/query/EventsBySliceBacktrackingSpec.scala
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ 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 {
       val entityType = nextEntityType()
       val pid1 = nextPersistenceId(entityType)
       val slice = query.sliceForPersistenceId(pid1.id)
@@ -275,7 +275,11 @@ class EventsBySliceBacktrackingSpec
         writeEvent(slice, pid, seqNr, startTime.plusMillis(n), s"e${mod}-${seqNr}")
       }
 
-      (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(slice, pid1, n, startTime.plusSeconds(20 + n).plusMillis(1), s"e1-$n")
         writeEvent(slice, pid2, n, startTime.plusSeconds(20 + n).plusMillis(2), s"e2-$n")
       }
@@ -298,15 +302,16 @@ 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"))
       }