diff --git a/src/or/dirserv.c b/src/or/dirserv.c
index 53f19f9beb..db0d7191a5 100644
--- a/src/or/dirserv.c
+++ b/src/or/dirserv.c
@@ -1290,6 +1290,7 @@ dirserv_orconn_tls_done(const char *address,
     } else { /* correct nickname and digest. mark this router reachable! */
       log_fn(LOG_INFO,"Found router %s to be reachable. Yay.", ri->nickname);
       ri->last_reachable = time(NULL);
+      ri->num_unreachable_notifications = 0;
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/or/or.h b/src/or/or.h
index 8cd7573dfe..2c6220dbb7 100644
--- a/src/or/or.h
+++ b/src/or/or.h
@@ -750,8 +750,13 @@ typedef struct {
 
   /* The below items are used only by authdirservers for
    * reachability testing. */
-  time_t last_reachable; /**< When was the last time we could reach this OR? */
-  time_t testing_since; /**< When did we start testing reachability for this OR? */
+  /** When was the last time we could reach this OR? */
+  time_t last_reachable;
+  /** When did we start testing reachability for this OR? */
+  time_t testing_since;
+  /** How many times has a descriptor been posted and we believed
+   * this router to be unreachable? We only actually warn on the third. */
+  int num_unreachable_notifications;
 } routerinfo_t;
 
 /** Contents of a running-routers list */
diff --git a/src/or/routerlist.c b/src/or/routerlist.c
index d765208765..9395d1cf3c 100644
--- a/src/or/routerlist.c
+++ b/src/or/routerlist.c
@@ -912,7 +912,7 @@ router_add_to_routerlist(routerinfo_t *router, const char **msg)
         *msg = "Router descriptor was not new.";
         return -1;
       } else {
-        int unreachable;
+        int unreachable = 0;
         log_fn(LOG_DEBUG, "Replacing entry for router '%s/%s' [%s]",
                router->nickname, old_router->nickname,
                hex_str(id_digest,DIGEST_LEN));
@@ -921,13 +921,20 @@ router_add_to_routerlist(routerinfo_t *router, const char **msg)
           /* these carry over when the address and orport are unchanged.*/
           router->last_reachable = old_router->last_reachable;
           router->testing_since = old_router->testing_since;
+          router->num_unreachable_notifications =
+             old_router->num_unreachable_notifications;
         }
-        unreachable = authdir &&
-          dirserv_thinks_router_is_blatantly_unreachable(router, time(NULL));
-        if (unreachable) {
-          log_fn(LOG_WARN, "Notifying server '%s' that it's unreachable. (ContactInfo '%s', platform '%s').",
-           router->nickname, router->contact_info ? router->contact_info : "",
-           router->platform ? router->platform : "");
+        if (authdir &&
+            dirserv_thinks_router_is_blatantly_unreachable(router, time(NULL))) {
+          if (router->num_unreachable_notifications >= 3) {
+            unreachable = 1;
+            log_fn(LOG_WARN, "Notifying server '%s' that it's unreachable. (ContactInfo '%s', platform '%s').",
+              router->nickname, router->contact_info ? router->contact_info : "",
+              router->platform ? router->platform : "");
+          } else {
+            log_fn(LOG_NOTICE,"'%s' may be unreachable -- the %d previous descriptors were thought to be unreachable.", router->nickname, router->num_unreachable_notifications);
+            router->num_unreachable_notifications++;
+          }
         }
         routerinfo_free(old_router);
         smartlist_set(routerlist->routers, i, router);