diff --git a/core/key.go b/core/key.go
index b4d2837974..b9bea29e41 100644
--- a/core/key.go
+++ b/core/key.go
@@ -49,7 +49,9 @@ const (
 	COLLECTION_INDEX               = "/collection/index"
 	SCHEMA_VERSION                 = "/schema/version/v"
 	SCHEMA_VERSION_ROOT            = "/schema/version/r"
-	SEQ                            = "/seq"
+	COLLECTION_SEQ                 = "/seq/collection"
+	INDEX_ID_SEQ                   = "/seq/index"
+	FIELD_ID_SEQ                   = "/seq/field"
 	PRIMARY_KEY                    = "/pk"
 	DATASTORE_DOC_VERSION_FIELD_ID = "v"
 	REPLICATOR                     = "/replicator/id"
@@ -165,11 +167,29 @@ type P2PCollectionKey struct {
 
 var _ Key = (*P2PCollectionKey)(nil)
 
-type SequenceKey struct {
-	SequenceName string
+// CollectionIDSequenceKey is used to key the sequence used to generate collection ids.
+type CollectionIDSequenceKey struct{}
+
+var _ Key = (*CollectionIDSequenceKey)(nil)
+
+// IndexIDSequenceKey is used to key the sequence used to generate index ids.
+//
+// The sequence is specific to each collection version.
+type IndexIDSequenceKey struct {
+	CollectionID uint32
 }
 
-var _ Key = (*SequenceKey)(nil)
+var _ Key = (*IndexIDSequenceKey)(nil)
+
+// FieldIDSequenceKey is used to key the sequence used to generate field ids.
+//
+// The sequence is specific to each collection root.  Multiple collection of the same root
+// must maintain consistent field ids.
+type FieldIDSequenceKey struct {
+	CollectionRoot uint32
+}
+
+var _ Key = (*FieldIDSequenceKey)(nil)
 
 type ReplicatorKey struct {
 	ReplicatorID string
@@ -364,8 +384,12 @@ func NewSchemaRootKeyFromString(keyString string) (SchemaRootKey, error) {
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func NewSequenceKey(name string) SequenceKey {
-	return SequenceKey{SequenceName: name}
+func NewIndexIDSequenceKey(collectionID uint32) IndexIDSequenceKey {
+	return IndexIDSequenceKey{CollectionID: collectionID}
+}
+
+func NewFieldIDSequenceKey(collectionRoot uint32) FieldIDSequenceKey {
+	return FieldIDSequenceKey{CollectionRoot: collectionRoot}
 }
 
 func (k DataStoreKey) WithValueFlag() DataStoreKey {
@@ -690,21 +714,39 @@ func (k SchemaRootKey) ToDS() ds.Key {
 	return ds.NewKey(k.ToString())
 }
 
-func (k SequenceKey) ToString() string {
-	result := SEQ
+func (k CollectionIDSequenceKey) ToString() string {
+	return COLLECTION_SEQ
+}
 
-	if k.SequenceName != "" {
-		result = result + "/" + k.SequenceName
-	}
+func (k CollectionIDSequenceKey) Bytes() []byte {
+	return []byte(k.ToString())
+}
 
-	return result
+func (k CollectionIDSequenceKey) ToDS() ds.Key {
+	return ds.NewKey(k.ToString())
+}
+
+func (k IndexIDSequenceKey) ToString() string {
+	return INDEX_ID_SEQ + "/" + strconv.Itoa(int(k.CollectionID))
+}
+
+func (k IndexIDSequenceKey) Bytes() []byte {
+	return []byte(k.ToString())
+}
+
+func (k IndexIDSequenceKey) ToDS() ds.Key {
+	return ds.NewKey(k.ToString())
+}
+
+func (k FieldIDSequenceKey) ToString() string {
+	return FIELD_ID_SEQ + "/" + strconv.Itoa(int(k.CollectionRoot))
 }
 
-func (k SequenceKey) Bytes() []byte {
+func (k FieldIDSequenceKey) Bytes() []byte {
 	return []byte(k.ToString())
 }
 
-func (k SequenceKey) ToDS() ds.Key {
+func (k FieldIDSequenceKey) ToDS() ds.Key {
 	return ds.NewKey(k.ToString())
 }
 
diff --git a/db/collection.go b/db/collection.go
index ec007130b8..ea231c0448 100644
--- a/db/collection.go
+++ b/db/collection.go
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func (db *db) createCollection(
 		}
 	}
 
