diff --git a/net/ipv4/devinet.c b/net/ipv4/devinet.c
index ca0ff15dc8fa..bc74f131fe4d 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/devinet.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/devinet.c
@@ -1825,6 +1825,21 @@ done:
 	return err;
 }
 
+/* Combine dev_addr_genid and dev_base_seq to detect changes.
+ */
+static u32 inet_base_seq(const struct net *net)
+{
+	u32 res = atomic_read(&net->ipv4.dev_addr_genid) +
+		  net->dev_base_seq;
+
+	/* Must not return 0 (see nl_dump_check_consistent()).
+	 * Chose a value far away from 0.
+	 */
+	if (!res)
+		res = 0x80000000;
+	return res;
+}
+
 static int inet_dump_ifaddr(struct sk_buff *skb, struct netlink_callback *cb)
 {
 	const struct nlmsghdr *nlh = cb->nlh;
@@ -1876,8 +1891,7 @@ static int inet_dump_ifaddr(struct sk_buff *skb, struct netlink_callback *cb)
 		idx = 0;
 		head = &tgt_net->dev_index_head[h];
 		rcu_read_lock();
-		cb->seq = atomic_read(&tgt_net->ipv4.dev_addr_genid) ^
-			  tgt_net->dev_base_seq;
+		cb->seq = inet_base_seq(tgt_net);
 		hlist_for_each_entry_rcu(dev, head, index_hlist) {
 			if (idx < s_idx)
 				goto cont;
@@ -2278,8 +2292,7 @@ static int inet_netconf_dump_devconf(struct sk_buff *skb,
 		idx = 0;
 		head = &net->dev_index_head[h];
 		rcu_read_lock();
-		cb->seq = atomic_read(&net->ipv4.dev_addr_genid) ^
-			  net->dev_base_seq;
+		cb->seq = inet_base_seq(net);
 		hlist_for_each_entry_rcu(dev, head, index_hlist) {
 			if (idx < s_idx)
 				goto cont;