diff --git a/actor/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/io/dns/IdGenerator.scala b/actor/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/io/dns/IdGenerator.scala
index da4cda3da3..0d6cea0251 100644
--- a/actor/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/io/dns/IdGenerator.scala
+++ b/actor/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/io/dns/IdGenerator.scala
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ private[pekko] trait IdGenerator {
  */
 @InternalApi
 private[pekko] object IdGenerator {
-  private val MaxUnsignedShort = 65535
+  // Random.nextInt(bound) generates a random int in the range 0 (inclusive) to bound (exclusive),
+  // so add 1 to Max Unsigned Short (65535)
+  private val UnsignedShortBound = 65536
 
   sealed trait Policy
 
@@ -57,5 +59,5 @@ private[pekko] object IdGenerator {
    * @return a random sequence of ids for production
    */
   def random(rand: java.util.Random): IdGenerator =
-    () => (rand.nextInt(MaxUnsignedShort) - Short.MinValue).toShort
+    () => (rand.nextInt(UnsignedShortBound) + Short.MinValue).toShort
 }