diff --git a/src/or/connection_or.c b/src/or/connection_or.c
index 35f6da9214..f019c79edd 100644
--- a/src/or/connection_or.c
+++ b/src/or/connection_or.c
@@ -776,6 +776,8 @@ connection_or_connect(const tor_addr_t *_addr, uint16_t port,
   conn->_base.state = OR_CONN_STATE_CONNECTING;
   control_event_or_conn_status(conn, OR_CONN_EVENT_LAUNCHED, 0);
 
+  conn->is_outgoing = 1;
+
   if (options->HttpsProxy) {
     /* we shouldn't connect directly. use the https proxy instead. */
     tor_addr_from_ipv4h(&addr, options->HttpsProxyAddr);
diff --git a/src/or/or.h b/src/or/or.h
index 72e4c639ad..edbb73cca5 100644
--- a/src/or/or.h
+++ b/src/or/or.h
@@ -1035,6 +1035,8 @@ typedef struct or_connection_t {
    * is a client.  Connections with this flag set should never be used
    * to satisfy an EXTEND request.  */
   unsigned int is_connection_with_client:1;
+  /** True iff this is an outgoing connection. */
+  unsigned int is_outgoing:1;
   uint8_t link_proto; /**< What protocol version are we using? 0 for
                        * "none negotiated yet." */
   circid_t next_circ_id; /**< Which circ_id do we try to use next on