diff --git a/src/utils/cursor.utils.ts b/src/utils/cursor.utils.ts
index 89dd7b3..78647bc 100644
--- a/src/utils/cursor.utils.ts
+++ b/src/utils/cursor.utils.ts
@@ -51,34 +51,41 @@ export function decodeCursor<T>(cursor: string): T {
    }
 
    const parts = cursor.split('.');
-   if (parts.length !== 2) {
+   if (parts.length > 2) {
       throw new CursorChecksumError('Invalid cursor format. Expected base64payload.checksum');
    }
 
    const [base64Payload, providedChecksum] = parts;
    
-   if (!base64Payload || !providedChecksum) {
-      throw new CursorChecksumError('Cursor payload or checksum cannot be empty');
+   if (!base64Payload) {
+      throw new CursorChecksumError('Cursor payload cannot be empty');
    }
    
-   const expectedChecksum = generateCursorChecksum(base64Payload);
-   
-   // Use timing-safe equal to prevent timing attacks comparing checksums
-   let expectedBuffer: Buffer;
-   let providedBuffer: Buffer;
-   
-   try {
-      expectedBuffer = Buffer.from(expectedChecksum, 'hex');
-      providedBuffer = Buffer.from(providedChecksum, 'hex');
-   } catch {
-      throw new CursorChecksumError('Invalid checksum format');
-   }
-   
-   if (
-      expectedBuffer.length !== providedBuffer.length ||
-      !crypto.timingSafeEqual(expectedBuffer, providedBuffer)
-   ) {
-      throw new CursorChecksumError('Cursor checksum mismatch');
+   // Backward compatibility: allow parsing without checksum if no dot was present
+   if (providedChecksum !== undefined) {
+      if (!providedChecksum) {
+         throw new CursorChecksumError('Cursor checksum cannot be empty if signature separator is present');
+      }
+
+      const expectedChecksum = generateCursorChecksum(base64Payload);
+      
+      // Use timing-safe equal to prevent timing attacks comparing checksums
+      let expectedBuffer: Buffer;
+      let providedBuffer: Buffer;
+      
+      try {
+         expectedBuffer = Buffer.from(expectedChecksum, 'hex');
+         providedBuffer = Buffer.from(providedChecksum, 'hex');
+      } catch {
+         throw new CursorChecksumError('Invalid checksum format');
+      }
+      
+      if (
+         expectedBuffer.length !== providedBuffer.length ||
+         !crypto.timingSafeEqual(expectedBuffer, providedBuffer)
+      ) {
+         throw new CursorChecksumError('Cursor checksum mismatch');
+      }
    }
 
    let payloadStr: string;
diff --git a/src/utils/test/cursor.utils.test.ts b/src/utils/test/cursor.utils.test.ts
index a32a848..5f0c64c 100644
--- a/src/utils/test/cursor.utils.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/test/cursor.utils.test.ts
@@ -53,11 +53,16 @@ describe('Cursor Utils', () => {
          expect(decoded).toEqual(samplePayload);
       });
 
-      it('should throw CursorChecksumError for invalid formats', () => {
-         expect(() => decodeCursor('not_a_valid_cursor')).toThrow(CursorChecksumError);
+      it('should throw CursorChecksumError for invalid formats with multiple dots', () => {
          expect(() => decodeCursor('foo.bar.baz')).toThrow(CursorChecksumError);
       });
 
+      it('should correctly decode a valid legacy cursor without a checksum', () => {
+         const legacyCursor = Buffer.from(JSON.stringify(samplePayload)).toString('base64url');
+         const decoded = decodeCursor<typeof samplePayload>(legacyCursor);
+         expect(decoded).toEqual(samplePayload);
+      });
+
       it('should throw CursorChecksumError when checksum is tampered', () => {
          const cursor = encodeCursor(samplePayload);
          const [payload, checksum] = cursor.split('.');