diff --git a/changes/bug40639 b/changes/bug40639
index d5ab2e0cb3..d975e9ad22 100644
--- a/changes/bug40639
+++ b/changes/bug40639
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
   o Major bugfixes (vanguards):
     - We had omitted some checks for whether our vanguards (second layer
-      guards from proposal 333) overlapped or came from the same family.
-      Now make sure to pick each of them to be independent. Fixes bug
-      40639; bugfix on 0.4.7.1-alpha.
+      guards from proposal 333) overlapped. Now make sure to pick each
+      of them to be independent. Also, change the design to allow them to
+      come from the same family. Fixes bug 40639; bugfix on 0.4.7.1-alpha.
diff --git a/src/feature/client/entrynodes.c b/src/feature/client/entrynodes.c
index 493571173e..e7324487da 100644
--- a/src/feature/client/entrynodes.c
+++ b/src/feature/client/entrynodes.c
@@ -4139,10 +4139,11 @@ maintain_layer2_guards(void)
   /* First gather the exclusions based on our current L2 guards */
   smartlist_t *excluded = smartlist_new();
   SMARTLIST_FOREACH_BEGIN(layer2_guards, layer2_guard_t *, g) {
-    /* Exclude existing L2 guard + family so that we don't double-pick. */
+    /* Exclude existing L2 guard so that we don't double-pick it.
+     * But, it's ok if they come from the same family. */
     const node_t *existing = node_get_by_id(g->identity);
     if (existing)
-      nodelist_add_node_and_family(excluded, existing);
+      smartlist_add(excluded, (node_t *)existing);
   } SMARTLIST_FOREACH_END(g);
 
   /* Add required guards to the list */
@@ -4167,8 +4168,9 @@ maintain_layer2_guards(void)
     // Nickname can also be None here because it is looked up later
     control_event_guard("None", layer2_guard->identity,
                         "GOOD_L2");
-    /* Exclude this node and its family so that we don't double-pick. */
-    nodelist_add_node_and_family(excluded, choice);
+    /* Exclude this node so that we don't double-pick it. (Again, coming
+     * from the same family is ok here.) */
+    smartlist_add(excluded, (node_t *)choice);
   }
 
   /* Some cleanup */