diff --git a/crates/state/src/lib.rs b/crates/state/src/lib.rs
index 7347245d..589ae423 100644
--- a/crates/state/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/state/src/lib.rs
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ impl StateStore {
         if user_version == 0 {
             conn.execute_batch(
                 r#"
+                BEGIN;
                 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS threads (
                     id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
                     rollout_path TEXT,
@@ -244,7 +245,7 @@ impl StateStore {
                         SELECT m2.id
                         FROM messages m2
                         WHERE m2.created_at < messages.created_at AND m2.thread_id = messages.thread_id
-                        ORDER BY m2.created_at DESC
+                        ORDER BY m2.id DESC
                         LIMIT 1
                     );
                 CREATE INDEX idx_messages_parent_entry_id ON messages(parent_entry_id);
@@ -256,11 +257,12 @@ impl StateStore {
                         SELECT m.id
                         FROM messages m
                         WHERE m.thread_id = threads.id
-                        ORDER BY m.created_at DESC
+                        ORDER BY m.id DESC
                         LIMIT 1
                     );
 
                 PRAGMA user_version = 1;
+                COMMIT;
                 "#,
             )
             .context("failed to initialize thread schema")?;
@@ -589,7 +591,7 @@ impl StateStore {
         tx.commit()
             .context("failed to commit append message transaction")?;
 
-        Ok(conn.last_insert_rowid())
+        Ok(next_leaf_id)
     }
 
     pub fn list_messages(
@@ -619,7 +621,7 @@ impl StateStore {
                         WHERE a.depth < ?2
                     )
                     SELECT id, thread_id, role, content, item_json, created_at, parent_entry_id FROM ancestors
-                    ORDER BY depth ASC
+                    ORDER BY depth DESC
                 "#
             )
             .context("failed to prepare message listing query")?;
@@ -668,7 +670,7 @@ impl StateStore {
             .transaction()
             .context("failed to begin fork message transaction")?;
 
-        let thread_id: Option<String> = tx
+        let thread_id: String = tx
             .query_row(
                 "SELECT thread_id FROM messages WHERE id = ?1",
                 params![message_id],
diff --git a/crates/state/tests/parity_state.rs b/crates/state/tests/parity_state.rs
index cee9192a..96ae2b7d 100644
--- a/crates/state/tests/parity_state.rs
+++ b/crates/state/tests/parity_state.rs
@@ -148,9 +148,9 @@ fn init_schema_migration() {
     assert_eq!(messages.len(), 3);
     for (i, message) in messages.iter().enumerate() {
         assert_eq!(message.thread_id, "thread-test-1");
-        assert_eq!(message.role, format!("foo{}", 2 - i));
-        assert_eq!(message.content, format!("bar{}", 2 - i));
-        assert_eq!(message.created_at, 2 - i as i64);
+        assert_eq!(message.role, format!("foo{}", i));
+        assert_eq!(message.content, format!("bar{}", i));
+        assert_eq!(message.created_at, i as i64);
     }
 
     // Test idempotent
@@ -213,8 +213,8 @@ fn test_fork() {
         .enumerate()
         .map(|(i, message)| {
             assert_eq!(message.thread_id, "thread-test-1");
-            assert_eq!(message.role, format!("foo{}", 4 - i));
-            assert_eq!(message.content, format!("bar{}", 4 - i));
+            assert_eq!(message.role, format!("foo{}", i));
+            assert_eq!(message.content, format!("bar{}", i));
             message.id.to_string()
         })
         .collect::<Vec<_>>();
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ fn test_fork() {
         .list_messages("thread-test-1", None)
         .expect("list messages");
     assert_eq!(messages.len(), 4);
-    const LIST_1: [i64; 4] = [5, 2, 1, 0];
+    const LIST_1: [i64; 4] = [0, 1, 2, 5];
     messages
         .iter()
         .zip(LIST_1.iter())
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ fn test_fork() {
     assert_eq!(leaves.len(), 2);
 
     store
-        .set_current_leaf_id("thread-test-1", &ids[0])
+        .set_current_leaf_id("thread-test-1", &ids[4])
         .expect("set current leaf id");
     store
         .append_message("thread-test-1", "foo6", "bar6", None)
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ fn test_fork() {
         .list_messages("thread-test-1", None)
         .expect("list messages");
     assert_eq!(messages.len(), 6);
-    const LIST_2: [i64; 6] = [6, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0];
+    const LIST_2: [i64; 6] = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6];
     messages
         .iter()
         .zip(LIST_2.iter())