diff --git a/changes/bug6979 b/changes/bug6979
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..55572ecbac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/bug6979
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+  o Minor bugfixes:
+    - Fix an assertion failure that would occur when disabling the
+      ORPort setting on a running Tor process while accounting was
+      enabled. Fixes bug 6979; bugfix on 0.2.2.18-alpha.
diff --git a/src/or/router.c b/src/or/router.c
index 6069da8f09..6efd851588 100644
--- a/src/or/router.c
+++ b/src/or/router.c
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ get_server_identity_key(void)
 int
 server_identity_key_is_set(void)
 {
-  return server_identitykey != NULL;
+  return server_mode(get_options()) && server_identitykey != NULL;
 }
 
 /** Set the current client identity key to <b>k</b>.