diff --git a/src/or/main.c b/src/or/main.c
index b54417e422..d10996b699 100644
--- a/src/or/main.c
+++ b/src/or/main.c
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ run_connection_housekeeping(int i, time_t now)
   }
 
   /* Expire any directory connections that haven't sent anything for 5 min */
-  if (conn->type == CONN_TYPE_DIR &&
+  if (conn->type == CONN_TYPE_DIR && DIR_CONN_IS_SERVER(conn) &&
       conn->timestamp_lastwritten + DIR_CONN_MAX_STALL < now) {
     log_info(LD_DIR,"Expiring wedged directory conn (fd %d, purpose %d)",
              conn->s, conn->purpose);
diff --git a/src/or/or.h b/src/or/or.h
index 61c0bc4b4f..b1de27902a 100644
--- a/src/or/or.h
+++ b/src/or/or.h
@@ -305,6 +305,8 @@ typedef enum {
 #define DIR_CONN_STATE_SERVER_WRITING 6
 #define _DIR_CONN_STATE_MAX 6
 
+#define DIR_CONN_IS_SERVER(conn) ((conn)->purpose == DIR_PURPOSE_SERVER)
+
 #define _CONTROL_CONN_STATE_MIN 1
 #define CONTROL_CONN_STATE_OPEN_V0 1
 #define CONTROL_CONN_STATE_OPEN_V1 2