diff --git a/lib/rdbms/primary_key/primary_keys.go b/lib/rdbms/primary_key/primary_keys.go
index 54b1a52f..69bd74ca 100644
--- a/lib/rdbms/primary_key/primary_keys.go
+++ b/lib/rdbms/primary_key/primary_keys.go
@@ -60,14 +60,16 @@ func (k *Keys) LoadValues(startingValues, endingValues []any) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (k *Keys) UpdateStartingValue(keyName string, startingVal any) error {
+// UpdateStartingValue sets the starting value for a primary key and returns whether the value changed.
+func (k *Keys) UpdateStartingValue(keyName string, startingVal any) (bool, error) {
 	idx := slices.IndexFunc(k.keys, func(x Key) bool { return x.Name == keyName })
 	if idx < 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("no key named %s", keyName)
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("no key named %s", keyName)
 	}
 
+	changed := !equal(k.keys[idx].StartingValue, startingVal)
 	k.keys[idx].StartingValue = startingVal
-	return nil
+	return changed, nil
 }
 
 func (k *Keys) KeyNames() []string {
diff --git a/lib/rdbms/primary_key/primary_keys_test.go b/lib/rdbms/primary_key/primary_keys_test.go
index 1a54b0f1..feb4b257 100644
--- a/lib/rdbms/primary_key/primary_keys_test.go
+++ b/lib/rdbms/primary_key/primary_keys_test.go
@@ -8,15 +8,15 @@ import (
 
 func TestNewKeys(t *testing.T) {
 	// ensure upsert doesn't mutate original arguments to `NewKeys`
-	{
-		keysArray := []Key{{Name: "foo", StartingValue: 20}, {Name: "bar"}}
-		keys := NewKeys(keysArray)
-		assert.NoError(t, keys.UpdateStartingValue("foo", "new starting value"))
-		assert.Equal(t, "foo", keys.keys[0].Name)
-		assert.Equal(t, "new starting value", keys.keys[0].StartingValue)
-		assert.Equal(t, "foo", keysArray[0].Name)
-		assert.Equal(t, 20, keysArray[0].StartingValue)
-	}
+	keysArray := []Key{{Name: "foo", StartingValue: 20}, {Name: "bar"}}
+	keys := NewKeys(keysArray)
+	changed, err := keys.UpdateStartingValue("foo", "new starting value")
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, changed)
+	assert.Equal(t, "foo", keys.keys[0].Name)
+	assert.Equal(t, "new starting value", keys.keys[0].StartingValue)
+	assert.Equal(t, "foo", keysArray[0].Name)
+	assert.Equal(t, 20, keysArray[0].StartingValue)
 }
 
 func TestPrimaryKeys_LoadValues(t *testing.T) {
@@ -94,12 +94,13 @@ func TestPrimaryKeys_LoadValues(t *testing.T) {
 func TestKeys_UpdateStartingValue(t *testing.T) {
 	type _tc struct {
 		name        string
-		keys        *Keys
+		keys        []Key
 		keyName     string
 		startingVal any
 
-		expectedKeys []Key
-		expectedErr  string
+		expectedChanged bool
+		expectedKeys    []Key
+		expectedErr     string
 	}
 
 	startVal2 := "Start2"
@@ -107,37 +108,50 @@ func TestKeys_UpdateStartingValue(t *testing.T) {
 	tcs := []_tc{
 		{
 			name: "Key doesn't exist",
-			keys: &Keys{
-				keys: []Key{
-					{Name: "Key1", StartingValue: "Start1", EndingValue: "End1"},
-				},
+			keys: []Key{
+				{Name: "Key1", StartingValue: "Start1", EndingValue: "End1"},
 			},
 			keyName:     "Key2",
 			startingVal: startVal2,
 			expectedErr: "no key named Key2",
 		},
 		{
-			name: "Update existing key",
-			keys: &Keys{
-				keys: []Key{
-					{Name: "Key1", StartingValue: "Start1", EndingValue: "End1"},
-				},
+			name: "Update existing key with existing start value",
+			keys: []Key{
+				{Name: "Key1", StartingValue: "Start1", EndingValue: "End1"},
+				{Name: "Key2", StartingValue: 2, EndingValue: 2},
 			},
-			keyName:     "Key1",
-			startingVal: startVal2,
+			keyName:         "Key1",
+			startingVal:     "Start1",
+			expectedChanged: false,
+			expectedKeys: []Key{
+				{Name: "Key1", StartingValue: "Start1", EndingValue: "End1"},
+				{Name: "Key2", StartingValue: 2, EndingValue: 2},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "Update existing key with new value",
+			keys: []Key{
+				{Name: "Key1", StartingValue: "Start1", EndingValue: "End1"},
+			},
+			keyName:         "Key1",
+			startingVal:     startVal2,
+			expectedChanged: true,
 			expectedKeys: []Key{
-				{Name: "Key1", StartingValue: "Start2", EndingValue: "End1"},
+				{Name: "Key1", StartingValue: startVal2, EndingValue: "End1"},
 			},
 		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range tcs {
-		err := tc.keys.UpdateStartingValue(tc.keyName, tc.startingVal)
+		keys := &Keys{tc.keys}
+		changed, err := keys.UpdateStartingValue(tc.keyName, tc.startingVal)
 		if tc.expectedErr != "" {
 			assert.ErrorContains(t, err, tc.expectedErr, tc.name)
 		} else {
-			assert.NoError(t, err)
-			assert.Equal(t, tc.expectedKeys, tc.keys.keys, tc.name)
+			assert.NoError(t, err, tc.name)
+			assert.Equal(t, tc.expectedKeys, keys.keys, tc.name)
+			assert.Equal(t, tc.expectedChanged, changed, tc.name)
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/lib/rdbms/scan/scan.go b/lib/rdbms/scan/scan.go
index 5b161f34..947af1a1 100644
--- a/lib/rdbms/scan/scan.go
+++ b/lib/rdbms/scan/scan.go
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ func (s *Scanner) Next() ([]map[string]any, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	wasFirstBatch := s.isFirstBatch
 	s.isFirstBatch = false
 
 	if len(rows) == 0 || s.primaryKeys.IsExhausted() {
@@ -94,10 +95,20 @@ func (s *Scanner) Next() ([]map[string]any, error) {
 	} else {
 		// Update the starting keys so that the next scan will pick off where we last left off.
 		lastRow := rows[len(rows)-1]
+		var startingValuesChanged bool
 		for _, pk := range s.primaryKeys.Keys() {
-			if err := s.primaryKeys.UpdateStartingValue(pk.Name, lastRow[pk.Name]); err != nil {
+			changed, err := s.primaryKeys.UpdateStartingValue(pk.Name, lastRow[pk.Name])
+			if err != nil {
+				s.done = true
 				return nil, err
 			}
+			startingValuesChanged = startingValuesChanged || changed
+		}
+
+		if !wasFirstBatch && !startingValuesChanged {
+			// Detect situations where the scanner is stuck in a loop.
+			// Typically the second batch will use a > comparison instead of a >= comparison for the lower bound.
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("primarky key start values did not change, scanner is likely stuck in a loop")
 		}
 	}