diff --git a/packages/dds/map/src/directory.ts b/packages/dds/map/src/directory.ts
index 4b52a6379b05..e862114e5964 100644
--- a/packages/dds/map/src/directory.ts
+++ b/packages/dds/map/src/directory.ts
@@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@ class SubDirectory extends TypedEventEmitter<IDirectoryEvents> implements IDirec
 		const isNew = this.createSubDirectoryCore(
 			subdirName,
 			true,
-			-1,
+			this.getLocalSeq(),
 			this.runtime.clientId ?? "detached",
 		);
 		const subDir = this._subdirectories.get(subdirName);
@@ -1274,6 +1274,17 @@ class SubDirectory extends TypedEventEmitter<IDirectoryEvents> implements IDirec
 		return subDir;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @returns A sequenceNumber which should be used for local changes.
+	 * @remarks - While detached, 0 is used rather than -1 to represent a change which should be universally known (as opposed to known
+	 * only by the local client). This ensures that if the directory is later attached, none of its data needs to be updated (the values
+	 * last set while detached will now be known to any new client, until they are changed).
+	 * TODO: Convert these conventions to named constants. The semantics used here match those for merge-tree.
+	 */
+	private getLocalSeq(): number {
+		return this.directory.isAttached() ? -1 : 0;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * {@inheritDoc IDirectory.getSubDirectory}
 	 */
@@ -1661,7 +1672,12 @@ class SubDirectory extends TypedEventEmitter<IDirectoryEvents> implements IDirec
 	): ICreateSubDirLocalOpMetadata {
 		this.throwIfDisposed();
 		// Create the sub directory locally first.
-		this.createSubDirectoryCore(op.subdirName, true, -1, this.runtime.clientId ?? "detached");
+		this.createSubDirectoryCore(
+			op.subdirName,
+			true,
+			this.getLocalSeq(),
+			this.runtime.clientId ?? "detached",
+		);
 		this.updatePendingSubDirMessageCount(op);
 
 		const localOpMetadata: ICreateSubDirLocalOpMetadata = {
diff --git a/packages/dds/map/src/test/mocha/directory.spec.ts b/packages/dds/map/src/test/mocha/directory.spec.ts
index fedf1f7e69bf..2de0b5c958d2 100644
--- a/packages/dds/map/src/test/mocha/directory.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/dds/map/src/test/mocha/directory.spec.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
 import { MapFactory } from "../../map";
 import { DirectoryFactory, IDirectoryNewStorageFormat, SharedDirectory } from "../../directory";
 import { IDirectory, IDirectoryValueChanged, ISharedMap } from "../../interfaces";
+import { assertEquivalentDirectories } from "./directoryEquivalenceUtils";
 
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access */
 
@@ -444,7 +445,7 @@ describe("Directory", () => {
 
 				const subMapHandleUrl = subMap.handle.absolutePath;
 				const serialized = serialize(directory);
-				const expected = `{"ci":{"csn":0,"ccIds":[]},"storage":{"first":{"type":"Plain","value":"second"},"third":{"type":"Plain","value":"fourth"},"fifth":{"type":"Plain","value":"sixth"},"object":{"type":"Plain","value":{"type":"__fluid_handle__","url":"${subMapHandleUrl}"}}},"subdirectories":{"nested":{"ci":{"csn":-1,"ccIds":["${dataStoreRuntime.clientId}"]},"storage":{"deepKey1":{"type":"Plain","value":"deepValue1"}},"subdirectories":{"nested2":{"ci":{"csn":-1,"ccIds":["${dataStoreRuntime.clientId}"]},"subdirectories":{"nested3":{"ci":{"csn":-1,"ccIds":["${dataStoreRuntime.clientId}"]},"storage":{"deepKey2":{"type":"Plain","value":"deepValue2"}}}}}}}}}`;
+				const expected = `{"ci":{"csn":0,"ccIds":[]},"storage":{"first":{"type":"Plain","value":"second"},"third":{"type":"Plain","value":"fourth"},"fifth":{"type":"Plain","value":"sixth"},"object":{"type":"Plain","value":{"type":"__fluid_handle__","url":"${subMapHandleUrl}"}}},"subdirectories":{"nested":{"ci":{"csn":0,"ccIds":["${dataStoreRuntime.clientId}"]},"storage":{"deepKey1":{"type":"Plain","value":"deepValue1"}},"subdirectories":{"nested2":{"ci":{"csn":0,"ccIds":["${dataStoreRuntime.clientId}"]},"subdirectories":{"nested3":{"ci":{"csn":0,"ccIds":["${dataStoreRuntime.clientId}"]},"storage":{"deepKey2":{"type":"Plain","value":"deepValue2"}}}}}}}}}`;
 				assert.equal(serialized, expected);
 			});
 
