diff --git a/src/libnfnetlink.c b/src/libnfnetlink.c
index d4212f9..5cfe2f5 100644
--- a/src/libnfnetlink.c
+++ b/src/libnfnetlink.c
@@ -418,7 +418,11 @@ void nfnl_fill_hdr(struct nfnl_subsys_handle *ssh,
 	nlh->nlmsg_type = (ssh->subsys_id<<8)|msg_type;
 	nlh->nlmsg_flags = msg_flags;
 	nlh->nlmsg_pid = 0;
-	nlh->nlmsg_seq = ++ssh->nfnlh->seq;
+	/* set sequence number if we expect an answer from kernelspace */
+	if (msg_flags & (NLM_F_ACK | NLM_F_ECHO | NLM_F_DUMP))
+		nlh->nlmsg_seq = ++ssh->nfnlh->seq;
+	else
+		nlh->nlmsg_seq = 0;
 
 	/* check for wraparounds: assume that seqnum 0 is only used by events */
 	if (!ssh->nfnlh->seq)