diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 8b652afba..b14a06f29 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "tor-error",
  "tor-guardmgr",
  "tor-llcrypto",
+ "tor-netdir",
  "tor-netdoc",
  "tor-persist",
  "tor-proto",
@@ -3808,6 +3809,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "tor-basic-utils",
  "tor-checkable",
  "tor-config",
+ "tor-error",
  "tor-linkspec",
  "tor-llcrypto",
  "tor-netdoc",
diff --git a/crates/arti-client/Cargo.toml b/crates/arti-client/Cargo.toml
index d02643090..f8b431b91 100644
--- a/crates/arti-client/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/arti-client/Cargo.toml
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ tor-dirmgr = { path = "../tor-dirmgr", version = "0.5.0" }
 tor-error = { path = "../tor-error", version = "0.3.2" }
 tor-guardmgr = { path = "../tor-guardmgr", version = "0.4.0" }
 tor-llcrypto = { path = "../tor-llcrypto", version = "0.3.2" }
+tor-netdir = { path = "../tor-netdir", version = "0.4.0" }
 tor-netdoc = { path = "../tor-netdoc", version = "0.4.1" }
 tor-persist = { path = "../tor-persist", version = "0.4.1" }
 tor-proto = { path = "../tor-proto", version = "0.4.0" }
diff --git a/crates/arti-client/src/client.rs b/crates/arti-client/src/client.rs
index a4454aba0..a2eb99c5e 100644
--- a/crates/arti-client/src/client.rs
+++ b/crates/arti-client/src/client.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ use tor_basic_utils::futures::{DropNotifyWatchSender, PostageWatchSenderExt};
 use tor_circmgr::isolation::Isolation;
 use tor_circmgr::{isolation::StreamIsolationBuilder, IsolationToken, TargetPort};
 use tor_config::MutCfg;
+use tor_dirmgr::Timeliness;
 use tor_error::{internal, Bug};
 use tor_persist::{FsStateMgr, StateMgr};
 use tor_proto::circuit::ClientCirc;
@@ -832,6 +833,24 @@ impl<R: Runtime> TorClient<R> {
         &self.runtime
     }
 
+    /// Return a netdir that is timely according to the rules of `timeliness`.
+    ///
+    /// Use `action` to
+    fn netdir(
+        &self,
+        timeliness: Timeliness,
+        action: &'static str,
+    ) -> StdResult<Arc<tor_netdir::NetDir>, ErrorDetail> {
+        use tor_netdir::Error as E;
+        match self.dirmgr.netdir(timeliness) {
+            Ok(netdir) => Ok(netdir),
+            Err(E::NoInfo) | Err(E::NotEnoughInfo) => {
+                Err(ErrorDetail::BootstrapRequired { action })
+            }
+            Err(error) => Err(ErrorDetail::NoDir { error, action }),
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Get or launch an exit-suitable circuit with a given set of
     /// exit ports.
     async fn get_or_launch_exit_circ(
@@ -840,12 +859,7 @@ impl<R: Runtime> TorClient<R> {
         prefs: &StreamPrefs,
     ) -> StdResult<ClientCirc, ErrorDetail> {
         self.wait_for_bootstrap().await?;
-        let dir = self
-            .dirmgr
-            .latest_netdir()
-            .ok_or(ErrorDetail::BootstrapRequired {
-                action: "launch a circuit",
-            })?;
+        let dir = self.netdir(Timeliness::Timely, "build a circuit")?;
 
         let isolation = {
             let mut b = StreamIsolationBuilder::new();
diff --git a/crates/arti-client/src/err.rs b/crates/arti-client/src/err.rs
index fa93ef847..bf37d41e5 100644
--- a/crates/arti-client/src/err.rs
+++ b/crates/arti-client/src/err.rs
@@ -204,6 +204,17 @@ enum ErrorDetail {
         action: &'static str
     },
 
+    /// Attempted to use a `TorClient` for something when it did not
+    /// have a valid directory.
+    #[error("Tried to {action} without a valid directory")]
+    NoDir {
+        /// The underlying error.
+        #[source]
+        error: tor_netdir::Error,
+        /// What we were trying to do that needed a directory.
+        action: &'static str,
+    },
+
     /// A programming problem, either in our code or the code calling it.
     #[error("Programming problem")]
     Bug(#[from] tor_error::Bug),
@@ -283,6 +294,7 @@ impl tor_error::HasKind for ErrorDetail {
             E::Address(_) | E::InvalidHostname => EK::InvalidStreamTarget,
             E::LocalAddress => EK::ForbiddenStreamTarget,
             E::ChanMgrSetup(e) => e.kind(),
+            E::NoDir { error, .. } => error.kind(),
             E::Bug(e) => e.kind(),
         }
     }