diff --git a/src/libstrongswan/ipsec/ipsec_types.c b/src/libstrongswan/ipsec/ipsec_types.c
index 6f10adf70..7d93f275a 100644
--- a/src/libstrongswan/ipsec/ipsec_types.c
+++ b/src/libstrongswan/ipsec/ipsec_types.c
@@ -150,30 +150,44 @@ bool mark_from_string(const char *value, mark_op_t ops, mark_t *mark)
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Allocate a unique mark that is non-zero and not one of the special values.
+ */
+static uint32_t allocate_unique_mark()
+{
+	static refcount_t unique_mark = 0;
+	uint32_t m;
+
+	m = ref_get_nonzero(&unique_mark);
+	while (MARK_IS_UNIQUE(m))
+	{
+		m = ref_get_nonzero(&unique_mark);
+	}
+	return m;
+}
+
 /*
  * Described in header
  */
 void allocate_unique_marks(uint32_t *in, uint32_t *out)
 {
-	static refcount_t unique_mark = 0;
-
 	if (MARK_IS_UNIQUE(*in) || MARK_IS_UNIQUE(*out))
 	{
-		refcount_t mark = 0;
+		uint32_t mark = 0;
 		bool unique_dir = *in == MARK_UNIQUE_DIR ||
 						  *out == MARK_UNIQUE_DIR;
 
 		if (!unique_dir)
 		{
-			mark = ref_get(&unique_mark);
+			mark = allocate_unique_mark();
 		}
 		if (MARK_IS_UNIQUE(*in))
 		{
-			*in = unique_dir ? ref_get(&unique_mark) : mark;
+			*in = unique_dir ? allocate_unique_mark() : mark;
 		}
 		if (MARK_IS_UNIQUE(*out))
 		{
-			*out = unique_dir ? ref_get(&unique_mark) : mark;
+			*out = unique_dir ? allocate_unique_mark() : mark;
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -219,30 +233,46 @@ bool if_id_from_string(const char *value, uint32_t *if_id)
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Allocate a unique interface ID that is non-zero and not one of the special
+ * values.
+ */
+static uint32_t allocate_unique_if_id()
+{
+	static refcount_t unique_if_id = 0;
+	uint32_t if_id;
+
+	if_id = ref_get_nonzero(&unique_if_id);
+	while (IF_ID_IS_UNIQUE(if_id))
+	{
+		if_id = ref_get_nonzero(&unique_if_id);
+	}
+	return if_id;
+}
+
 /*
  * Described in header
  */
 void allocate_unique_if_ids(uint32_t *in, uint32_t *out)
 {
-	static refcount_t unique_if_id = 0;
 
 	if (IF_ID_IS_UNIQUE(*in) || IF_ID_IS_UNIQUE(*out))
 	{
-		refcount_t if_id = 0;
+		uint32_t if_id = 0;
 		bool unique_dir = *in == IF_ID_UNIQUE_DIR ||
 						  *out == IF_ID_UNIQUE_DIR;
 
 		if (!unique_dir)
 		{
-			if_id = ref_get(&unique_if_id);
+			if_id = allocate_unique_if_id();
 		}
 		if (IF_ID_IS_UNIQUE(*in))
 		{
-			*in = unique_dir ? ref_get(&unique_if_id) : if_id;
+			*in = unique_dir ? allocate_unique_if_id() : if_id;
 		}
 		if (IF_ID_IS_UNIQUE(*out))
 		{
-			*out = unique_dir ? ref_get(&unique_if_id) : if_id;
+			*out = unique_dir ? allocate_unique_if_id() : if_id;
 		}
 	}
 }