diff --git a/src/timestamp.rs b/src/timestamp.rs
index 5bd21a28..9cbbc1f5 100644
--- a/src/timestamp.rs
+++ b/src/timestamp.rs
@@ -25,12 +25,24 @@ pub trait TimestampExt: Sized {
 
 impl TimestampExt for Timestamp {
     fn version(&self) -> u64 {
+        if self.physical == i64::MAX && self.logical == i64::MAX {
+            return u64::MAX;
+        }
+
         ((self.physical << PHYSICAL_SHIFT_BITS) + self.logical)
             .try_into()
             .expect("Overflow converting timestamp to version")
     }
 
     fn from_version(version: u64) -> Self {
+        if version == u64::MAX {
+            return Self {
+                physical: i64::MAX,
+                logical: i64::MAX,
+                suffix_bits: 0,
+            };
+        }
+
         let version = version as i64;
         Self {
             physical: version >> PHYSICAL_SHIFT_BITS,
@@ -41,7 +53,7 @@ impl TimestampExt for Timestamp {
     }
 
     fn try_from_version(version: u64) -> Option<Self> {
-        if version == 0 {
+        if version == 0 || (version >= i64::MAX as u64 && version != u64::MAX) {
             None
         } else {
             Some(Self::from_version(version))
diff --git a/src/transaction/client.rs b/src/transaction/client.rs
index 69f11bce..500a38d8 100644
--- a/src/transaction/client.rs
+++ b/src/transaction/client.rs
@@ -276,7 +276,11 @@ impl Client {
         Ok(res)
     }
 
-    fn new_transaction(&self, timestamp: Timestamp, options: TransactionOptions) -> Transaction {
+    pub fn new_transaction(
+        &self,
+        timestamp: Timestamp,
+        options: TransactionOptions,
+    ) -> Transaction {
         let logger = self.logger.new(o!("child" => 1));
         Transaction::new(timestamp, self.pd.clone(), options, logger)
     }