-	colSeq, err := db.getSequence(ctx, txn, core.COLLECTION)
+	colSeq, err := db.getSequence(ctx, txn, core.CollectionIDSequenceKey{})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -115,6 +115,12 @@ func (db *db) createCollection(
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
+	fieldSeq, err := db.getSequence(ctx, txn, core.NewFieldIDSequenceKey(uint32(colID)))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	desc.ID = uint32(colID)
 	desc.RootID = desc.ID
 
@@ -123,14 +129,25 @@ func (db *db) createCollection(
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	desc.SchemaVersionID = schema.VersionID
-	for i, globalField := range schema.Fields {
+	for _, globalField := range schema.Fields {
+		var fieldID uint64
+		if globalField.Name == request.DocIDFieldName {
+			// There is no hard technical requirement for this, we just think it looks nicer
+			// if the doc id is at the zero index.  It makes it look a little nicer in commit
+			// queries too.
+			fieldID = 0
+		} else {
+			fieldID, err = fieldSeq.next(ctx, txn)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		}
+
 		desc.Fields = append(
 			desc.Fields,
 			client.CollectionFieldDescription{
 				Name: globalField.Name,
-				// For now just set the field id to it's index.  This does not work
-				// for branching schema and field deletion.
-				ID: client.FieldID(i),
+				ID:   client.FieldID(fieldID),
 			},
 		)
 	}
@@ -218,7 +235,7 @@ func (db *db) updateSchema(
 		return err
 	}
 
-	colSeq, err := db.getSequence(ctx, txn, core.COLLECTION)
+	colSeq, err := db.getSequence(ctx, txn, core.CollectionIDSequenceKey{})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -247,14 +264,32 @@ func (db *db) updateSchema(
 					if existingCol.RootID == client.OrphanRootID {
 						existingCol.RootID = col.RootID
 					}
-					for i, globalField := range schema.Fields {
+
+					fieldSeq, err := db.getSequence(ctx, txn, core.NewFieldIDSequenceKey(existingCol.RootID))
+					if err != nil {
+						return err
+					}
+
+					for _, globalField := range schema.Fields {
+						var fieldID client.FieldID
+						// We must check the source collection if the field already exists, and take its ID
+						// from there, otherwise the field must be generated by the sequence.
+						existingField, ok := col.GetFieldByName(globalField.Name)
+						if ok {
+							fieldID = existingField.ID
+						} else {
+							nextFieldID, err := fieldSeq.next(ctx, txn)
+							if err != nil {
+								return err
+							}
+							fieldID = client.FieldID(nextFieldID)
+						}
+
 						existingCol.Fields = append(
 							existingCol.Fields,
 							client.CollectionFieldDescription{
 								Name: globalField.Name,
-								// For now just set the field id to it's index.  This does not work
-								// for branching schema and field deletion.
-								ID: client.FieldID(i),
+								ID:   fieldID,
 							},
 						)
 					}
@@ -274,6 +309,11 @@ func (db *db) updateSchema(
 				return err
 			}
 
+			fieldSeq, err := db.getSequence(ctx, txn, core.NewFieldIDSequenceKey(col.RootID))
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
 			// Create any new collections without a name (inactive), if [setAsActiveVersion] is true
 			// they will be activated later along with any existing collection versions.
 			col.Name = immutable.None[string]()
@@ -286,22 +326,19 @@ func (db *db) updateSchema(
 				},
 			}
 
