diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Store/Postgres/Migrations/M20260601_group_roster.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Store/Postgres/Migrations/M20260601_group_roster.hs
index d569014c9b..618b354fda 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Store/Postgres/Migrations/M20260601_group_roster.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Store/Postgres/Migrations/M20260601_group_roster.hs
@@ -9,14 +9,14 @@ import Text.RawString.QQ (r)
 m20260601_group_roster :: Text
 m20260601_group_roster =
   [r|
-ALTER TABLE groups ADD COLUMN roster_version INTEGER;
+ALTER TABLE groups ADD COLUMN roster_version BIGINT;
 ALTER TABLE groups ADD COLUMN roster_msg_body BYTEA;
 ALTER TABLE groups ADD COLUMN roster_msg_chat_binding TEXT;
 ALTER TABLE groups ADD COLUMN roster_msg_signatures BYTEA;
 ALTER TABLE groups ADD COLUMN roster_sending_owner_gm_id BIGINT;
 ALTER TABLE groups ADD COLUMN roster_broker_ts TIMESTAMPTZ;
 ALTER TABLE groups ADD COLUMN roster_blob BYTEA;
-ALTER TABLE groups ADD COLUMN roster_pending_version INTEGER;
+ALTER TABLE groups ADD COLUMN roster_pending_version BIGINT;
 ALTER TABLE groups ADD COLUMN roster_pending_digest BYTEA;
 ALTER TABLE groups ADD COLUMN roster_pending_msg_body BYTEA;
 ALTER TABLE groups ADD COLUMN roster_pending_msg_chat_binding TEXT;
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Types.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Types.hs
index abace312a2..1777d3f2b4 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Types.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Types.hs
@@ -2075,16 +2075,11 @@ newtype StoreCxt = StoreCxt {vr :: VersionRangeChat}
 pattern VersionChat :: Word16 -> VersionChat
 pattern VersionChat v = Version v
 
-data RosterVersion
-
-instance VersionScope RosterVersion
-
-type VersionRoster = Version RosterVersion
-
-pattern VersionRoster :: Word16 -> VersionRoster
-pattern VersionRoster v = Version v
-
-{-# COMPLETE VersionRoster #-}
+-- A monotonic per-change counter, not a negotiated protocol version: Int64 rather than the Word16 of
+-- Version, so a long-lived high-churn channel cannot wrap and be permanently rejected by relays (v >= cur).
+newtype VersionRoster = VersionRoster Int64
+  deriving (Eq, Ord, Show)
+  deriving newtype (FromJSON, ToJSON, FromField, ToField)
 
 -- this newtype exists to have a concise JSON encoding of version ranges in chat protocol messages in the form of "1-2" or just "1"
 newtype ChatVersionRange = ChatVersionRange {fromChatVRange :: VersionRangeChat} deriving (Eq, Show)