diff --git a/lib/py/src/protocol/TCompactProtocol.py b/lib/py/src/protocol/TCompactProtocol.py
index e485cff..da50513 100644
--- a/lib/py/src/protocol/TCompactProtocol.py
+++ b/lib/py/src/protocol/TCompactProtocol.py
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@
 
 
 def writeVarint(trans, n):
+    assert n >= 0, "Input to TCompactProtocol writeVarint cannot be negative!"
     out = bytearray()
     while True:
         if n & ~0x7f == 0:
@@ -156,7 +157,14 @@
         assert self.state == CLEAR
         self.__writeUByte(self.PROTOCOL_ID)
         self.__writeUByte(self.VERSION | (type << self.TYPE_SHIFT_AMOUNT))
-        self.__writeVarint(seqid)
+        # The sequence id is a signed 32-bit integer but the compact protocol
+        # writes this out as a "var int" which is always positive, and attempting
+        # to write a negative number results in an infinite loop, so we may
+        # need to do some conversion here...
+        tseqid = seqid;
+        if tseqid < 0:
+            tseqid = 2147483648 + (2147483648 + tseqid)
+        self.__writeVarint(tseqid)
         self.__writeBinary(str_to_binary(name))
         self.state = VALUE_WRITE
 
@@ -334,6 +342,10 @@
             raise TProtocolException(TProtocolException.BAD_VERSION,
                                      'Bad version: %d (expect %d)' % (version, self.VERSION))
         seqid = self.__readVarint()
+        # the sequence is a compact "var int" which is treaded as unsigned,
+        # however the sequence is actually signed...
+        if seqid > 2147483647:
+            seqid = -2147483648 - (2147483648 - seqid)
         name = binary_to_str(self.__readBinary())
         return (name, type, seqid)