diff --git a/src/or/config.c b/src/or/config.c
index fd8d6a2005..02756d0754 100644
--- a/src/or/config.c
+++ b/src/or/config.c
@@ -681,10 +681,10 @@ config_assign(or_options_t *options, struct config_line_t *list, int reset)
  * keys, -2 on bad values, -3 on bad transition.
  */
 int
-config_trial_assign(or_options_t **options, struct config_line_t *list, int reset)
+config_trial_assign(or_options_t *options, struct config_line_t *list, int reset)
 {
   int r;
-  or_options_t *trial_options = options_dup(*options);
+  or_options_t *trial_options = options_dup(options);
 
   if ((r=config_assign(trial_options, list, reset)) < 0) {
     options_free(trial_options);
@@ -696,12 +696,12 @@ config_trial_assign(or_options_t **options, struct config_line_t *list, int rese
     return -2;
   }
 
-  if (options_transition_allowed(*options, trial_options) < 0) {
+  if (options_transition_allowed(options, trial_options) < 0) {
     options_free(trial_options);
     return -3;
   }
 
-  *options = trial_options;
+  set_options(trial_options); /* we liked it. put it in place. */
   return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/or/control.c b/src/or/control.c
index 0a428e9612..6a714c1ed3 100644
--- a/src/or/control.c
+++ b/src/or/control.c
@@ -202,7 +202,6 @@ handle_control_setconf(connection_t *conn, uint16_t len, char *body)
 {
   int r;
   struct config_line_t *lines=NULL;
-  or_options_t *options = get_options();
 
   if (config_get_lines(body, &lines) < 0) {
     log_fn(LOG_WARN,"Controller gave us config lines we can't parse.");
@@ -210,7 +209,7 @@ handle_control_setconf(connection_t *conn, uint16_t len, char *body)
     return 0;
   }
 
-  if ((r=config_trial_assign(&options, lines, 1)) < 0) {
+  if ((r=config_trial_assign(get_options(), lines, 1)) < 0) {
     log_fn(LOG_WARN,"Controller gave us config lines that didn't validate.");
     if (r==-1) {
       send_control_error(conn, ERR_UNRECOGNIZED_CONFIG_KEY,
@@ -223,7 +222,6 @@ handle_control_setconf(connection_t *conn, uint16_t len, char *body)
   }
 
   config_free_lines(lines);
-  set_options(options); /* put the new one into place */
   if (options_act() < 0) { /* acting on them failed. die. */
     log_fn(LOG_ERR,"Acting on config options left us in a broken state. Dying.");
     exit(1);
diff --git a/src/or/or.h b/src/or/or.h
index b363a46acc..0f0d7e83a0 100644
--- a/src/or/or.h
+++ b/src/or/or.h
@@ -1097,7 +1097,7 @@ int options_act(void);
 
 int config_get_lines(char *string, struct config_line_t **result);
 void config_free_lines(struct config_line_t *front);
-int config_trial_assign(or_options_t **options, struct config_line_t *list, int reset);
+int config_trial_assign(or_options_t *options, struct config_line_t *list, int reset);
 int resolve_my_address(const char *address, uint32_t *addr);
 void options_init(or_options_t *options);
 int init_from_config(int argc, char **argv);