diff --git a/src/or/circuituse.c b/src/or/circuituse.c
index 55ec88a33f..442798dbb5 100644
--- a/src/or/circuituse.c
+++ b/src/or/circuituse.c
@@ -1228,8 +1228,7 @@ circuit_launch_by_extend_info(uint8_t purpose,
        * began. */
       tor_gettimeofday(&circ->_base.timestamp_created);
 
-      control_event_circuit_status_minor(circ, CIRC_MINOR_EVENT_CANNIBALIZED,
-                                         (int)old_purpose,
+      control_event_circuit_cannibalized(circ, old_purpose,
                                          &old_timestamp_created);
 
       switch (purpose) {
@@ -1965,9 +1964,8 @@ circuit_change_purpose(circuit_t *circ, uint8_t new_purpose)
   circ->purpose = new_purpose;
 
   if (CIRCUIT_IS_ORIGIN(circ)) {
-    control_event_circuit_status_minor(TO_ORIGIN_CIRCUIT(circ),
-                                       CIRC_MINOR_EVENT_PURPOSE_CHANGED,
-                                       (int)old_purpose, NULL);
+    control_event_circuit_purpose_changed(TO_ORIGIN_CIRCUIT(circ),
+                                          old_purpose);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/or/control.c b/src/or/control.c
index 9cbb8cd04d..e15adbd8e8 100644
--- a/src/or/control.c
+++ b/src/or/control.c
@@ -3376,7 +3376,7 @@ control_event_circuit_status(origin_circuit_t *circ, circuit_status_event_t tp,
 
 /** Something minor has happened to circuit <b>circ</b>: tell any
  * interested control connections. */
-int
+static int
 control_event_circuit_status_minor(origin_circuit_t *circ,
                                    circuit_status_minor_event_t e,
                                    int purpose, const struct timeval *tv)
@@ -3444,6 +3444,36 @@ control_event_circuit_status_minor(origin_circuit_t *circ,
   return 0;
 }
 
+/**
+ * <b>circ</b> has changed its purpose from <b>old_purpose</b>: tell any
+ * interested controllers.
+ */
+int
+control_event_circuit_purpose_changed(origin_circuit_t *circ,
+                                      int old_purpose)
+{
+  return control_event_circuit_status_minor(circ,
+                                            CIRC_MINOR_EVENT_PURPOSE_CHANGED,
+                                            old_purpose,
+                                            NULL);
+}
+
+/**
+ * <b>circ</b> has changed its purpose from <b>old_purpose</b>, and its
+ * created-time from <b>old_tv_created</b>: tell any interested controllers.
+ */
+int
+control_event_circuit_cannibalized(origin_circuit_t *circ,
+                                   int old_purpose,
+                                   const struct timeval *old_tv_created)
+{
+  return control_event_circuit_status_minor(circ,
+                                            CIRC_MINOR_EVENT_CANNIBALIZED,
+                                            old_purpose,
+                                            old_tv_created);
+}
+
+
 /** Given an AP connection <b>conn</b> and a <b>len</b>-character buffer
  * <b>buf</b>, determine the address:port combination requested on
  * <b>conn</b>, and write it to <b>buf</b>.  Return 0 on success, -1 on
diff --git a/src/or/control.h b/src/or/control.h
index d7127f4ac0..7af4449d49 100644
--- a/src/or/control.h
+++ b/src/or/control.h
@@ -37,9 +37,11 @@ int control_event_is_interesting(int event);
 
 int control_event_circuit_status(origin_circuit_t *circ,
                                  circuit_status_event_t e, int reason);
-int control_event_circuit_status_minor(origin_circuit_t *circ,
-                                       circuit_status_minor_event_t e,
-                                       int purpose, const struct timeval *tv);
+int control_event_circuit_purpose_changed(origin_circuit_t *circ,
+                                          int old_purpose);
+int control_event_circuit_cannibalized(origin_circuit_t *circ,
+                                       int old_purpose,
+                                       const struct timeval *old_tv_created);
 int control_event_stream_status(entry_connection_t *conn,
                                 stream_status_event_t e,
                                 int reason);