diff --git a/src/or/config.c b/src/or/config.c
index 7372eb9e9a..77f5a83f94 100644
--- a/src/or/config.c
+++ b/src/or/config.c
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ static config_var_t _option_vars[] = {
   VAR("FastFirstHopPK",      BOOL,     FastFirstHopPK,       "1"),
   VAR("FetchServerDescriptors",BOOL,   FetchServerDescriptors,"1"),
   VAR("FetchHidServDescriptors",BOOL,  FetchHidServDescriptors, "1"),
+  VAR("FetchUselessRouters", BOOL,     FetchUselessRouters,  "0"),
   VAR("Group",               STRING,   Group,                NULL),
   VAR("HardwareAccel",       BOOL,     HardwareAccel,        "0"),
   VAR("HashedControlPassword",STRING,  HashedControlPassword, NULL),
diff --git a/src/or/or.h b/src/or/or.h
index 0e0e13ad59..43a8ebfb3b 100644
--- a/src/or/or.h
+++ b/src/or/or.h
@@ -1286,6 +1286,7 @@ typedef struct {
   int PublishHidServDescriptors; /**< and our hidden service descriptors? */
   int FetchServerDescriptors; /**< Do we fetch server descriptors as normal? */
   int FetchHidServDescriptors; /** and hidden service descriptors? */
+  int FetchUselessRouters; /**< Do we fetch non-running descriptors too? */
   int AllDirActionsPrivate; /**< Should every directory action be sent
                              * through a Tor circuit? */
 
diff --git a/src/or/routerlist.c b/src/or/routerlist.c
index 64f637853c..53bca88459 100644
--- a/src/or/routerlist.c
+++ b/src/or/routerlist.c
@@ -3251,8 +3251,9 @@ client_would_use_router(routerstatus_t *rs, time_t now)
     /* This one is too old to consider. */
     return 0;
   }
-  if (!rs->is_running) {
-    /* If we had this router descriptor, we wouldn't even bother using it. */
+  if (!rs->is_running && !get_options()->FetchUselessRouters) {
+    /* If we had this router descriptor, we wouldn't even bother using it.
+     * But, if we want to have a complete list, fetch it anyway. */
     return 0;
   }
   if (rs->published_on + ESTIMATED_PROPAGATION_TIME > now) {