diff --git a/changes/bug27928 b/changes/bug27928
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a4ea63e8fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/bug27928
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+  o Minor bugfixes (networking):
+    - Refrain from attempting socket rebinding when old
+      and new listeners are in different address families.
+      Fixes bug 27928; bugfix on 0.3.5.1-alpha.
diff --git a/src/core/mainloop/connection.c b/src/core/mainloop/connection.c
index 9ef0561a55..5c0799fbe3 100644
--- a/src/core/mainloop/connection.c
+++ b/src/core/mainloop/connection.c
@@ -2797,7 +2797,17 @@ retry_listener_ports(smartlist_t *old_conns,
           break;
         }
 #ifdef ENABLE_LISTENER_REBIND
+        /* Rebinding may be needed if all of the following are true:
+         * 1) Address family is the same in old and new listeners.
+         * 2) Port number matches exactly (numeric value is the same).
+         * 3) *One* of listeners (either old one or new one) has a
+         *    wildcard IP address (0.0.0.0 or [::]).
+         *
+         * These are the exact conditions for a first bind() syscall
+         * to fail with EADDRINUSE.
+         */
         const int may_need_rebind =
+          tor_addr_family(&wanted->addr) == tor_addr_family(&conn->addr) &&
           port_matches_exact && bool_neq(tor_addr_is_null(&wanted->addr),
                                          tor_addr_is_null(&conn->addr));
         if (replacements && may_need_rebind) {