diff --git a/src/index.rs b/src/index.rs
index 81c19a0e28..530724de08 100644
--- a/src/index.rs
+++ b/src/index.rs
@@ -837,35 +837,44 @@ impl Index {
       inscription_id,
     );
 
-    if let Some(sat) = sat {
-      if self.has_sat_index().unwrap() {
-        assert_eq!(
-          InscriptionId::load(
-            *rtx
-              .open_table(SAT_TO_INSCRIPTION_ID)
-              .unwrap()
-              .get(&sat)
-              .unwrap()
-              .unwrap()
-              .value()
-          ),
-          inscription_id,
-        );
-
-        // we do not track common sats or anything in the unbound output
-        if !Sat(sat).is_common() && satpoint.outpoint != unbound_outpoint() {
+    match sat {
+      Some(sat) => {
+        if self.has_sat_index().unwrap() {
+          // unbound inscriptions should not be assigned to a sat
+          assert!(satpoint.outpoint != unbound_outpoint());
           assert_eq!(
-            SatPoint::load(
+            InscriptionId::load(
               *rtx
-                .open_table(SAT_TO_SATPOINT)
+                .open_table(SAT_TO_INSCRIPTION_ID)
                 .unwrap()
                 .get(&sat)
                 .unwrap()
                 .unwrap()
                 .value()
             ),
-            satpoint,
+            inscription_id,
           );
+
+          // we do not track common sats (only the sat ranges)
+          if !Sat(sat).is_common() {
+            assert_eq!(
+              SatPoint::load(
+                *rtx
+                  .open_table(SAT_TO_SATPOINT)
+                  .unwrap()
+                  .get(&sat)
+                  .unwrap()
+                  .unwrap()
+                  .value()
+              ),
+              satpoint,
+            );
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      None => {
+        if self.has_sat_index().unwrap() {
+          assert!(satpoint.outpoint == unbound_outpoint())
         }
       }
     }
@@ -2177,7 +2186,7 @@ mod tests {
           outpoint: unbound_outpoint(),
           offset: 0,
         },
-        Some(50 * COIN_VALUE),
+        None, // should not be on a sat
       );
 
       assert!(context
@@ -2354,7 +2363,7 @@ mod tests {
           outpoint: OutPoint { txid, vout: 0 },
           offset: 0,
         },
-        None,
+        Some(50 * COIN_VALUE),
       );
 
       context.index.assert_inscription_location(
@@ -2363,7 +2372,7 @@ mod tests {
           outpoint: OutPoint { txid, vout: 0 },
           offset: 50 * COIN_VALUE,
         },
-        None,
+        Some(100 * COIN_VALUE),
       );
 
       context.index.assert_inscription_location(
@@ -2372,7 +2381,7 @@ mod tests {
           outpoint: OutPoint { txid, vout: 0 },
           offset: 100 * COIN_VALUE,
         },
-        None,
+        Some(150 * COIN_VALUE),
       );
 
       assert_eq!(
@@ -2459,7 +2468,7 @@ mod tests {
           outpoint: OutPoint { txid, vout: 0 },
           offset: 0,
         },
-        None,
+        Some(50 * COIN_VALUE),
       );
 
       context.index.assert_inscription_location(
@@ -2566,7 +2575,7 @@ mod tests {
           outpoint: OutPoint { txid, vout: 0 },
           offset: 0,
         },
-        None,
+        Some(50 * COIN_VALUE),
       );
 
       context.index.assert_inscription_location(
@@ -2575,7 +2584,7 @@ mod tests {
           outpoint: OutPoint { txid, vout: 0 },
           offset: 50 * COIN_VALUE,
         },
-        None,
+        Some(100 * COIN_VALUE),
       );
 
       context.index.assert_inscription_location(
@@ -2718,7 +2727,7 @@ mod tests {
           },
           offset: 0,
         },
-        None,
+        Some(100 * COIN_VALUE),
       );
 
       assert_eq!(
diff --git a/src/index/updater/inscription_updater.rs b/src/index/updater/inscription_updater.rs
index 89f9435ea7..2b9abf7753 100644
--- a/src/index/updater/inscription_updater.rs
+++ b/src/index/updater/inscription_updater.rs
@@ -316,20 +316,25 @@ impl<'a, 'db, 'tx> InscriptionUpdater<'a, 'db, 'tx> {
 
         self.number_to_id.insert(number, &inscription_id)?;
 
-        let mut sat = None;
-        if let Some(input_sat_ranges) = input_sat_ranges {
-          let mut offset = 0;
-          for (start, end) in input_sat_ranges {
-            let size = end - start;
-            if offset + size > flotsam.offset {
-              let n = start + flotsam.offset - offset;
-              self.sat_to_inscription_id.insert(&n, &inscription_id)?;
-              sat = Some(Sat(n));
-              break;
+        let sat = if unbound {
+          None
+        } else {
+          let mut sat = None;
+          if let Some(input_sat_ranges) = input_sat_ranges {
+            let mut offset = 0;
+            for (start, end) in input_sat_ranges {
+              let size = end - start;
+              if offset + size > flotsam.offset {
+                let n = start + flotsam.offset - offset;
+                self.sat_to_inscription_id.insert(&n, &inscription_id)?;
+                sat = Some(Sat(n));
+                break;
+              }
+              offset += size;
             }
-            offset += size;
           }
-        }
+          sat
+        };
 
         self.id_to_entry.insert(
           &inscription_id,