diff --git a/changes/bug5259 b/changes/bug5259
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..bdada586e9d1e73f10f86eb945bf33a0ba5d300e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/bug5259
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+  o Documentation fixes:
+    - Clarify the behavior of MaxCircuitDirtiness with hidden service
+      circuits. Fix for issue 5259.
diff --git a/doc/tor.1.txt b/doc/tor.1.txt
index 25a440d1bb7d17daafe783b945be6bcd04d817f8..5f10f68712386d9ea5e0158afad0b6d1b14d5648 100644
--- a/doc/tor.1.txt
+++ b/doc/tor.1.txt
@@ -651,8 +651,9 @@ The following options are useful only for clients (that is, if
 
 **MaxCircuitDirtiness** __NUM__::
     Feel free to reuse a circuit that was first used at most NUM seconds ago,
-    but never attach a new stream to a circuit that is too old. (Default: 10
-    minutes)
+    but never attach a new stream to a circuit that is too old.  For hidden
+    services, this applies to the __last__ time a circuit was used, not the
+    first.  (Default: 10 minutes)
 
 **NodeFamily** __node__,__node__,__...__::
     The Tor servers, defined by their identity fingerprints or nicknames,