diff --git a/packages/core/__tests__/notebooks.test.js b/packages/core/__tests__/notebooks.test.js
index b31c2ecbc..fb0903d0f 100644
--- a/packages/core/__tests__/notebooks.test.js
+++ b/packages/core/__tests__/notebooks.test.js
@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@ test("merge notebook with topic removed that is edited in the local notebook", (
     const newNotebook = { ...notebook.data, remote: true };
     newNotebook.topics.splice(1, 1); // remove hello topic
 
+    await StorageInterface.write("lastSynced", Date.now());
+
     await delay(500);
 
     await notebook.topics.add({
diff --git a/packages/core/collections/notebooks.js b/packages/core/collections/notebooks.js
index 14830b8aa..5029ebfb8 100644
--- a/packages/core/collections/notebooks.js
+++ b/packages/core/collections/notebooks.js
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@ export default class Notebooks extends Collection {
     let localNotebook = this._collection.getItem(id);
 
     if (localNotebook && localNotebook.topics?.length) {
-      // merge new and old topics
+      const lastSyncedTimestamp = await this._db.lastSynced();
 
+      // merge new and old topics
       // We need to handle 3 cases:
       for (let oldTopic of localNotebook.topics) {
         const newTopicIndex = remoteNotebook.topics.findIndex(
@@ -21,9 +22,9 @@ export default class Notebooks extends Collection {
         const newTopic = remoteNotebook.topics[newTopicIndex];
 
         // CASE 1: if topic exists in old notebook but not in new notebook, it's deleted.
-        // However, if the dateEdited of topic in the old notebook is > the dateEdited of newNotebook
+        // However, if the dateEdited of topic in the old notebook is > lastSyncedTimestamp
         // it was newly added or edited so add it to the new notebook.
-        if (!newTopic && oldTopic.dateEdited > remoteNotebook.dateEdited) {
+        if (!newTopic && oldTopic.dateEdited > lastSyncedTimestamp) {
           remoteNotebook.topics.push(oldTopic);
         }