diff --git a/src/rx/rx.c b/src/rx/rx.c
index d49afa9af0..92b7d099a3 100644
--- a/src/rx/rx.c
+++ b/src/rx/rx.c
@@ -1455,8 +1455,8 @@ osi_socket *socketp;
 		if (!QuotaOK(service)) {
 		    continue;
 		}
-		if (!tno || !tcall->queue_item_header.next) {
-		    /* If we're thread 0, then  we'll just use 
+		if (tno==rxi_fcfs_thread_num || !tcall->queue_item_header.next  ) {
+		    /* If we're the fcfs thread , then  we'll just use 
 		     * this call. If we haven't been able to find an optimal 
 		     * choice, and we're at the end of the list, then use a 
 		     * 2d choice if one has been identified.  Otherwise... */
@@ -1608,8 +1608,8 @@ rx_GetCall(tno, cur_service, socketp)
 	for (queue_Scan(&rx_incomingCallQueue, tcall, ncall, rx_call)) {
 	  service = tcall->conn->service;
 	  if (QuotaOK(service)) {
-	     if (!tno || !tcall->queue_item_header.next  ) {
-		 /* If we're thread 0, then  we'll just use 
+	     if (tno==rxi_fcfs_thread_num || !tcall->queue_item_header.next  ) {
+		 /* If we're the fcfs thread, then  we'll just use 
 		  * this call. If we haven't been able to find an optimal 
 		  * choice, and we're at the end of the list, then use a 
 		  * 2d choice if one has been identified.  Otherwise... */
diff --git a/src/rx/rx_globals.h b/src/rx/rx_globals.h
index 160e2c25e4..f8d7580212 100644
--- a/src/rx/rx_globals.h
+++ b/src/rx/rx_globals.h
@@ -373,10 +373,13 @@ EXT int rxi_callAbortDelay INIT(3000);
  */
 
 #if defined(AFS_PTHREAD_ENV)
+EXT int rxi_fcfs_thread_num INIT(0);
 EXT pthread_key_t rx_thread_id_key;
 /* keep track of pthread numbers - protected by rx_stats_mutex, 
    except in rx_Init() before mutex exists! */
 EXT int rxi_pthread_hinum INIT(0);
+#else
+#define rxi_fcfs_thread_num (0)
 #endif
 
 #if defined(RX_ENABLE_LOCKS)
diff --git a/src/rx/rx_pthread.c b/src/rx/rx_pthread.c
index 44f7135bd1..6394f34b53 100644
--- a/src/rx/rx_pthread.c
+++ b/src/rx/rx_pthread.c
@@ -133,9 +133,6 @@ void rxi_StartServerProc(proc, stacksize)
 	printf("Unable to Create Rx server thread\n");
 	exit(1);
     }
-    MUTEX_ENTER(&rx_stats_mutex);
-    ++rxi_pthread_hinum;
-    MUTEX_EXIT(&rx_stats_mutex);
     AFS_SIGSET_RESTORE();
 }
 
@@ -282,7 +279,21 @@ void rx_ServerProc()
     rxi_dataQuota += rx_initSendWindow;	/* Reserve some pkts for hard times */
     /* threadID is used for making decisions in GetCall.  Get it by bumping
      * number of threads handling incoming calls */
-    threadID = rxi_availProcs++;
+	/* Unique thread ID: used for scheduling purposes *and* as index into
+		the host hold table (fileserver). 
+		The previously used rxi_availProcs is unsuitable as it
+		will already go up and down as packets arrive while the server
+		threads are still initialising! The recently introduced
+		rxi_pthread_hinum does not necessarily lead to a server
+		thread with id 0, which is not allowed to hop through the
+		incoming call queue.
+		So either introduce yet another counter or flag the FCFS
+		thread... chose the latter.
+	*/
+	threadID = ++rxi_pthread_hinum;
+	if (rxi_fcfs_thread_num==0 && rxi_fcfs_thread_num!=threadID)
+		rxi_fcfs_thread_num=threadID;
+	++rxi_availProcs;
     MUTEX_EXIT(&rx_stats_mutex);
 
     while(1) {