diff --git a/kmod/src/format.h b/kmod/src/format.h
index c611ea32..6495d457 100644
--- a/kmod/src/format.h
+++ b/kmod/src/format.h
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ struct scoutfs_segment_block {
 	__le32 crc;
 	__le32 _padding;
 	__le64 segno;
-	__le64 max_seq;
+	__le64 seq;
 	__le32 nr_items;
 	__le32 _moar_pads;
 	struct scoutfs_segment_item items[0];
@@ -342,6 +342,7 @@ struct scoutfs_super_block {
 	__le64 ring_blocks;
 	__le64 ring_tail_block;
 	__le64 ring_gen;
+	__le64 next_seg_seq;
 	__le64 buddy_blocks;
         struct scoutfs_buddy_root buddy_root;
         struct scoutfs_btree_root btree_root;
diff --git a/kmod/src/seg.c b/kmod/src/seg.c
index c16c2e2d..520ed9e3 100644
--- a/kmod/src/seg.c
+++ b/kmod/src/seg.c
@@ -466,6 +466,8 @@ void scoutfs_seg_first_item(struct super_block *sb, struct scoutfs_segment *seg,
 			    struct kvec *key, struct kvec *val,
 			    unsigned int nr_items, unsigned int key_bytes)
 {
+	struct scoutfs_sb_info *sbi = SCOUTFS_SB(sb);
+	struct scoutfs_super_block *super = &sbi->super;
 	struct scoutfs_segment_block *sblk = off_ptr(seg, 0);
 	struct native_item item;
 	SCOUTFS_DECLARE_KVEC(item_key);
@@ -475,7 +477,8 @@ void scoutfs_seg_first_item(struct super_block *sb, struct scoutfs_segment *seg,
 
 	/* XXX the segment block header is a mess, be better */
 	sblk->segno = cpu_to_le64(seg->segno);
-	sblk->max_seq = cpu_to_le64(1);
+	sblk->seq = super->next_seg_seq;
+	le64_add_cpu(&super->next_seg_seq, 1);
 
 	key_off = pos_off(seg, nr_items);
 	val_off = key_off + key_bytes;
@@ -540,7 +543,7 @@ int scoutfs_seg_manifest_add(struct super_block *sb,
 	kvec_from_pages(seg, last, item.key_off, item.key_len);
 
 	return scoutfs_manifest_add(sb, first, last, le64_to_cpu(sblk->segno),
-				    le64_to_cpu(sblk->max_seq), level);
+				    le64_to_cpu(sblk->seq), level);
 }
 
 int scoutfs_seg_setup(struct super_block *sb)