diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 8cd02e99e3..438d49fe6d 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ Changes in version 0.1.2.7-alpha - 2007-??-??
       correct order.
     - Free memory held in recently-completed DNS lookup attempts on exit.
       This was not a memory leak, but may have been hiding memory leaks.
+    - Don't launch requests for descriptors unless we have networkstatuses
+      from at least half of the authorities.  This delays the first download
+      slightly under pathological circumstances, but can prevent us from
+      downloading a bunch of descriptors we don't need.
 
   o Minor features:
     - Check for addresses with invalid characters at the exit as well as at
diff --git a/src/or/routerlist.c b/src/or/routerlist.c
index 0f31a1f5e9..4ce32e8868 100644
--- a/src/or/routerlist.c
+++ b/src/or/routerlist.c
@@ -3765,7 +3765,7 @@ update_router_descriptor_client_downloads(time_t now)
       smartlist_len(networkstatus_list) <= get_n_v2_authorities()/2) {
     log_info(LD_DIR,
              "Not enough networkstatus documents to launch requests.");
-    /* XXX012 should we return here or something? */
+    return;
   }
 
   downloadable = router_list_client_downloadable();