diff --git a/changes/bug16248 b/changes/bug16248
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..399b7093c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/bug16248
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+  o Major bugfixes (dns proxy mode, crash):
+    - Avoid crashing when running as a DNS proxy. Closes bug 16248; bugfix on
+      0.2.0.1-alpha. Patch from 'cypherpunks'.
+
+  o Minor features (bug-resistance):
+    - Make Tor survive errors involving connections without a corresponding
+      event object. Previously we'd fail with an assertion; now we produce a
+      log message. Related to bug 16248.
diff --git a/src/or/main.c b/src/or/main.c
index bd23141b9..9e78ea04c 100644
--- a/src/or/main.c
+++ b/src/or/main.c
@@ -506,6 +506,45 @@ connection_is_reading(connection_t *conn)
     (conn->read_event && event_pending(conn->read_event, EV_READ, NULL));
 }
 
+/** Check whether <b>conn</b> is correct in having (or not having) a
+ * read/write event (passed in <b>ev</b). On success, return 0. On failure,
+ * log a warning and return -1. */
+static int
+connection_check_event(connection_t *conn, struct event *ev)
+{
+  int bad;
+
+  if (conn->type == CONN_TYPE_AP && TO_EDGE_CONN(conn)->is_dns_request) {
+    /* DNS requests which we launch through the dnsserv.c module do not have
+     * any underlying socket or any underlying linked connection, so they
+     * shouldn't have any attached events either.
+     */
+    bad = ev != NULL;
+  } else {
+    /* Everytyhing else should have an underlying socket, or a linked
+     * connection (which is also tracked with a read_event/write_event pair).
+     */
+    bad = ev == NULL;
+  }
+
+  if (bad) {
+    log_warn(LD_BUG, "Event missing on connection %p [%s;%s]. "
+             "socket=%d. linked=%d. "
+             "is_dns_request=%d. Marked_for_close=%s:%d",
+             conn,
+             conn_type_to_string(conn->type),
+             conn_state_to_string(conn->type, conn->state),
+             (int)conn->s, (int)conn->linked,
+             (conn->type == CONN_TYPE_AP && TO_EDGE_CONN(conn)->is_dns_request),
+             conn->marked_for_close_file ? conn->marked_for_close_file : "-",
+             conn->marked_for_close
+             );
+    //log_backtrace(LOG_WARN, LD_BUG, "Backtrace attached.");
+    return -1;
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
 /** Tell the main loop to stop notifying <b>conn</b> of any read events. */
 void
 connection_stop_reading(connection_t *conn)
@@ -517,7 +556,9 @@ connection_stop_reading(connection_t *conn)
       return;
   });
 
-  tor_assert(conn->read_event);
+  if (connection_check_event(conn, conn->read_event) < 0) {
+    return;
+  }
 
   if (conn->linked) {
     conn->reading_from_linked_conn = 0;
@@ -542,7 +583,9 @@ connection_start_reading(connection_t *conn)
       return;
   });
 
-  tor_assert(conn->read_event);
+  if (connection_check_event(conn, conn->read_event) < 0) {
+    return;
+  }
 
   if (conn->linked) {
     conn->reading_from_linked_conn = 1;
@@ -582,7 +625,9 @@ connection_stop_writing(connection_t *conn)
       return;
   });
 
-  tor_assert(conn->write_event);
+  if (connection_check_event(conn, conn->write_event) < 0) {
+    return;
+  }
 
   if (conn->linked) {
     conn->writing_to_linked_conn = 0;
@@ -608,7 +653,9 @@ connection_start_writing(connection_t *conn)
       return;
   });
 
-  tor_assert(conn->write_event);
+  if (connection_check_event(conn, conn->write_event) < 0) {
+    return;
+  }
 
   if (conn->linked) {
     conn->writing_to_linked_conn = 1;