diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 83d5046404..3fed9a75d2 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ Changes in version 0.1.2.19 - 2007-??-??
     - Fix a couple of hard-to-trigger autoconf problems that could result
       in really weird results on platforms whose sys/types.h files define
       nonstandard integer types.
+    - When we decide to send a 503 response to a request for servers, do
+      not then also send the server descriptors: this defeats the whole
+      purpose.  Fixes bug 539.
 
 
 Changes in version 0.1.2.18 - 2007-10-28
diff --git a/src/or/directory.c b/src/or/directory.c
index 6bed668ea5..792a847c22 100644
--- a/src/or/directory.c
+++ b/src/or/directory.c
@@ -1730,6 +1730,7 @@ directory_handle_command_get(dir_connection_t *conn, const char *headers,
                  "Client asked for server descriptors, but we've been "
                  "writing too many bytes lately. Sending 503 Dir busy.");
         write_http_status_line(conn, 503, "Directory busy, try again later");
+        conn->dir_spool_src = DIR_SPOOL_NONE;
         return 0;
       }
       write_http_response_header(conn, -1,