diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-native/protocol-footer.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-native/protocol-footer.c
index f3c108505..bc4caa4a8 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-native/protocol-footer.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-native/protocol-footer.c
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ void marshal_client_footers(struct footer_client_global_state *state, struct pw_
 {
 	struct footer_builder fb = FOOTER_BUILDER_INIT(builder);
 
-	if (client->context->generation != state->last_sent_generation) {
-		state->last_sent_generation = client->context->generation;
+	if (client->context->generation != client->sent_generation) {
+		client->sent_generation = client->context->generation;
 
 		pw_log_trace("impl-client %p: send server registry generation:%"PRIu64,
 				client, client->context->generation);
@@ -117,10 +117,11 @@ int demarshal_core_generation(void *object, struct spa_pod_parser *parser)
 	if (spa_pod_parser_get_long(parser, &generation) < 0)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	core->recv_generation = (uint64_t)generation;
+	core->recv_generation = SPA_MAX(core->recv_generation,
+			(uint64_t)generation);
 
 	pw_log_trace("core %p: recv server registry generation:%"PRIu64,
-			core->core, generation);
+			core, generation);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -133,7 +134,8 @@ int demarshal_client_generation(void *object, struct spa_pod_parser *parser)
 	if (spa_pod_parser_get_long(parser, &generation) < 0)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	client->recv_generation = (uint64_t)generation;
+	client->recv_generation = SPA_MAX(client->recv_generation,
+			(uint64_t)generation);
 
 	pw_log_trace("impl-client %p: recv client registry generation:%"PRIu64,
 			client, generation);
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-native/protocol-footer.h b/src/modules/module-protocol-native/protocol-footer.h
index a097fd0a8..bdbec0430 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-native/protocol-footer.h
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-native/protocol-footer.h
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ struct footer_core_global_state {
 };
 
 struct footer_client_global_state {
-	uint64_t last_sent_generation;
 };
 
 struct footer_demarshal {
diff --git a/src/pipewire/global.c b/src/pipewire/global.c
index e67053073..aa2a048ce 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/global.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/global.c
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ int pw_global_register(struct pw_global *global)
 {
 	struct pw_resource *registry;
 	struct pw_context *context = global->context;
+	struct pw_impl_client *client;
 
 	if (global->registered)
 		return -EEXIST;
@@ -150,8 +151,8 @@ int pw_global_register(struct pw_global *global)
 
 	spa_list_for_each(registry, &context->registry_resource_list, link) {
 		uint32_t permissions = pw_global_get_permissions(global, registry->client);
-		pw_log_debug("registry %p: global %d %08x serial:%"PRIu64,
-				registry, global->id, permissions, global->serial);
+		pw_log_debug("registry %p: global %d %08x serial:%"PRIu64" generation:%"PRIu64,
+				registry, global->id, permissions, global->serial, global->generation);
 		if (PW_PERM_IS_R(permissions))
 			pw_registry_resource_global(registry,
 						    global->id,
@@ -161,6 +162,25 @@ int pw_global_register(struct pw_global *global)
 						    &global->properties->dict);
 	}
 
+	/* Ensure a message is sent also to clients without registries, to force
+	 * generation number update. */
+	spa_list_for_each(client, &context->client_list, link) {
+		uint32_t permissions;
+
+		if (client->sent_generation >= context->generation)
+			continue;
+		if (!client->core_resource)
+			continue;
+
+		permissions = pw_global_get_permissions(global, client);
+		if (PW_PERM_IS_R(permissions)) {
+			pw_log_debug("impl-client %p: (no registry) global %d %08x serial:%"PRIu64
+					" generation:%"PRIu64, client, global->id, permissions, global->serial,
+					global->generation);
+			pw_core_resource_done(client->core_resource, global->id, 0);
+		}
+	}
+
 	pw_log_debug("%p: registered %u", global, global->id);
 	pw_context_emit_global_added(context, global);
 
diff --git a/src/pipewire/private.h b/src/pipewire/private.h
index ea166dac0..b5ae51ab8 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/private.h
+++ b/src/pipewire/private.h
@@ -300,6 +300,7 @@ struct pw_impl_client {
 	int recv_seq;			/**< last received sequence number */
 	int send_seq;			/**< last sender sequence number */
 	uint64_t recv_generation;	/**< last received registry generation */
+	uint64_t sent_generation;	/**< last sent registry generation */
 
 	void *user_data;		/**< extra user data */