diff --git a/changes/bug16013 b/changes/bug16013
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d194c609f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/bug16013
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+  o Major bugfixes (hidden service, stability):
+    - Stop randomly crashing with an assertion failure when connecting to a
+      busy hidden service, or connecting to a hidden service while a NEWNYM
+      is in progress. Fixes bug 16013; bugfix on 0.1.0.1-rc.
+
diff --git a/src/or/circuituse.c b/src/or/circuituse.c
index 714754a672..75cd4fec56 100644
--- a/src/or/circuituse.c
+++ b/src/or/circuituse.c
@@ -2346,6 +2346,18 @@ connection_ap_handshake_attach_circuit(entry_connection_t *conn)
       return 1;
     }
 
+    /* At this point we need to re-check the state, since it's possible that
+     * our call to circuit_get_open_circ_or_launch() changed the connection's
+     * state from "CIRCUIT_WAIT" to "RENDDESC_WAIT" because we decided to
+     * re-fetch the descriptor.
+     */
+    if (ENTRY_TO_CONN(conn)->state != AP_CONN_STATE_CIRCUIT_WAIT) {
+      log_info(LD_REND, "This connection is no longer ready to attach; its "
+               "state changed."
+               "(We probably have to re-fetch its descriptor.)");
+      return 0;
+    }
+
     if (rendcirc && (rendcirc->base_.purpose ==
                      CIRCUIT_PURPOSE_C_REND_READY_INTRO_ACKED)) {
       log_info(LD_REND,