diff --git a/app/client/components/BaseView.js b/app/client/components/BaseView.js
index 42f1c9f0..585c73f5 100644
--- a/app/client/components/BaseView.js
+++ b/app/client/components/BaseView.js
@@ -131,8 +131,8 @@ function BaseView(gristDoc, viewSectionModel, options) {
 
   // Update the cursor whenever linkedRowId() changes (but only if we have any linking).
   this.autoDispose(this.linkedRowId.subscribe(rowId => {
-    if (this.viewSection.linkingState.peek() && rowId != null) { //TODO JV: used to be that null meant "new", now it means "no cursor linking"
-      this.setCursorPos({rowId: rowId || 'new'}, true); //true b/c not a user-edit (caused by linking)
+    if (this.viewSection.linkingState.peek()) {
+      this.setCursorPos({rowId: rowId || 'new'}, true);
     }
   }));
 
@@ -282,14 +282,14 @@ BaseView.prototype.deleteRecords = function(source) {
 
 /**
  * Sets the cursor to the given position, deferring if necessary until the current query finishes
- * loading. silentUpdate will be set if updating as a result of cursor linking(see Cursor.setCursorPos for info)
+ * loading. isFromLink will be set when called as result of cursor linking(see Cursor.setCursorPos for info)
  */
-BaseView.prototype.setCursorPos = function(cursorPos, silentUpdate = false) {
+BaseView.prototype.setCursorPos = function(cursorPos, isFromLink = false) {
   if (this.isDisposed()) {
     return;
   }
   if (!this._isLoading.peek()) {
-    this.cursor.setCursorPos(cursorPos, silentUpdate);
+    this.cursor.setCursorPos(cursorPos, isFromLink);
   } else {
     // This is the first step; the second happens in onTableLoaded.
     this._pendingCursorPos = cursorPos;
diff --git a/app/client/components/Cursor.ts b/app/client/components/Cursor.ts
index 74a90293..9e036198 100644
--- a/app/client/components/Cursor.ts
+++ b/app/client/components/Cursor.ts
@@ -77,12 +77,14 @@ export class Cursor extends Disposable {
   private _sectionId: ko.Computed<number>;
 
   private _properRowId: ko.Computed<UIRowId|null>;
-  private _lastEditedAt: ko.Observable<SequenceNum>;
 
+  // lastEditedAt is updated on _properRowId or fieldIndex update (including through setCursorPos)
+  // Used to determine which section takes priority for cursorLinking (specifically cycles/bidirectional linking)
+  private _lastEditedAt: ko.Observable<SequenceNum>;
+  // _silentUpdatesFlag prevents lastEditedAt from being updated, when a change in cursorPos isn't driven by the user.
+  // It's used when cursor linking calls setCursorPos, so that linked cursor moves don't trample lastEditedAt.
+  // WARNING: the flag approach relies on ko observables being resolved synchronously, may break if changed to grainjs?
   private _silentUpdatesFlag: boolean = false;
-  // lastEditedAt is updated on rowIndex or fieldIndex update (including through setCursorPos)
-  // _silentUpdatesFlag disables this, set when setCursorPos called from cursor link to prevent infinite loops
-  // WARNING: the flag approach will only work if ko observables work synchronously, which they appear to do.
 
   constructor(baseView: BaseView, optCursorPos?: CursorPos) {
     super();
@@ -149,13 +151,13 @@ export class Cursor extends Disposable {
    * Moves the cursor to the given position. Only moves the row if rowId or rowIndex is valid,
    * preferring rowId.
    *
-   * silentUpdate prevents lastEditedAt from being updated, so linking doesn't cause an infinite loop of updates
+   * isFromLink prevents lastEditedAt from being updated, so lastEdit reflects only user-driven edits
    * @param cursorPos: Position as { rowId?, rowIndex?, fieldIndex? }, as from getCursorPos().
-   * @param silentUpdate: should only be set if this is a cascading update from cursor-linking
+   * @param isFromLink: should be set if this is a cascading update from cursor-linking
    */
-  public setCursorPos(cursorPos: CursorPos, silentUpdate: boolean = false): void {
+  public setCursorPos(cursorPos: CursorPos, isFromLink: boolean = false): void {
     //If updating as a result of links, we want to NOT update lastEditedAt
-    if(silentUpdate) { this._silentUpdatesFlag = true; }
+    if(isFromLink) { this._silentUpdatesFlag = true; }
     //console.log(`CURSOR: ${silentUpdate}, silentUpdate=${this._silentUpdatesFlag},
     //            lastUpdated = ${this.lastUpdated.peek()}`) //TODO JV DEBUG TEMP