@@ -466,7 +467,7 @@ describe("Directory", () => {
 
 				const subMapHandleUrl = subMap.handle.absolutePath;
 				const serialized = serialize(directory);
-				const expected = `{"ci":{"csn":0,"ccIds":[]},"storage":{"first":{"type":"Plain","value":"second"},"third":{"type":"Plain","value":"fourth"},"fifth":{"type":"Plain"},"object":{"type":"Plain","value":{"type":"__fluid_handle__","url":"${subMapHandleUrl}"}}},"subdirectories":{"nested":{"ci":{"csn":-1,"ccIds":["${dataStoreRuntime.clientId}"]},"storage":{"deepKey1":{"type":"Plain","value":"deepValue1"},"deepKeyUndefined":{"type":"Plain"}},"subdirectories":{"nested2":{"ci":{"csn":-1,"ccIds":["${dataStoreRuntime.clientId}"]},"subdirectories":{"nested3":{"ci":{"csn":-1,"ccIds":["${dataStoreRuntime.clientId}"]},"storage":{"deepKey2":{"type":"Plain","value":"deepValue2"}}}}}}}}}`;
+				const expected = `{"ci":{"csn":0,"ccIds":[]},"storage":{"first":{"type":"Plain","value":"second"},"third":{"type":"Plain","value":"fourth"},"fifth":{"type":"Plain"},"object":{"type":"Plain","value":{"type":"__fluid_handle__","url":"${subMapHandleUrl}"}}},"subdirectories":{"nested":{"ci":{"csn":0,"ccIds":["${dataStoreRuntime.clientId}"]},"storage":{"deepKey1":{"type":"Plain","value":"deepValue1"},"deepKeyUndefined":{"type":"Plain"}},"subdirectories":{"nested2":{"ci":{"csn":0,"ccIds":["${dataStoreRuntime.clientId}"]},"subdirectories":{"nested3":{"ci":{"csn":0,"ccIds":["${dataStoreRuntime.clientId}"]},"storage":{"deepKey2":{"type":"Plain","value":"deepValue2"}}}}}}}}}`;
 				assert.equal(serialized, expected);
 			});
 		});
@@ -859,7 +860,7 @@ describe("Directory", () => {
 				);
 			});
 
-			it("should correctly process a sub directory operation sent in local state", async () => {
+			it("should correctly process subdirectory operations sent in local state", async () => {
 				// Set the data store runtime to local.
 				dataStoreRuntime.local = true;
 
@@ -899,10 +900,15 @@ describe("Directory", () => {
 					directory.getSubDirectory(subDirName),
 					"The first directory does not have sub directory",
 				);
-				assert.ok(
-					directory2.getSubDirectory(subDirName),
-					"The second directory does not have sub directory",
-				);
+				const subDir2 = directory2.getSubDirectory(subDirName);
+
+				assert.ok(subDir2, "The second directory does not have sub directory");
+
+				subDir2.set("foo", "bar");
+
+				containerRuntimeFactory.processAllMessages();
+
+				assertEquivalentDirectories(directory, directory2);
 
 				// Delete the subdirectory in the second SharedDirectory.
 				directory2.deleteSubDirectory(subDirName);