diff --git a/crates/tor-basic-utils/src/lib.rs b/crates/tor-basic-utils/src/lib.rs
index fb7f423fa..5176ae511 100644
--- a/crates/tor-basic-utils/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/tor-basic-utils/src/lib.rs
@@ -140,3 +140,33 @@ macro_rules! define_accessor_trait {
 }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Helper for assisting with macro "argument" defaulting
+///
+/// ```ignore
+/// macro_coalesce_args!{ [ something ]  ... }  // =>   something
+/// macro_coalesce_args!{ [ ], [ other ] ... }  // =>   other
+/// // etc.
+/// ```
+///
+/// ### Usage note
+///
+/// It is generally possible to avoid use of `macro_coalesce_args`, at the cost of
+/// providing many alternative matcher patterns.  Using `macro_coalesce_args` can make
+/// it possible to provide a single pattern with the optional items in `$( )?`.
+///
+/// This is valuable because a single pattern with some optional items
+/// makes much better documentation than several patterns which the reader must compare
+/// by eye - and it also simplifies the implementation.
+///
+/// `macro_coalesce_args` takes each of its possible expansions in `[ ]` and returns
+/// the first nonempty one.
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! macro_coalesce_args {
+    { [ $($yes:tt)+ ] $($rhs:tt)* } => { $($yes)* };
+    { [ ]$(,)? [ $($otherwise:tt)* ] $($rhs:tt)* } => {
+        $crate::macro_coalesce_args!{ [ $($otherwise)* ] $($rhs)* }
+    };
+}
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------