diff --git a/changes/bug23606 b/changes/bug23606
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..77f4d0cb9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/bug23606
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+  o Minor bugfixes (bootstrapping):
+    - When warning about state file clock skew, report the correct
+      direction for the detected skew.  Fixes bug 23606; bugfix on
+      0.2.8.1-alpha.
diff --git a/src/or/statefile.c b/src/or/statefile.c
index 9647aa8834..86f26419be 100644
--- a/src/or/statefile.c
+++ b/src/or/statefile.c
@@ -404,8 +404,8 @@ or_state_load(void)
     log_info(LD_GENERAL, "Loaded state from \"%s\"", fname);
     /* Warn the user if their clock has been set backwards,
      * they could be tricked into using old consensuses */
-    time_t apparent_skew = new_state->LastWritten - time(NULL);
-    if (apparent_skew > 0)
+    time_t apparent_skew = time(NULL) - new_state->LastWritten;
+    if (apparent_skew < 0)
       clock_skew_warning(NULL, (long)apparent_skew, 1, LD_GENERAL,
                          "local state file", fname);
   } else {