diff --git a/servers/slapd/overlays/syncprov.c b/servers/slapd/overlays/syncprov.c
index 241ad7e552..5c9cff1317 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/overlays/syncprov.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/overlays/syncprov.c
@@ -1338,7 +1338,7 @@ syncprov_checkpoint( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs, slap_overinst *on )
 	mod.sml_nvalues = NULL;
 	mod.sml_desc = slap_schema.si_ad_contextCSN;
 	mod.sml_op = LDAP_MOD_REPLACE;
-	mod.sml_flags = 0;
+	mod.sml_flags = SLAP_MOD_INTERNAL;
 	mod.sml_next = NULL;
 
 	cb.sc_response = slap_null_cb;
diff --git a/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c b/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
index 747435d8b1..fd8847727c 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
@@ -2733,6 +2733,7 @@ syncrepl_updateCookie(
 	mod.sml_op = LDAP_MOD_REPLACE;
 	mod.sml_desc = slap_schema.si_ad_contextCSN;
 	mod.sml_type = mod.sml_desc->ad_cname;
+	mod.sml_flags = SLAP_MOD_INTERNAL;
 	mod.sml_nvalues = NULL;
 	mod.sml_next = NULL;