diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/NodeList.cpp b/libraries/shared/src/NodeList.cpp
index 6c2647efd5..57acb094e6 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/NodeList.cpp
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/NodeList.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ NodeList::NodeList(char newOwnerType, unsigned short int newSocketListenPort) :
     _ownerType(newOwnerType),
     _nodeTypesOfInterest(NULL),
     _ownerID(UNKNOWN_NODE_ID),
-    _lastNodeID(0)
+    _lastNodeID(UNKNOWN_NODE_ID + 1)
 {
     memcpy(_domainHostname, DEFAULT_DOMAIN_HOSTNAME, sizeof(DEFAULT_DOMAIN_HOSTNAME));
     memcpy(_domainIP, DEFAULT_DOMAIN_IP, sizeof(DEFAULT_DOMAIN_IP));
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/NodeList.h b/libraries/shared/src/NodeList.h
index 84bc4f6151..6f0e6827e9 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/NodeList.h
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/NodeList.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ extern const char DEFAULT_DOMAIN_HOSTNAME[MAX_HOSTNAME_BYTES];
 extern const char DEFAULT_DOMAIN_IP[INET_ADDRSTRLEN];    //  IP Address will be re-set by lookup on startup
 extern const int DEFAULT_DOMAINSERVER_PORT;
 
-const int UNKNOWN_NODE_ID = -1;
+const int UNKNOWN_NODE_ID = 0;
 
 class NodeListIterator;