-			for i, globalField := range schema.Fields {
-				isNew := true
-				for _, localField := range col.Fields {
-					if localField.Name == globalField.Name {
-						isNew = false
-						break
+			for _, globalField := range schema.Fields {
+				_, exists := col.GetFieldByName(globalField.Name)
+				if !exists {
+					fieldID, err := fieldSeq.next(ctx, txn)
+					if err != nil {
+						return err
 					}
-				}
-				if isNew {
+
 					col.Fields = append(
 						col.Fields,
 						client.CollectionFieldDescription{
 							Name: globalField.Name,
-							// For now just set the field id to it's index.  This does not work
-							// for branching schema and field deletion.
-							ID: client.FieldID(i),
+							ID:   client.FieldID(fieldID),
 						},
 					)
 				}
diff --git a/db/collection_index.go b/db/collection_index.go
index 729afe797a..09e0b1c3ec 100644
--- a/db/collection_index.go
+++ b/db/collection_index.go
@@ -203,7 +203,11 @@ func (c *collection) createIndex(
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	colSeq, err := c.db.getSequence(ctx, txn, fmt.Sprintf("%s/%d", core.COLLECTION_INDEX, c.ID()))
+	colSeq, err := c.db.getSequence(
+		ctx,
+		txn,
+		core.NewIndexIDSequenceKey(c.ID()),
+	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/db/db.go b/db/db.go
index 1046b2db54..7b3ff7bcb8 100644
--- a/db/db.go
+++ b/db/db.go
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ func (db *db) initialize(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	// init meta data
 	// collection sequence
-	_, err = db.getSequence(ctx, txn, core.COLLECTION)
+	_, err = db.getSequence(ctx, txn, core.CollectionIDSequenceKey{})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/db/index_test.go b/db/index_test.go
index ba7d62e8de..19787cfe93 100644
--- a/db/index_test.go
+++ b/db/index_test.go
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ func TestCreateIndex_WithMultipleCollectionsAndIndexes_AssignIncrementedIDPerCol
 		desc, err := f.createCollectionIndexFor(col.Name().Value(), makeIndex(fieldName))
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.Equal(t, expectedID, desc.ID)
-		seqKey := core.NewSequenceKey(fmt.Sprintf("%s/%d", core.COLLECTION_INDEX, col.ID()))
+		seqKey := core.NewIndexIDSequenceKey(col.ID())
 		storedSeqKey, err := f.txn.Systemstore().Get(f.ctx, seqKey.ToDS())
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 		storedSeqVal := binary.BigEndian.Uint64(storedSeqKey)
diff --git a/db/indexed_docs_test.go b/db/indexed_docs_test.go
index bc7b9c09f6..1d8a1ce803 100644
--- a/db/indexed_docs_test.go
+++ b/db/indexed_docs_test.go
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
-	"fmt"
 	"testing"
 
 	ipfsDatastore "github.com/ipfs/go-datastore"
@@ -261,7 +260,7 @@ func (f *indexTestFixture) stubSystemStore(systemStoreOn *mocks.DSReaderWriter_E
 	systemStoreOn.Get(mock.Anything, colIndexOnNameKey.ToDS()).Maybe().Return(indexOnNameDescData, nil)
 
 	if f.users != nil {
-		sequenceKey := core.NewSequenceKey(fmt.Sprintf("%s/%d", core.COLLECTION_INDEX, f.users.ID()))
+		sequenceKey := core.NewIndexIDSequenceKey(f.users.ID())
 		systemStoreOn.Get(mock.Anything, sequenceKey.ToDS()).Maybe().Return([]byte{0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1}, nil)
 	}
 
diff --git a/db/lens.go b/db/lens.go
index 009f2de92b..d5240dad83 100644
--- a/db/lens.go
+++ b/db/lens.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func (db *db) setMigration(ctx context.Context, txn datastore.Txn, cfg client.Le
 		return err
 	}
 
-	colSeq, err := db.getSequence(ctx, txn, core.COLLECTION)
+	colSeq, err := db.getSequence(ctx, txn, core.CollectionIDSequenceKey{})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/db/sequence.go b/db/sequence.go
index 1fcfbf7872..3c510ec78c 100644
--- a/db/sequence.go
+++ b/db/sequence.go
@@ -22,17 +22,13 @@ import (
 )
 
 type sequence struct {
-	key core.SequenceKey
+	key core.Key
 	val uint64
 }
 
-func (db *db) getSequence(ctx context.Context, txn datastore.Txn, key string) (*sequence, error) {
-	if key == "" {
-		return nil, ErrKeyEmpty
-	}
-	seqKey := core.NewSequenceKey(key)
+func (db *db) getSequence(ctx context.Context, txn datastore.Txn, key core.Key) (*sequence, error) {
 	seq := &sequence{
-		key: seqKey,
+		key: key,
 		val: uint64(0),
 	}
 
diff --git a/docs/data_format_changes/i2333-field-id-seq.md b/docs/data_format_changes/i2333-field-id-seq.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..269685d5f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/data_format_changes/i2333-field-id-seq.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Generate field ids using a sequence
+
+The index and collection id sequences were also moved (for consistency).