diff --git a/watch/watch.py b/watch/watch.py
index 5966eace..8d58b4eb 100644
--- a/watch/watch.py
+++ b/watch/watch.py
@@ -95,13 +95,22 @@ def unmarshal_event(self, data, return_type):
             obj = SimpleNamespace(data=json.dumps(js['raw_object']))
             js['object'] = self._api_client.deserialize(obj, return_type)
             if hasattr(js['object'], 'metadata'):
-                self.resource_version = js['object'].metadata.resource_version
+                resource_version = js['object'].metadata.resource_version
             # For custom objects that we don't have model defined, json
             # deserialization results in dictionary
             elif (isinstance(js['object'], dict) and 'metadata' in js['object']
                   and 'resourceVersion' in js['object']['metadata']):
-                self.resource_version = js['object']['metadata'][
-                    'resourceVersion']
+                resource_version = js['object']['metadata']['resourceVersion']
+            else:
+                resource_version = None
+
+            # Resource version must never revert to old objects, especially
+            # on the first listing call (the objects are sorted randomly).
+            if (resource_version is not None and
+                    (self.resource_version is None or
+                     self.resource_version < resource_version)):
+                self.resource_version = resource_version
+
         return js
 
     def stream(self, func, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/watch/watch_test.py b/watch/watch_test.py
index ebc400af..823bfc66 100644
--- a/watch/watch_test.py
+++ b/watch/watch_test.py
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ def get_values(*args, **kwargs):
             # opaque value we cannot interpret it and order it so rely
             # on k8s returning the events completely and in order
             calls.append(call(_preload_content=False, watch=True,
-                              resource_version="3"))
+                              resource_version="5"))
 
         for c, e in enumerate(w.stream(fake_api.get_namespaces,
                                        resource_version="5")):
@@ -164,6 +164,43 @@ def get_values(*args, **kwargs):
         # more strict test with worse error message
         self.assertEqual(fake_api.get_namespaces.mock_calls, calls)
 
+    def test_watch_resource_version_grows_monotonically(self):
+        # https://github.com/kubernetes-client/python/issues/700
+        # ensure that the resource version never decrements,
+        # especially on the first listing of the resources
+        # (as they go in arbitrary order, not sorted).
+        fake_resp = Mock()
+        fake_resp.close = Mock()
+        fake_resp.release_conn = Mock()
+        fake_resp.read_chunked = Mock(
+            return_value=[
+                '{"type": "ADDED", "object": {"metadata": {"name": "test1",'
+                '"resourceVersion": "1"}, "spec": {}, "status": {}}}\n',
+                '{"type": "ADDED", "object": {"metadata": {"name": "test2",'
+                '"resourceVersion": "3"}, "spec": {}, "status": {}}}\n'
+                '{"type": "ADDED", "object": {"metadata": {"name": "test3",'
+                '"resourceVersion": "2"}, "spec": {}, "status": {}}}\n',
+                'should_not_happened\n'])
+
+        fake_api = Mock()
+        fake_api.get_namespaces = Mock(return_value=fake_resp)
+        fake_api.get_namespaces.__doc__ = ':return: V1NamespaceList'
+
+        w = Watch()
+        watch_resource_versions = []
+        event_resource_versions = []
+        count = 1
+        for e in w.stream(fake_api.get_namespaces):
+            obj = e['object']
+            watch_resource_versions.append(w.resource_version)
+            event_resource_versions.append(obj.metadata.resource_version)
+            count += 1
+            if count == 4:
+                w.stop()
+
+        self.assertEqual(watch_resource_versions, ['1', '3', '3'])
+        self.assertEqual(event_resource_versions, ['1', '3', '2'])
+
     def test_watch_stream_twice(self):
         w = Watch(float)
         for step in ['first', 'second']: