diff --git a/src/bits.h b/src/bits.h
index 90df0972..837fce76 100644
--- a/src/bits.h
+++ b/src/bits.h
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ typedef uint64_t txnid_t;
 #elif MDBX_DEBUG
 #define MIN_TXNID UINT64_C(0x100000000)
 #else
-#define MIN_TXNID UINT64_C(0)
+#define MIN_TXNID UINT64_C(1)
 #endif /* MIN_TXNID */
 
 /* Used for offsets within a single page.
diff --git a/src/mdbx.c b/src/mdbx.c
index 688d9799..d4facf9e 100644
--- a/src/mdbx.c
+++ b/src/mdbx.c
@@ -1335,7 +1335,7 @@ static __inline txnid_t meta_txnid(const MDBX_env *env, const MDBX_meta *meta,
   txnid_t a = meta->mm_txnid_a;
   txnid_t b = meta->mm_txnid_b;
   if (allow_volatile)
-    return (a < b) ? a : b;
+    return (a == b) ? a : 0;
   mdbx_assert(env, a == b);
   return a;
 }