diff --git a/crates/tor-circmgr/src/lib.rs b/crates/tor-circmgr/src/lib.rs
index 5d1c55017..8cc1faa27 100644
--- a/crates/tor-circmgr/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/tor-circmgr/src/lib.rs
@@ -441,17 +441,22 @@ impl<R: Runtime> CircMgr<R> {
     ///
     /// Used to implement onion service clients and services.
     #[cfg(feature = "hs-common")]
-    #[allow(unused_variables, clippy::missing_panics_doc)]
-    pub async fn launch_specific_isolated(
+    #[allow(unused_variables, clippy::missing_panics_doc, dead_code)] // TODO XXX
+    pub(crate) async fn launch_hs_unmanaged(
         &self,
         target: tor_linkspec::OwnedCircTarget,
+        dir: &NetDir,
         // TODO hs: this should at least be an enum to define what kind of
         // circuit we want, in case we have different rules for different types.
         // It might also need to include a "anonymous?" flag for supporting
         // single onion services.
         preferences: (),
     ) -> Result<ClientCirc> {
-        todo!() // TODO hs implement.
+        let usage = TargetCircUsage::TimeoutTesting; // TODO HS: Wrong usage!
+        let (_supported_usage, client_circ) = self.mgr.launch_unmanaged(&usage, dir.into()).await?;
+
+        // XXX: Need to retain the supported_usage, maybe?
+        Ok(client_circ)
     }
 
     /// Launch circuits preemptively, using the preemptive circuit predictor's
diff --git a/crates/tor-circmgr/src/mgr.rs b/crates/tor-circmgr/src/mgr.rs
index 23aa47cdc..7d52fe893 100644
--- a/crates/tor-circmgr/src/mgr.rs
+++ b/crates/tor-circmgr/src/mgr.rs
@@ -1367,6 +1367,24 @@ impl<B: AbstractCircBuilder + 'static, R: Runtime> AbstractCircMgr<B, R> {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Plan and launch a new circuit to a given target, bypassing our managed
+    /// pool of circuits.
+    ///
+    /// This method will always return a new circuit, and never return a circuit
+    /// that this CircMgr gives out for anything else.
+    ///
+    /// The new circuit will participate in the guard and timeout apparatus as
+    /// appropriate, no retry attempt will be made if the circuit fails.
+    #[cfg(feature = "hs-common")]
+    pub(crate) async fn launch_unmanaged(
+        &self,
+        usage: &<B::Spec as AbstractSpec>::Usage,
+        dir: DirInfo<'_>,
+    ) -> Result<(<B as AbstractCircBuilder>::Spec, B::Circ)> {
+        let (_, plan) = self.plan_by_usage(dir, usage)?;
+        self.builder.build_circuit(plan.plan).await
+    }
+
     /// Remove the circuit with a given `id` from this manager.
     ///
     /// After this function is called, that circuit will no longer be handed