diff --git a/src/detect-byte-extract.c b/src/detect-byte-extract.c
index a4549a1d6d..917315c301 100644
--- a/src/detect-byte-extract.c
+++ b/src/detect-byte-extract.c
@@ -3031,7 +3031,7 @@ int DetectByteExtractTest48(void)
     if (strncmp((char *)cd->content, "four", cd->content_len) != 0 ||
         cd->flags != (DETECT_CONTENT_DISTANCE_BE |
                       DETECT_CONTENT_DISTANCE |
-                      DETECT_CONTENT_RELATIVE_NEXT) ||
+                      DETECT_CONTENT_DISTANCE_NEXT) ||
         cd->distance != bed1->local_id ||
         cd->depth != 0 ||
         cd->offset != 0) {
@@ -3260,7 +3260,7 @@ int DetectByteExtractTest50(void)
     if (strncmp((char *)cd->content, "four", cd->content_len) != 0 ||
         cd->flags != (DETECT_CONTENT_WITHIN_BE |
                       DETECT_CONTENT_WITHIN|
-                      DETECT_CONTENT_RELATIVE_NEXT) ||
+                      DETECT_CONTENT_WITHIN_NEXT) ||
         cd->within != bed1->local_id ||
         cd->depth != 0 ||
         cd->offset != 0 ||
diff --git a/src/detect-content.h b/src/detect-content.h
index 5976adb868..0b0d2eaf46 100644
--- a/src/detect-content.h
+++ b/src/detect-content.h
@@ -39,8 +39,7 @@
 /** content is negated */
 #define DETECT_CONTENT_NEGATED           (1 << 9)
 
-/** a relative match to this content is next, used in matching phase */
-#define DETECT_CONTENT_RELATIVE_NEXT     (1 << 10)
+// bit 10 unused
 
 /* BE - byte extract */
 #define DETECT_CONTENT_OFFSET_BE         (1 << 11)
@@ -53,7 +52,12 @@
 /* this flag is set during the staging phase.  It indicates that a content
  * has been added to the mpm phase and requires no further inspection inside
  * the inspection phase */
-#define DETECT_CONTENT_NO_DOUBLE_INSPECTION_REQUIRED (1 << 16)
+#define DETECT_CONTENT_NO_DOUBLE_INSPECTION_REQUIRED BIT_U32(16)
+
+#define DETECT_CONTENT_WITHIN_NEXT      BIT_U32(17)
+#define DETECT_CONTENT_DISTANCE_NEXT    BIT_U32(18)
+/** a relative match to this content is next, used in matching phase */
+#define DETECT_CONTENT_RELATIVE_NEXT    (DETECT_CONTENT_WITHIN_NEXT|DETECT_CONTENT_DISTANCE_NEXT)
 
 #define DETECT_CONTENT_IS_SINGLE(c) (!( ((c)->flags & DETECT_CONTENT_DISTANCE) || \
                                         ((c)->flags & DETECT_CONTENT_WITHIN) || \
diff --git a/src/detect-distance.c b/src/detect-distance.c
index 8be8219bab..dc89ea8456 100644
--- a/src/detect-distance.c
+++ b/src/detect-distance.c
@@ -163,7 +163,11 @@ static int DetectDistanceSetup (DetectEngineCtx *de_ctx, Signature *s,
                        "only content");
             goto end;
         }
-        prev_cd->flags |= DETECT_CONTENT_RELATIVE_NEXT;
+        if ((cd->flags & DETECT_CONTENT_NEGATED) == 0) {
+            prev_cd->flags |= DETECT_CONTENT_DISTANCE_NEXT;
+        } else {
+            prev_cd->flags |= DETECT_CONTENT_RELATIVE_NEXT;
+        }
     } else if (prev_pm->type == DETECT_PCRE) {
         DetectPcreData *pd = (DetectPcreData *)prev_pm->ctx;
         pd->flags |= DETECT_PCRE_RELATIVE_NEXT;
diff --git a/src/detect-engine-content-inspection.c b/src/detect-engine-content-inspection.c
index 32d6350612..b41b880447 100644
--- a/src/detect-engine-content-inspection.c
+++ b/src/detect-engine-content-inspection.c
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ int DetectEngineContentInspection(DetectEngineCtx *de_ctx, DetectEngineThreadCtx
                 }
 
                 /* no match and no reason to look for another instance */
-                if ((cd->flags & DETECT_CONTENT_RELATIVE_NEXT) == 0) {
+                if ((cd->flags & DETECT_CONTENT_WITHIN_NEXT) == 0) {
                     SCLogDebug("'next sm' does not depend on me, so we can give up");
                     det_ctx->discontinue_matching = 1;
                     goto no_match;
diff --git a/src/detect-within.c b/src/detect-within.c
index f10b0275c6..fd9bd99d70 100644
--- a/src/detect-within.c
+++ b/src/detect-within.c
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ static int DetectWithinSetup(DetectEngineCtx *de_ctx, Signature *s, char *within
                        "only content");
             goto end;
         }
-        prev_cd->flags |= DETECT_CONTENT_RELATIVE_NEXT;
+        prev_cd->flags |= DETECT_CONTENT_WITHIN_NEXT;
     } else if (prev_pm->type == DETECT_PCRE) {
         DetectPcreData *pd = (DetectPcreData *)prev_pm->ctx;
         pd->flags |= DETECT_PCRE_RELATIVE_NEXT;