diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index b7cc9f915..058a71c77 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ Changes in version 0.1.2.17 - 2007-08-xx
       encourage people using them to stop.
     - Terminate multi-line control events properly. Original patch
       from tup.
+    - Fix a minor memory leak when we fail to find enough suitable
+      servers to choose a circuit.
 
 
 Changes in version 0.1.2.16 - 2007-08-01
diff --git a/src/or/circuitbuild.c b/src/or/circuitbuild.c
index ac0db6e5d..31e835b31 100644
--- a/src/or/circuitbuild.c
+++ b/src/or/circuitbuild.c
@@ -1253,7 +1253,7 @@ choose_good_exit_server_general(routerlist_t *dir, int need_uptime,
      * at least one predicted exit port. */
 
     int try;
-    smartlist_t *needed_ports = circuit_get_unhandled_ports(time(NULL));
+    smartlist_t *needed_ports;
 
     if (best_support == -1) {
       if (need_uptime || need_capacity) {
@@ -1271,6 +1271,7 @@ choose_good_exit_server_general(routerlist_t *dir, int need_uptime,
       log_notice(LD_CIRC, "All routers are down or won't exit -- choosing a "
                  "doomed exit at random.");
     }
+    needed_ports = circuit_get_unhandled_ports(time(NULL));
     for (try = 0; try < 2; try++) {
       /* try once to pick only from routers that satisfy a needed port,
        * then if there are none, pick from any that support exiting. */