diff --git a/include/mosquitto_broker.h b/include/mosquitto_broker.h
index 6b949229..bb52907a 100644
--- a/include/mosquitto_broker.h
+++ b/include/mosquitto_broker.h
@@ -634,6 +634,8 @@ mosq_EXPORT int mosquitto_broker_publish_copy(
  */
 mosq_EXPORT void mosquitto_complete_basic_auth(const char* client_id, int result);
 
+int mosquitto_broker_node_id_set(uint16_t id);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/database.c b/src/database.c
index 2afcbb4c..d5b0dd1e 100644
--- a/src/database.c
+++ b/src/database.c
@@ -186,8 +186,6 @@ int db__open(struct mosquitto__config *config)
 
 	if(!config) return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
 
-	util__random_bytes(&db.last_db_id, sizeof(db.last_db_id));
-
 	db.contexts_by_id = NULL;
 	db.contexts_by_sock = NULL;
 	db.contexts_for_free = NULL;
@@ -763,6 +761,54 @@ int db__messages_easy_queue(struct mosquitto *context, const char *topic, uint8_
 	return sub__messages_queue(source_id, stored->topic, stored->qos, stored->retain, &stored);
 }
 
+
+#define MOSQ_UUID_EPOCH 1637168273
+
+/* db__new_msg_id() attempts to generate a new unique id on the broker, or a
+ * number of brokers. It uses the 10-bit node ID, which can be set by plugins
+ * to allow different brokers to share the same plugin persistence database
+ * without overlapping one another.
+ *
+ * The message ID is a 64-bit unsigned integer arranged as follows:
+ *
+ * 10-bit ID  31-bit seconds                 23-bit fractional seconds
+ * iiiiiiiiiisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
+ *
+ * 10-bit ID gives a total of 1024 brokers can produce unique values (complete overkill)
+ * 31-bit seconds gives a roll over date of 68 years after MOSQ_UUID_EPOCH - 2089.
+ *    This roll over date would affect messages that have been queued waiting
+ *    for a client to receive them, or retained messages only. If either of
+ *    those remains for 68 years unchanged, then there will potentially be a
+ *    collision. Ideally we need to ensure, however, that the message id is
+ *    continually increasing for sorting purposes.
+ * 23-bit fractional seconds gives a resolution of 120ns, or 8.4 million
+ *    messages per second per broker.
+ */
+uint64_t db__new_msg_id(void)
+{
+	struct timespec ts;
+	uint64_t id;
+	uint64_t tmp;
+
+	id = db.node_id_shifted; /* Top 10-bits */
+
+	clock_gettime(CLOCK_REALTIME, &ts);
+
+	tmp = (ts.tv_sec - MOSQ_UUID_EPOCH) & 0x7FFFFFFF;
+	id = id | (tmp << 23); /* Seconds, 31-bits (68 years) */
+
+	tmp = (ts.tv_nsec & 0x7FFFFF80); /* top 23-bits of the bottom 30 bits (1 billion ns), ~100 ns resolution */
+	id = id | (tmp >> 7);
+
+	while(id <= db.last_db_id){
+		id++;
+	}
+	db.last_db_id = id;
+
+	return id;
+}
+
+
 /* This function requires topic to be allocated on the heap. Once called, it owns topic and will free it on error. Likewise payload and properties. */
 int db__message_store(const struct mosquitto *source, struct mosquitto_msg_store *stored, uint32_t message_expiry_interval, dbid_t store_id, enum mosquitto_msg_origin origin)
 {
@@ -802,7 +848,7 @@ int db__message_store(const struct mosquitto *source, struct mosquitto_msg_store
 	db.msg_store_bytes += stored->payloadlen;
 
 	if(!store_id){
-		stored->db_id = ++db.last_db_id;
+		stored->db_id = db__new_msg_id();
 	}else{
 		stored->db_id = store_id;
 	}
diff --git a/src/linker-macosx.syms b/src/linker-macosx.syms
index d4e9f356..8113c373 100644
--- a/src/linker-macosx.syms
+++ b/src/linker-macosx.syms
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+_mosquitto_broker_node_id_set
 _mosquitto_broker_publish
 _mosquitto_broker_publish_copy
 _mosquitto_callback_register
diff --git a/src/linker.syms b/src/linker.syms
index b14e1fac..d5d91866 100644
--- a/src/linker.syms
+++ b/src/linker.syms
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {
+	mosquitto_broker_node_id_set;
 	mosquitto_broker_publish;
 	mosquitto_broker_publish_copy;
 	mosquitto_callback_register;
diff --git a/src/mosquitto_broker_internal.h b/src/mosquitto_broker_internal.h
index 31c33456..50b987b3 100644
--- a/src/mosquitto_broker_internal.h
+++ b/src/mosquitto_broker_internal.h
@@ -464,6 +464,7 @@ struct mosquitto_message_v5{
 
 struct mosquitto_db{
 	dbid_t last_db_id;
+	uint64_t node_id_shifted;
 	struct mosquitto__subhier *subs;
 	struct mosquitto__retainhier *retains;
 	struct mosquitto *contexts_by_id;
@@ -478,6 +479,7 @@ struct mosquitto_db{
 	struct mosquitto_msg_store *msg_store;
 	time_t now_s; /* Monotonic clock, where possible */
 	time_t now_real_s; /* Read clock, for measuring session/message expiry */
+	uint64_t node_id; /* for unique db ids */
 	int next_event_ms; /* for mux timeout */
 	int msg_store_count;
 	unsigned long msg_store_bytes;
@@ -727,6 +729,7 @@ int db__message_write_queued_out(struct mosquitto *context);
 int db__message_write_queued_in(struct mosquitto *context);
 void db__msg_add_to_inflight_stats(struct mosquitto_msg_data *msg_data, struct mosquitto_client_msg *msg);
 void db__msg_add_to_queued_stats(struct mosquitto_msg_data *msg_data, struct mosquitto_client_msg *msg);
+uint64_t db__new_msg_id(void);
 
 /* ============================================================
  * Subscription functions
diff --git a/src/plugin_public.c b/src/plugin_public.c
index 13fce019..bbbaeef6 100644
--- a/src/plugin_public.c
+++ b/src/plugin_public.c
@@ -409,3 +409,14 @@ void mosquitto_complete_basic_auth(const char *client_id, int result)
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+int mosquitto_broker_node_id_set(uint16_t id)
+{
+	if(id > 1023){
+		return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
+	}else{
+		db.node_id = id;
+		db.node_id_shifted = ((uint64_t)id) << 54;
+		return MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS;
+	}
+}