diff --git a/tokio/src/sync/watch.rs b/tokio/src/sync/watch.rs
index 5a46670eeeb..0452a81aa0a 100644
--- a/tokio/src/sync/watch.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/sync/watch.rs
@@ -380,7 +380,17 @@ mod state {
     impl Version {
         /// Get the initial version when creating the channel.
         pub(super) fn initial() -> Self {
-            Version(0)
+            // The initial version is 1 so that `mark_unseen` can decrement by one.
+            // (The value is 2 due to the closed bit.)
+            Version(2)
+        }
+
+        /// Decrements the version.
+        pub(super) fn decrement(&mut self) {
+            // Decrement by two to avoid touching the CLOSED bit.
+            if self.0 >= 2 {
+                self.0 -= 2;
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -400,7 +410,7 @@ mod state {
         /// Create a new `AtomicState` that is not closed and which has the
         /// version set to `Version::initial()`.
         pub(super) fn new() -> Self {
-            AtomicState(AtomicUsize::new(0))
+            AtomicState(AtomicUsize::new(2))
         }
 
         /// Load the current value of the state.
@@ -634,6 +644,11 @@ impl<T> Receiver<T> {
         Ok(self.version != new_version)
     }
 
+    /// Marks the state as unseen.
+    pub fn mark_unseen(&mut self) {
+        self.version.decrement();
+    }
+
     /// Waits for a change notification, then marks the newest value as seen.
     ///
     /// If the newest value in the channel has not yet been marked seen when
diff --git a/tokio/tests/sync_watch.rs b/tokio/tests/sync_watch.rs
index dab57aa5af6..5bcb7476888 100644
--- a/tokio/tests/sync_watch.rs
+++ b/tokio/tests/sync_watch.rs
@@ -44,6 +44,64 @@ fn single_rx_recv() {
     assert_eq!(*rx.borrow(), "two");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn rx_version_underflow() {
+    let (_tx, mut rx) = watch::channel("one");
+
+    // Version starts at 2, validate we do not underflow
+    rx.mark_unseen();
+    rx.mark_unseen();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn rx_mark_unseen() {
+    let (tx, mut rx) = watch::channel("one");
+
+    let mut rx2 = rx.clone();
+    let mut rx3 = rx.clone();
+    let mut rx4 = rx.clone();
+    {
+        rx.mark_unseen();
+        assert!(rx.has_changed().unwrap());
+
+        let mut t = spawn(rx.changed());
+        assert_ready_ok!(t.poll());
+    }
+
+    {
+        assert!(!rx2.has_changed().unwrap());
+
+        let mut t = spawn(rx2.changed());
+        assert_pending!(t.poll());
+    }
+
+    {
+        rx3.mark_unseen();
+        assert_eq!(*rx3.borrow(), "one");
+
+        assert!(rx3.has_changed().unwrap());
+
+        assert_eq!(*rx3.borrow_and_update(), "one");
+
+        assert!(!rx3.has_changed().unwrap());
+
+        let mut t = spawn(rx3.changed());
+        assert_pending!(t.poll());
+    }
+
+    {
+        tx.send("two").unwrap();
+        assert!(rx4.has_changed().unwrap());
+        assert_eq!(*rx4.borrow_and_update(), "two");
+
+        rx4.mark_unseen();
+        assert!(rx4.has_changed().unwrap());
+        assert_eq!(*rx4.borrow_and_update(), "two")
+    }
+
+    assert_eq!(*rx.borrow(), "two");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn multi_rx() {
     let (tx, mut rx1) = watch::channel("one");