diff --git a/fs/nilfs2/the_nilfs.c b/fs/nilfs2/the_nilfs.c
index db322068678f4..f41d7b6d432c6 100644
--- a/fs/nilfs2/the_nilfs.c
+++ b/fs/nilfs2/the_nilfs.c
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ static int nilfs_load_super_block(struct the_nilfs *nilfs,
 	struct nilfs_super_block **sbp = nilfs->ns_sbp;
 	struct buffer_head **sbh = nilfs->ns_sbh;
 	u64 sb2off, devsize = bdev_nr_bytes(nilfs->ns_bdev);
-	int valid[2], swp = 0;
+	int valid[2], swp = 0, older;
 
 	if (devsize < NILFS_SEG_MIN_BLOCKS * NILFS_MIN_BLOCK_SIZE + 4096) {
 		nilfs_err(sb, "device size too small");
@@ -648,9 +648,25 @@ static int nilfs_load_super_block(struct the_nilfs *nilfs,
 	if (swp)
 		nilfs_swap_super_block(nilfs);
 
+	/*
+	 * Calculate the array index of the older superblock data.
+	 * If one has been dropped, set index 0 pointing to the remaining one,
+	 * otherwise set index 1 pointing to the old one (including if both
+	 * are the same).
+	 *
+	 *  Divided case             valid[0]  valid[1]  swp  ->  older
+	 *  -------------------------------------------------------------
+	 *  Both SBs are invalid        0         0       N/A (Error)
+	 *  SB1 is invalid              0         1       1         0
+	 *  SB2 is invalid              1         0       0         0
+	 *  SB2 is newer                1         1       1         0
+	 *  SB2 is older or the same    1         1       0         1
+	 */
+	older = valid[1] ^ swp;
+
 	nilfs->ns_sbwcount = 0;
 	nilfs->ns_sbwtime = le64_to_cpu(sbp[0]->s_wtime);
-	nilfs->ns_prot_seq = le64_to_cpu(sbp[valid[1] & !swp]->s_last_seq);
+	nilfs->ns_prot_seq = le64_to_cpu(sbp[older]->s_last_seq);
 	*sbpp = sbp[0];
 	return 0;
 }