diff --git a/hw/9pfs/9p-synth.c b/hw/9pfs/9p-synth.c
index d99d26398552..1c5813e4ddc6 100644
--- a/hw/9pfs/9p-synth.c
+++ b/hw/9pfs/9p-synth.c
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ int qemu_v9fs_synth_mkdir(V9fsSynthNode *parent, int mode,
         }
     }
     /* Add the name */
-    node = v9fs_add_dir_node(parent, mode, name, NULL, synth_node_count++);
+    node = v9fs_add_dir_node(parent, mode, name, NULL, ++synth_node_count);
     v9fs_add_dir_node(node, parent->attr->mode, "..",
                       parent->attr, parent->attr->inode);
     v9fs_add_dir_node(node, node->attr->mode, ".",
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ int qemu_v9fs_synth_add_file(V9fsSynthNode *parent, int mode,
     mode = ((mode & 0777) | S_IFREG);
     node = g_new0(V9fsSynthNode, 1);
     node->attr         = &node->actual_attr;
-    node->attr->inode  = synth_node_count++;
+    node->attr->inode  = ++synth_node_count;
     node->attr->nlink  = 1;
     node->attr->read   = read;
     node->attr->write  = write;