diff --git a/base/src/core/trace_session_component.cc b/base/src/core/trace_session_component.cc
index 03c7f4befc..527980122c 100644
--- a/base/src/core/trace_session_component.cc
+++ b/base/src/core/trace_session_component.cc
@@ -41,7 +41,11 @@ Policy_id Session_component::alloc_policy(size_t size)
 	if (size > _argument_buffer.size)
 		throw Policy_too_large();
 
-	Policy_id const id(_policy_cnt++);
+	/*
+	 * Using prefix incrementation makes sure a policy with id == 0 is
+	 * invalid.
+	 */
+	Policy_id const id(++_policy_cnt);
 
 	if (!_md_alloc.withdraw(size))
 		throw Out_of_metadata();