diff --git a/roles/knot/templates/etc/knot/knot.conf.j2 b/roles/knot/templates/etc/knot/knot.conf.j2
index 246fd45..6fd23b5 100644
--- a/roles/knot/templates/etc/knot/knot.conf.j2
+++ b/roles/knot/templates/etc/knot/knot.conf.j2
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ zone:
     storage: {{ knot_zone_master_storage_path }}
     semantic-checks: {{ knot_zone_semantic_checks }}
     serial-policy: unixtime
-    zonefile-load: difference
+    zonefile-load: difference-no-serial
     zonefile-sync: -1
     journal-content: changes
     dnssec-signing: {{ knot_zone_dnssec_signing }}
diff --git a/roles/knot/templates/var/lib/knot/master/zone.j2 b/roles/knot/templates/var/lib/knot/master/zone.j2
index 7d38d15..3f906a7 100644
--- a/roles/knot/templates/var/lib/knot/master/zone.j2
+++ b/roles/knot/templates/var/lib/knot/master/zone.j2
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 $TTL	{{ zone.soa.ttl }}
 
 @	{{ zone.soa.class }}	SOA	{{ zone.soa.primary }}.	{{ zone.soa.rname }}. (
-	{{ ansible_date_time.epoch }}	; serial
+	0	; serial (ignored by knot, uses unixtime instead)
 	{{ zone.soa.refresh }}	; refresh
 	{{ zone.soa.retry }}	; retry
 	{{ zone.soa.expire }}	; expire