diff --git a/lib/path.c b/lib/path.c
index 3a13af76b..096dcc1ea 100644
--- a/lib/path.c
+++ b/lib/path.c
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ int path_init(struct path *p)
 	p->enabled = 1;
 	p->poll = -1;
 	p->queuelen = DEFAULT_QUEUE_LENGTH;
-	p->original_sequence_no = 0;
+	p->original_sequence_no = -1;
 
 	p->state = STATE_INITIALIZED;
 
@@ -288,6 +288,9 @@ int path_prepare(struct path *p)
 			return ret;
 	}
 
+	if (p->original_sequence_no == -1)
+		p->original_sequence_no = vlist_length(&p->sources) == 1;
+
 	p->state = STATE_PREPARED;
 
 	return 0;