diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cache.py b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
index a669b7017b..d3aea991ac 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cache.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
@@ -1170,7 +1170,7 @@ class Cache(object):
         self._update_last_modified(tuple(formats_map.iterkeys()))
 
     @read_api
-    def get_next_series_num_for(self, series, field='series'):
+    def get_next_series_num_for(self, series, field='series', current_indices=False):
         books = ()
         sf = self.fields[field]
         if series:
@@ -1180,6 +1180,8 @@ class Cache(object):
                     books = book_ids
                     break
         series_indices = sorted(self._field_for(sf.index_field.name, book_id) for book_id in books)
+        if current_indices:
+            return series_indices
         return _get_next_series_num_for_list(tuple(series_indices), unwrap=False)
 
     @read_api
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
index 51845a3cf2..277e887a09 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from calibre.utils.config import prefs, tweaks
 from calibre.utils.magick.draw import identify_data
 from calibre.utils.date import qt_to_dt
 from calibre.ptempfile import SpooledTemporaryFile
-from calibre.db import SPOOL_SIZE
+from calibre.db import SPOOL_SIZE, _get_next_series_num_for_list
 
 def get_cover_data(stream, ext):  # {{{
     from calibre.ebooks.metadata.meta import get_metadata
@@ -237,8 +237,15 @@ class MyBlockingBusyNew(QDialog):
             if not args.series:
                 cache.set_field('series_index', {bid:1.0 for bid in self.ids})
             else:
-                sval = args.series_start_value if args.do_series_restart else cache.get_next_series_num_for(args.series)
-                smap = {bid:((sval + i) if args.do_autonumber else 1.0) for i, bid in enumerate(self.ids)}
+                sval = args.series_start_value if args.do_series_restart else list(cache.get_next_series_num_for(args.series, current_indices=True))
+                def next_series_num(i):
+                    if args.do_series_restart:
+                        return sval + i
+                    next_num = _get_next_series_num_for_list(sval, unwrap=False)
+                    sval.append(next_num)
+                    return next_num
+
+                smap = {bid:next_series_num(i) for i, bid in enumerate(self.ids)}
                 if args.do_autonumber or tweaks['series_index_auto_increment'] != 'no_change':
                     cache.set_field('series_index', smap)