diff --git a/changes/prop275-minimal b/changes/prop275-minimal
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..83d42f850
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/prop275-minimal
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+  o Minor features (future-proofing):
+
+    - Tor no longer refuses to download microdescriptors or descriptors if
+      they are listed as "published in the future".  This change will
+      eventually allow us to stop listing meaningful "published" dates
+      in microdescriptor consensuses, and thereby allow us to reduce the
+      resources required to download consensus diffs by over 50%.
+      Implements part of ticket 21642; implements part of proposal 275.
+
diff --git a/src/or/networkstatus.c b/src/or/networkstatus.c
index 2d39c9038..991cf8012 100644
--- a/src/or/networkstatus.c
+++ b/src/or/networkstatus.c
@@ -2360,11 +2360,6 @@ client_would_use_router(const routerstatus_t *rs, time_t now,
      * But, if we want to have a complete list, fetch it anyway. */
     return 0;
   }
-  if (rs->published_on + options->TestingEstimatedDescriptorPropagationTime
-      > now) {
-    /* Most caches probably don't have this descriptor yet. */
-    return 0;
-  }
   if (rs->published_on + OLD_ROUTER_DESC_MAX_AGE < now) {
     /* We'd drop it immediately for being too old. */
     return 0;