diff --git a/src/or/circuitbuild.c b/src/or/circuitbuild.c
index 8a3a36accb..5097f19e9d 100644
--- a/src/or/circuitbuild.c
+++ b/src/or/circuitbuild.c
@@ -901,7 +901,7 @@ circuit_note_clock_jumped(int seconds_elapsed)
   control_event_client_status(severity, "CIRCUIT_NOT_ESTABLISHED REASON=%s",
                               "CLOCK_JUMPED");
   circuit_mark_all_unused_circs();
-  circuit_expire_all_dirty_circs();
+  circuit_mark_all_dirty_circs_as_unusable();
 }
 
 /** Take the 'extend' <b>cell</b>, pull out addr/port plus the onion
diff --git a/src/or/circuitlist.c b/src/or/circuitlist.c
index ae0955d125..d1720b983d 100644
--- a/src/or/circuitlist.c
+++ b/src/or/circuitlist.c
@@ -1300,9 +1300,8 @@ circuit_mark_all_unused_circs(void)
  * This is useful for letting the user change pseudonyms, so new
  * streams will not be linkable to old streams.
  */
-/* XXX024 this is a bad name for what this function does */
 void
-circuit_expire_all_dirty_circs(void)
+circuit_mark_all_dirty_circs_as_unusable(void)
 {
   circuit_t *circ;
 
diff --git a/src/or/circuitlist.h b/src/or/circuitlist.h
index e81c0785fe..d67f80b065 100644
--- a/src/or/circuitlist.h
+++ b/src/or/circuitlist.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ or_circuit_t *circuit_get_intro_point(const char *digest);
 origin_circuit_t *circuit_find_to_cannibalize(uint8_t purpose,
                                               extend_info_t *info, int flags);
 void circuit_mark_all_unused_circs(void);
-void circuit_expire_all_dirty_circs(void);
+void circuit_mark_all_dirty_circs_as_unusable(void);
 void circuit_mark_for_close_(circuit_t *circ, int reason,
                              int line, const char *file);
 int circuit_get_cpath_len(origin_circuit_t *circ);
diff --git a/src/or/config.c b/src/or/config.c
index f88842624c..c98c81a00c 100644
--- a/src/or/config.c
+++ b/src/or/config.c
@@ -1500,7 +1500,7 @@ options_act(const or_options_t *old_options)
                "preferred or excluded node lists. "
                "Abandoning previous circuits.");
       circuit_mark_all_unused_circs();
-      circuit_expire_all_dirty_circs();
+      circuit_mark_all_dirty_circs_as_unusable();
       revise_trackexithosts = 1;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/or/main.c b/src/or/main.c
index b5d1e2da34..5add6a0552 100644
--- a/src/or/main.c
+++ b/src/or/main.c
@@ -1129,7 +1129,7 @@ signewnym_impl(time_t now)
     return;
   }
 
-  circuit_expire_all_dirty_circs();
+  circuit_mark_all_dirty_circs_as_unusable();
   addressmap_clear_transient();
   rend_client_purge_state();
   time_of_last_signewnym = now;
@@ -1848,7 +1848,7 @@ do_hup(void)
   /* Rotate away from the old dirty circuits. This has to be done
    * after we've read the new options, but before we start using
    * circuits for directory fetches. */
-  circuit_expire_all_dirty_circs();
+  circuit_mark_all_dirty_circs_as_unusable();
 
   /* retry appropriate downloads */
   router_reset_status_download_failures();