diff --git a/include/ircd/fs/read.h b/include/ircd/fs/read.h
index 31f9f76f9..fa9b82175 100644
--- a/include/ircd/fs/read.h
+++ b/include/ircd/fs/read.h
@@ -40,10 +40,8 @@ struct ircd::fs::read_opts
 	/// Offset in the file to start the read from.
 	off_t offset {0};
 
-	/// Request priority. Higher value request will take priority over lower
-	/// value. Lowest value is zero. Negative value will receive a contextual
-	/// value internally (generally just zero). Default is -1.
-	int8_t priority {-1};
+	/// Request priority. Lower value request will take priority over higher
+	int8_t priority {0};
 
 	/// Determines whether this operation is conducted via AIO. If not, a
 	/// direct syscall is made. Using AIO will only block one ircd::ctx while
diff --git a/include/ircd/fs/sync.h b/include/ircd/fs/sync.h
index 556e6be9f..7106da410 100644
--- a/include/ircd/fs/sync.h
+++ b/include/ircd/fs/sync.h
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@ struct ircd::fs::sync_opts
 	/// this has no effect.
 	bool aio {true};
 
-	/// Request priority. This value is ignored by the kernel for the
-	/// operations provided by this interface. It is still provided for
-	/// consistency and may be used internally by IRCd in the future.
-	int8_t priority {-1};
+	/// Request priority. This value is ignored for sync operations.
+	int8_t priority {0};
 };
diff --git a/include/ircd/fs/write.h b/include/ircd/fs/write.h
index 71ba3eed0..b80820251 100644
--- a/include/ircd/fs/write.h
+++ b/include/ircd/fs/write.h
@@ -59,10 +59,8 @@ struct ircd::fs::write_opts
 	/// the host system later ignores the offset due to the file's openmode.
 	off_t offset {0};
 
-	/// Request priority. Higher value request will take priority over lower
-	/// value. Lowest value is zero. Negative value will receive a contextual
-	/// value internally (generally just zero). Default is -1.
-	int8_t priority {-1};
+	/// Request priority. Lower value request will take priority over higher.
+	int8_t priority {0};
 
 	/// for allocate()
 	bool keep_size {false};
diff --git a/ircd/aio.cc b/ircd/aio.cc
index 9e07cdd39..d60455a04 100644
--- a/ircd/aio.cc
+++ b/ircd/aio.cc
@@ -658,14 +658,21 @@ catch(const std::exception &e)
 // internal util
 //
 
+/// Translate an ircd::fs opts priority integer to an AIO priority integer.
+/// The ircd::fs priority integer is like a nice value. The AIO value is
+/// positive [0, MAX_REQPRIO]. This function takes an ircd::fs value and
+/// shifts it to the AIO value.
 int
 ircd::fs::aio::reqprio(int input)
 {
-	// no use for negative values yet; make them zero.
-	input = std::max(input, 0);
-
-	// value is reduced to system maximum.
-	input = std::min(input, int(ircd::info::aio_reqprio_max));
+	static const auto median
+	{
+		int(MAX_REQPRIO / 2)
+	};
 
+	input = std::max(input, 0 - median);
+	input = std::min(input, median);
+	input = MAX_REQPRIO - (input + median);
+	assert(input >= 0 && input <= int(MAX_REQPRIO));
 	return input;
 }