diff --git a/src/backend/distributed/master/master_node_protocol.c b/src/backend/distributed/master/master_node_protocol.c
index 035db256d..6976317e9 100644
--- a/src/backend/distributed/master/master_node_protocol.c
+++ b/src/backend/distributed/master/master_node_protocol.c
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ int ShardReplicationFactor = 1; /* desired replication factor for shards */
 int ShardMaxSize = 1048576;     /* maximum size in KB one shard can grow to */
 int ShardPlacementPolicy = SHARD_PLACEMENT_ROUND_ROBIN;
 int NextShardId = 0;
+int NextPlacementId = 0;
 
 static List * GetTableReplicaIdentityCommand(Oid relationId);
 static Datum WorkerNodeGetDatum(WorkerNode *workerNode, TupleDesc tupleDescriptor);
@@ -294,12 +295,19 @@ GetNextShardId()
 {
 	text *sequenceName = NULL;
 	Oid sequenceId = InvalidOid;
-	Datum sequenceIdDatum = NULL;
+	Datum sequenceIdDatum = 0;
 	Oid savedUserId = InvalidOid;
 	int savedSecurityContext = 0;
 	Datum shardIdDatum = 0;
 	uint64 shardId = 0;
 
+	/*
+	 * In regression tests, we would like to generate shard IDs consistently
+	 * even if the tests run in parallel. Instead of the sequence, we can use
+	 * the next_shard_id GUC to specify which shard ID the current session should
+	 * generate next. The GUC is automatically increased by 1 every time a new
+	 * shard ID is generated.
+	 */
 	if (NextShardId > 0)
 	{
 		shardId = NextShardId;
@@ -364,14 +372,33 @@ master_get_new_placementid(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 uint64
 GetNextPlacementId(void)
 {
-	text *sequenceName = cstring_to_text(PLACEMENTID_SEQUENCE_NAME);
-	Oid sequenceId = ResolveRelationId(sequenceName);
-	Datum sequenceIdDatum = ObjectIdGetDatum(sequenceId);
+	text *sequenceName = NULL;
+	Oid sequenceId = InvalidOid;
+	Datum sequenceIdDatum = 0;
 	Oid savedUserId = InvalidOid;
 	int savedSecurityContext = 0;
 	Datum placementIdDatum = 0;
 	uint64 placementId = 0;
 
+	/*
+	 * In regression tests, we would like to generate placement IDs consistently
+	 * even if the tests run in parallel. Instead of the sequence, we can use
+	 * the next_placement_id GUC to specify which shard ID the current session
+	 * should generate next. The GUC is automatically increased by 1 every time
+	 * a new placement ID is generated.
+	 */
+	if (NextPlacementId > 0)
+	{
+		placementId = NextPlacementId;
+		NextPlacementId += 1;
+
+		return placementId;
+	}
+
+	sequenceName = cstring_to_text(PLACEMENTID_SEQUENCE_NAME);
+	sequenceId = ResolveRelationId(sequenceName);
+	sequenceIdDatum = ObjectIdGetDatum(sequenceId);
+
 	GetUserIdAndSecContext(&savedUserId, &savedSecurityContext);
 	SetUserIdAndSecContext(CitusExtensionOwner(), SECURITY_LOCAL_USERID_CHANGE);
 
diff --git a/src/backend/distributed/shared_library_init.c b/src/backend/distributed/shared_library_init.c
index eef9897bb..5cc4bc79d 100644
--- a/src/backend/distributed/shared_library_init.c
+++ b/src/backend/distributed/shared_library_init.c
@@ -828,6 +828,21 @@ RegisterCitusConfigVariables(void)
 		GUC_NO_SHOW_ALL,
 		NULL, NULL, NULL);
 
+	DefineCustomIntVariable(
+		"citus.next_placement_id",
+		gettext_noop("Set the next placement ID to use in placement creation."),
+		gettext_noop("Placement IDs are normally generated using a sequence. If "
+					 "next_placement_id is set to a non-zero value, placement IDs will "
+					 "instead be generated by incrementing from the value of "
+					 "this GUC and this will be reflected in the GUC. This is "
+					 "mainly useful to ensure consistent placement IDs when running "
+					 "tests in parallel."),
+		&NextPlacementId,
+		0, 0, INT_MAX,
+		PGC_USERSET,
+		GUC_NO_SHOW_ALL,
+		NULL, NULL, NULL);
+
 	DefineCustomIntVariable(
 		"citus.max_task_string_size",
 		gettext_noop("Sets the maximum size (in bytes) of a worker task call string."),
diff --git a/src/include/distributed/master_protocol.h b/src/include/distributed/master_protocol.h
index 9875196dc..c37a23b42 100644
--- a/src/include/distributed/master_protocol.h
+++ b/src/include/distributed/master_protocol.h
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ extern int ShardReplicationFactor;
 extern int ShardMaxSize;
 extern int ShardPlacementPolicy;
 extern int NextShardId;
+extern int NextPlacementId;
 
 
 extern bool IsCoordinator(void);