diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 15c8eeef40..2033738d8e 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -15,11 +15,16 @@ Changes in version 0.2.0.6-alpha - 2007-??-??
     - Let directory authorities startup even when they can't generate
       a descriptor immediately, e.g. because they don't know their
       address.
+    - Stop putting the authentication cookie in a file called "0"
+      in your working directory if you don't specify anything for the
+      new CookieAuthFile option. Reported by Matt Edman.
+
   o Minor features (misc):
     - Optionally (if built with -DEXPORTMALLINFO) export the output
       of mallinfo via http, as tor/mallinfo.txt.  Only accessible
       from localhost.
 
+
 Changes in version 0.2.0.5-alpha - 2007-08-19
   o Removed features:
     - Version 1 directories are no longer generated in full. Instead,
diff --git a/src/or/config.c b/src/or/config.c
index ca8f1d51a5..a6ca37dd23 100644
--- a/src/or/config.c
+++ b/src/or/config.c
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ static config_var_t _option_vars[] = {
   VAR("ControlSocket",       LINELIST, ControlSocket,        NULL),
   VAR("CookieAuthentication",BOOL,     CookieAuthentication, "0"),
   VAR("CookieAuthFileGroupReadable",BOOL,CookieAuthFileGroupReadable, "0"),
-  VAR("CookieAuthFile",      STRING,   CookieAuthFile,       "0"),
+  VAR("CookieAuthFile",      STRING,   CookieAuthFile,       NULL),
   VAR("DataDirectory",       STRING,   DataDirectory,        NULL),
   OBSOLETE("DebugLogFile"),
   VAR("DirAllowPrivateAddresses",BOOL, DirAllowPrivateAddresses, NULL),