A brush seal which, among other applications, may be used for sealing a steam leakage gap between a steam turbine rotor and a steam turbine casing. A brush seal backing plate has a surface which includes adjacent first and second areas. First and second bristle packets contact and generally cover, respectively, the first and second areas. A first anti-hysteresis plate is positioned between and contacts the first and second bristle packets, is aligned generally perpendicular to the backing plate, and is proximate and generally spaced apart from the backing plate. The anti-hysteresis plate restores the bristles which would otherwise become set in a non-sealing position against the backing plate because of transient events such as thermal differential growth or relative movement of the rotor and casing.