diff --git a/changes/bug40099 b/changes/bug40099
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..278ede2023
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/bug40099
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+  o Minor bugfixes (tests):
+    - Fix the behavior of the rend_cache/clean_v2_descs_as_dir when run on
+      its own.  Previously, it would exit with an error.
+      Fixes bug 40099; bugfix on 0.2.8.1-alpha.
diff --git a/src/test/test_rendcache.c b/src/test/test_rendcache.c
index e396f9fd50..cfeb640e02 100644
--- a/src/test/test_rendcache.c
+++ b/src/test/test_rendcache.c
@@ -1095,6 +1095,7 @@ test_rend_cache_clean_v2_descs_as_dir(void *data)
   desc->timestamp = now;
   desc->pk = pk_generate(0);
   e->parsed = desc;
+  rend_cache_increment_allocation(rend_cache_entry_allocation(e));
   digestmap_set(rend_cache_v2_dir, key, e);
 
   /* Set the cutoff to minus 10 seconds. */