diff --git a/src/engine/gncCustomer.c b/src/engine/gncCustomer.c
index 358deea926..01ab6ea7a6 100644
--- a/src/engine/gncCustomer.c
+++ b/src/engine/gncCustomer.c
@@ -951,5 +951,5 @@ gboolean gncCustomerRegister (void)
 
 gint64 gncCustomerNextID (QofBook *book)
 {
-    return qof_book_get_counter (book, _GNC_MOD_NAME);
+    return qof_book_increment_and_get_counter (book, _GNC_MOD_NAME);
 }
diff --git a/src/engine/gncEmployee.c b/src/engine/gncEmployee.c
index 9b81d3fe92..0fce09cefb 100644
--- a/src/engine/gncEmployee.c
+++ b/src/engine/gncEmployee.c
@@ -742,5 +742,5 @@ gboolean gncEmployeeRegister (void)
 
 gint64 gncEmployeeNextID (QofBook *book)
 {
-    return qof_book_get_counter (book, _GNC_MOD_NAME);
+    return qof_book_increment_and_get_counter (book, _GNC_MOD_NAME);
 }
diff --git a/src/engine/gncInvoice.c b/src/engine/gncInvoice.c
index 5fb08afd59..ba68a1edf5 100644
--- a/src/engine/gncInvoice.c
+++ b/src/engine/gncInvoice.c
@@ -2131,16 +2131,16 @@ gint64 gncInvoiceNextID (QofBook *book, GncOwner *owner)
     switch (gncOwnerGetType(gncOwnerGetEndOwner(owner)))
     {
     case GNC_OWNER_CUSTOMER:
-        nextID = qof_book_get_counter (book, "gncInvoice");
+        nextID = qof_book_increment_and_get_counter (book, "gncInvoice");
         break;
     case GNC_OWNER_VENDOR:
-        nextID = qof_book_get_counter (book, "gncBill");
+        nextID = qof_book_increment_and_get_counter (book, "gncBill");
         break;
     case GNC_OWNER_EMPLOYEE:
-        nextID = qof_book_get_counter (book, "gncExpVoucher");
+        nextID = qof_book_increment_and_get_counter (book, "gncExpVoucher");
         break;
     default:
-        nextID = qof_book_get_counter (book, _GNC_MOD_NAME);
+        nextID = qof_book_increment_and_get_counter (book, _GNC_MOD_NAME);
         break;
     }
     return nextID;
diff --git a/src/engine/gncJob.c b/src/engine/gncJob.c
index bb69f89f74..c704d474fb 100644
--- a/src/engine/gncJob.c
+++ b/src/engine/gncJob.c
@@ -585,5 +585,5 @@ gboolean gncJobRegister (void)
 
 gint64 gncJobNextID (QofBook *book)
 {
-    return qof_book_get_counter (book, _GNC_MOD_NAME);
+    return qof_book_increment_and_get_counter (book, _GNC_MOD_NAME);
 }
diff --git a/src/engine/gncOrder.c b/src/engine/gncOrder.c
index b4c147103f..4c34821c4a 100644
--- a/src/engine/gncOrder.c
+++ b/src/engine/gncOrder.c
@@ -606,5 +606,5 @@ gboolean gncOrderRegister (void)
 
 gint64 gncOrderNextID (QofBook *book)
 {
-    return qof_book_get_counter (book, _GNC_MOD_NAME);
+    return qof_book_increment_and_get_counter (book, _GNC_MOD_NAME);
 }
diff --git a/src/engine/gncVendor.c b/src/engine/gncVendor.c
index 35e7ceb6da..9cbe36a371 100644
--- a/src/engine/gncVendor.c
+++ b/src/engine/gncVendor.c
@@ -861,5 +861,5 @@ gboolean gncVendorRegister (void)
 
 gint64 gncVendorNextID (QofBook *book)
 {
-    return qof_book_get_counter (book, _GNC_MOD_NAME);
+    return qof_book_increment_and_get_counter (book, _GNC_MOD_NAME);
 }
diff --git a/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.c b/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.c
index 69889254c6..c87b873718 100644
--- a/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.c
+++ b/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.c
@@ -392,10 +392,8 @@ void qof_book_set_version (QofBook *book, gint32 version)
 gint64
 qof_book_get_counter (QofBook *book, const char *counter_name)
 {
-    QofBackend *be;
     KvpFrame *kvp;
     KvpValue *value;
-    gint64 counter;
 
     if (!book)
     {
@@ -422,17 +420,54 @@ qof_book_get_counter (QofBook *book, const char *counter_name)
     if (value)
     {
         /* found it */
-        counter = kvp_value_get_gint64 (value);
+        return kvp_value_get_gint64 (value);
     }
     else
     {
         /* New counter */
-        counter = 0;
+        return 0;
+    }
+}
+
+gint64
+qof_book_increment_and_get_counter (QofBook *book, const char *counter_name)
+{
+    QofBackend *be;
+    KvpFrame *kvp;
+    KvpValue *value;
+    gint64 counter;
+
+    if (!book)
+    {
+        PWARN ("No book!!!");
+        return -1;
     }
 
-    /* Counter is now valid; increment it */
+    if (!counter_name || *counter_name == '\0')
+    {
+        PWARN ("Invalid counter name.");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    /* Get the current counter value from the KVP in the book. */
+    counter = qof_book_get_counter(book, counter_name);
+
+    /* Check if an error occured */
+    if (counter < 0)
+	return -1;
+
+    /* Increment the counter */
     counter++;
 
+    /* Get the KVP from the current book */
+    kvp = qof_book_get_slots (book);
+
+    if (!kvp)
+    {
+	PWARN ("Book has no KVP_Frame");
+	return -1;
+    }
+
     /* Save off the new counter */
     qof_book_begin_edit(book);
     value = kvp_value_new_gint64 (counter);
@@ -441,7 +476,6 @@ qof_book_get_counter (QofBook *book, const char *counter_name)
     qof_book_mark_dirty(book);
     qof_book_commit_edit(book);
 
-    /* and return the value */
     return counter;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.h b/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.h
index cb0c30b734..d74686cb83 100644
--- a/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.h
+++ b/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.h
@@ -278,11 +278,17 @@ void qof_book_kvp_changed (QofBook *book);
  */
 gboolean qof_book_equal (const QofBook *book_1, const QofBook *book_2);
 
-/** This will 'get and increment' the named counter for this book.
- * The return value is -1 on error or the incremented counter.
+/** This will get the named counter for this book. The return value is
+ *    -1 on error or the current value of the counter.
  */
 gint64 qof_book_get_counter (QofBook *book, const char *counter_name);
 
+/** This will increment the named counter for this book and return it.
+ *    The return value is -1 on error or the (new) value of the
+ *    counter.
+ */
+gint64 qof_book_increment_and_get_counter (QofBook *book, const char *counter_name);
+
 const char* qof_book_get_string_option(const QofBook* book, const char* opt_name);
 void qof_book_set_string_option(QofBook* book, const char* opt_name, const char* opt_val);