diff --git a/src/feature/nodelist/routerinfo.c b/src/feature/nodelist/routerinfo.c
index d2462a53da..55f21dfe67 100644
--- a/src/feature/nodelist/routerinfo.c
+++ b/src/feature/nodelist/routerinfo.c
@@ -21,9 +21,8 @@
  * <b>family</b> into *<b>ap_out</b>.
  *
  * If the requested ORPort does not exist, sets *<b>ap_out</b> to the null
- * address and port. You can check the returned value using
- * tor_addr_port_is_valid_ap(ap_out, 0). */
-void
+ * address and port, and returns -1. Otherwise, returns 0. */
+int
 router_get_orport(const routerinfo_t *router,
                   tor_addr_port_t *ap_out,
                   int family)
@@ -32,15 +31,22 @@ router_get_orport(const routerinfo_t *router,
   if (family == AF_INET) {
     tor_addr_from_ipv4h(&ap_out->addr, router->addr);
     ap_out->port = router->or_port;
+    return 0;
   } else if (family == AF_INET6) {
-    /* If there is no IPv6 address, ipv6_addr will be the null address and
-     * port. */
-    tor_addr_copy(&ap_out->addr, &router->ipv6_addr);
-    ap_out->port = router->ipv6_orport;
+    /* IPv6 addresses are optional, so check if it is valid. */
+    if (tor_addr_port_is_valid(&router->ipv6_addr, router->ipv6_orport, 0)) {
+      tor_addr_copy(&ap_out->addr, &router->ipv6_addr);
+      ap_out->port = router->ipv6_orport;
+      return 0;
+    } else {
+      tor_addr_port_make_null_ap(ap_out, AF_INET6);
+      return -1;
+    }
   } else {
     /* Unsupported address family */
     tor_assert_nonfatal_unreached();
     tor_addr_port_make_null_ap(ap_out, AF_UNSPEC);
+    return -1;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/feature/nodelist/routerinfo.h b/src/feature/nodelist/routerinfo.h
index 47601a131f..2e12cbeba3 100644
--- a/src/feature/nodelist/routerinfo.h
+++ b/src/feature/nodelist/routerinfo.h
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 #ifndef TOR_ROUTERINFO_H
 #define TOR_ROUTERINFO_H
 
-void router_get_orport(const routerinfo_t *router,
+int router_get_orport(const routerinfo_t *router,
                        tor_addr_port_t *addr_port_out,
                        int family);
 int router_has_orport(const routerinfo_t *router,
diff --git a/src/feature/relay/selftest.c b/src/feature/relay/selftest.c
index 4093218fbb..875bf7a9f8 100644
--- a/src/feature/relay/selftest.c
+++ b/src/feature/relay/selftest.c
@@ -163,8 +163,7 @@ extend_info_from_router(const routerinfo_t *r, int family)
   else
     ed_id_key = NULL;
 
-  router_get_orport(r, &ap, family);
-  if (!tor_addr_port_is_valid_ap(&ap, 0)) {
+  if (router_get_orport(r, &ap, family) < 0) {
     /* We don't have an ORPort for the requested family. */
     return NULL;
   }