diff --git a/ConflictSet.cpp b/ConflictSet.cpp
index 2a8084d..7aa3e40 100644
--- a/ConflictSet.cpp
+++ b/ConflictSet.cpp
@@ -2236,9 +2236,7 @@ template <bool kBegin>
       child->partialKeyLen = 0;
       child->parent = *self;
       child->parentsIndex = key.front();
-      setMaxVersion(child, impl,
-                    kBegin ? writeVersion
-                           : std::numeric_limits<int64_t>::lowest());
+      setMaxVersion(child, impl, kBegin ? writeVersion : 0);
     }
 
     self = &child;
@@ -2899,7 +2897,7 @@ Iterator firstGeq(Node *n, std::string_view key) {
 [[maybe_unused]] int64_t checkMaxVersion(Node *root, Node *node,
                                          int64_t oldestVersion, bool &success,
                                          ConflictSet::Impl *impl) {
-  int64_t expected = std::numeric_limits<int64_t>::lowest();
+  int64_t expected = 0;
   if (node->entryPresent) {
     expected = std::max(expected, node->entry.pointVersion);
   }
diff --git a/include/ConflictSet.h b/include/ConflictSet.h
index 64e7490..5bff07f 100644
--- a/include/ConflictSet.h
+++ b/include/ConflictSet.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 namespace weaselab {
 /** A data structure for optimistic concurrency control on ranges of
- * bitwise-lexicographically-ordered keys.
+ * bitwise-lexicographically-ordered keys. All versions must be >= 0.
  *
  * Thread safety:
  *   - It's safe to operate on two different ConflictSets in two different
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ private:
 #else
 
 /** A data structure for optimistic concurrency control on ranges of
- * bitwise-lexicographically-ordered keys.
+ * bitwise-lexicographically-ordered keys. All versions must be >= 0.
  *
  * Thread safety:
  *   - It's safe to operate on two different ConflictSets in two different