diff --git a/src/or/config.c b/src/or/config.c
index 3b283b7d6d..eb48449380 100644
--- a/src/or/config.c
+++ b/src/or/config.c
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ static config_var_t config_vars[] = {
   VAR("SysLog",              LINELIST_S, OldLogOptions,      NULL),
   OBSOLETE("TrafficShaping"),
   VAR("User",                STRING,   User,                 NULL),
-  VAR("__ManageConnections", BOOL,     ManageConnections,    "1"),
+  VAR("__LeaveStreamsUnattached", BOOL,LeaveStreamsUnattached, "0"),
   { NULL, CONFIG_TYPE_OBSOLETE, 0, NULL }
 };
 #undef VAR
diff --git a/src/or/connection_edge.c b/src/or/connection_edge.c
index 3f28ce087e..ad74adfb07 100644
--- a/src/or/connection_edge.c
+++ b/src/or/connection_edge.c
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ connection_ap_detach_retriable(connection_t *conn, circuit_t *circ)
 {
   control_event_stream_status(conn, STREAM_EVENT_FAILED_RETRIABLE);
   conn->timestamp_lastread = time(NULL);
-  if (get_options()->ManageConnections) {
+  if (! get_options()->LeaveStreamsUnattached) {
     conn->state = AP_CONN_STATE_CIRCUIT_WAIT;
     circuit_detach_stream(circ,conn);
     return connection_ap_handshake_attach_circuit(conn);
@@ -939,7 +939,7 @@ static int connection_ap_handshake_process_socks(connection_t *conn) {
       rep_hist_note_used_port(socks->port, time(NULL)); /* help predict this next time */
       control_event_stream_status(conn, STREAM_EVENT_NEW);
     }
-    if (get_options()->ManageConnections) {
+    if (! get_options()->LeaveStreamsUnattached) {
       conn->state = AP_CONN_STATE_CIRCUIT_WAIT;
       return connection_ap_handshake_attach_circuit(conn);
     } else {
diff --git a/src/or/or.h b/src/or/or.h
index c7b30c76f0..c040c588c1 100644
--- a/src/or/or.h
+++ b/src/or/or.h
@@ -1063,9 +1063,9 @@ typedef struct {
                                 * the control system. */
   int CookieAuthentication; /**< Boolean: do we enable cookie-based auth for
                              * the control system? */
-  int ManageConnections; /**< Boolean: Does Tor attach new connections to
-                          * circuits itself (1), or does it let the controller
-                          * deal? (0) */
+  int LeaveStreamsUnattached; /**< Boolean: Does Tor attach new streams to
+                          * circuits itself (0), or does it expect a controller
+                          * to cope? (1) */
   int ShutdownWaitLength; /**< When we get a SIGINT and we're a server, how
                            * long do we wait before exiting? */
 } or_options_t;