diff --git a/changes/bug31657 b/changes/bug31657
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..08e9d95fdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/bug31657
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+  o Minor bugfixes (guards):
+    - When tor is missing descriptors for some primary entry guards, make the
+      log message less alarming. It's normal for descriptors to expire, as long
+      as tor fetches new ones soon after. Fixes bug 31657;
+      bugfix on 0.3.3.1-alpha.
diff --git a/src/feature/client/entrynodes.c b/src/feature/client/entrynodes.c
index 819f90a6d9..1bfb62538e 100644
--- a/src/feature/client/entrynodes.c
+++ b/src/feature/client/entrynodes.c
@@ -3765,7 +3765,8 @@ guard_selection_get_err_str_if_dir_info_missing(guard_selection_t *gs,
 
   /* otherwise return a helpful error string */
   tor_asprintf(&ret_str, "We're missing descriptors for %d/%d of our "
-               "primary entry guards (total %sdescriptors: %d/%d).",
+               "primary entry guards (total %sdescriptors: %d/%d). "
+               "That's ok. We will try to fetch missing descriptors soon.",
                n_missing_descriptors, num_primary_to_check,
                using_mds?"micro":"", num_present, num_usable);
 
diff --git a/src/test/test_entrynodes.c b/src/test/test_entrynodes.c
index 8f0b960046..a486b13ae1 100644
--- a/src/test/test_entrynodes.c
+++ b/src/test/test_entrynodes.c
@@ -1723,7 +1723,8 @@ test_entry_guard_manage_primary(void *arg)
     dir_info_str =guard_selection_get_err_str_if_dir_info_missing(gs, 1, 2, 3);
     tt_str_op(dir_info_str, OP_EQ,
               "We're missing descriptors for 1/2 of our primary entry guards "
-              "(total microdescriptors: 2/3).");
+              "(total microdescriptors: 2/3). That's ok. We will try to fetch "
+              "missing descriptors soon.");
     tor_free(dir_info_str);
   }