diff --git a/src/notebooks/deepnote/deepnoteDataConverter.ts b/src/notebooks/deepnote/deepnoteDataConverter.ts
index 115f4c75d1..9f71700a71 100644
--- a/src/notebooks/deepnote/deepnoteDataConverter.ts
+++ b/src/notebooks/deepnote/deepnoteDataConverter.ts
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ export class DeepnoteDataConverter {
 
     private createFallbackBlock(cell: NotebookCellData, index: number): DeepnoteBlock {
         const meta = cell.metadata as Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
-        const preservedId = (meta?.id ?? meta?.__deepnoteBlockId ?? meta?.deepnoteBlockId) as string | undefined;
+        const preservedId = (meta?.__deepnoteBlockId ?? meta?.id ?? meta?.deepnoteBlockId) as string | undefined;
         const preservedSortingKey = (meta?.sortingKey ?? meta?.deepnoteSortingKey) as string | undefined;
         const preservedBlockGroup = meta?.blockGroup as string | undefined;
 
diff --git a/src/notebooks/deepnote/deepnoteFileChangeWatcher.ts b/src/notebooks/deepnote/deepnoteFileChangeWatcher.ts
index 5a292eddd4..b7da2080f3 100644
--- a/src/notebooks/deepnote/deepnoteFileChangeWatcher.ts
+++ b/src/notebooks/deepnote/deepnoteFileChangeWatcher.ts
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ export class DeepnoteFileChangeWatcher implements IExtensionSyncActivationServic
     }
 
     private getBlockIdFromMetadata(metadata: Record<string, unknown> | undefined): string | undefined {
-        return (metadata?.id ?? metadata?.__deepnoteBlockId) as string | undefined;
+        return (metadata?.__deepnoteBlockId ?? metadata?.id) as string | undefined;
     }
 
     private handleFileChange(uri: Uri): void {
diff --git a/src/notebooks/deepnote/deepnoteFileChangeWatcher.unit.test.ts b/src/notebooks/deepnote/deepnoteFileChangeWatcher.unit.test.ts
index a2ba5af5b3..c9229820e2 100644
--- a/src/notebooks/deepnote/deepnoteFileChangeWatcher.unit.test.ts
+++ b/src/notebooks/deepnote/deepnoteFileChangeWatcher.unit.test.ts
@@ -1052,6 +1052,34 @@ project:
             execOnDidCreate.dispose();
         });
 
+        test('should not apply updates when cells have no block IDs and no fallback', async () => {
+            const snapshotUri = Uri.file('/workspace/snapshots/my-project_project-1_latest.snapshot.deepnote');
+            const notebook = createMockNotebook({
+                uri: Uri.file('/workspace/test.deepnote'),
+                cells: [
+                    {
+                        metadata: {},
+                        outputs: [],
+                        kind: NotebookCellKind.Code,
+                        document: { getText: () => 'print("hello")' }
+                    }
+                ]
+            });
+
+            when(mockedVSCodeNamespaces.workspace.notebookDocuments).thenReturn([notebook]);
+
+            snapshotOnDidChange.fire(snapshotUri);
+
+            await waitFor(() => readSnapshotCallCount >= 1);
+
+            assert.isAtLeast(readSnapshotCallCount, 1, 'readSnapshot should be called');
+            assert.strictEqual(
+                snapshotApplyEditCount,
+                0,
+                'applyEdit should NOT be called when no block IDs can be resolved'
+            );
+        });
+
         test('should fall back to replaceCells when no kernel is active', async () => {
             const fbDisposables: IDisposableRegistry = [];
             const fbOnDidChange = new EventEmitter<Uri>();
diff --git a/src/platform/deepnote/pocket.ts b/src/platform/deepnote/pocket.ts
index 783cfdc28d..1bf7b6286c 100644
--- a/src/platform/deepnote/pocket.ts
+++ b/src/platform/deepnote/pocket.ts
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ export function createBlockFromPocket(cell: NotebookCellData, index: number): De
     const metadata = cell.metadata ? { ...cell.metadata } : undefined;
     // Get id from top-level metadata before cleaning it up
     // Check both 'id' and backup '__deepnoteBlockId' in case VS Code modifies 'id'
-    const cellId = (metadata?.id as string | undefined) || (metadata?.__deepnoteBlockId as string | undefined);
+    const cellId = (metadata?.__deepnoteBlockId as string | undefined) || (metadata?.id as string | undefined);
 
     logger.debug(
         `[Pocket] createBlockFromPocket index=${index}: cell.metadata.id=${metadata?.id}, __deepnoteBlockId=${metadata?.__deepnoteBlockId}, using cellId=${cellId}, metadata keys=${