diff --git a/plugins/destination/plugin.go b/plugins/destination/plugin.go
index 3387339bbd..5c3c0995d4 100644
--- a/plugins/destination/plugin.go
+++ b/plugins/destination/plugin.go
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ func (p *Plugin) Init(ctx context.Context, logger zerolog.Logger, spec specs.Des
 // we implement all DestinationClient functions so we can hook into pre-post behavior
 func (p *Plugin) Migrate(ctx context.Context, tables schema.Tables) error {
 	SetDestinationManagedCqColumns(tables)
+	setCqIDNotNullColumnForTables(tables)
 	return p.client.Migrate(ctx, tables)
 }
 
@@ -285,7 +286,20 @@ func SetDestinationManagedCqColumns(tables []*schema.Table) {
 	for _, table := range tables {
 		table.OverwriteOrAddColumn(&schema.CqSyncTimeColumn)
 		table.OverwriteOrAddColumn(&schema.CqSourceNameColumn)
-
 		SetDestinationManagedCqColumns(table.Relations)
 	}
 }
+
+// this is for backward compatibility for sources that didn't update the SDK yet
+// TODO: remove this in the future once all sources have updated the SDK
+func setCqIDNotNullColumnForTables(tables []*schema.Table) {
+	for _, table := range tables {
+		for i, c := range table.Columns {
+			if c.Name == schema.CqIDColumn.Name {
+				table.Columns[i].CreationOptions.NotNull = true
+				return
+			}
+		}
+		setCqIDNotNullColumnForTables(table.Relations)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/schema/meta.go b/schema/meta.go
index 50a61697c6..0d99ec7724 100644
--- a/schema/meta.go
+++ b/schema/meta.go
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ var CqIDColumn = Column{
 	Type:        TypeUUID,
 	Description: "Internal CQ ID of the row",
 	Resolver:    cqUUIDResolver(),
+	CreationOptions: ColumnCreationOptions{
+		NotNull: true,
+	},
 }
 var CqParentIDColumn = Column{
 	Name:          "_cq_parent_id",
diff --git a/schema/type_test.go b/schema/type_test.go
index 4fbde7e7b6..712a13d502 100644
--- a/schema/type_test.go
+++ b/schema/type_test.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package schema
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
-	"fmt"
 	"net"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -59,7 +58,6 @@ func TestCQTypesMarshal(t *testing.T) {
 		&Bool{Bool: true, Status: Present},
 	}
 	b, err := json.Marshal(cqTypes)
-	fmt.Println(string(b))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}