diff --git a/changes/ticket34445 b/changes/ticket34445
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..111c815dac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/ticket34445
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+  o Minor features (directory authority):
+    - The AssumeReachable option no longer stops directory authorities
+      from checking whether other relays are running. A new
+      AuthDirTestReachability option can be used to disable these checks.
+      Closes ticket 34445.
diff --git a/doc/tor.1.txt b/doc/tor.1.txt
index 327925b020..37db6a3050 100644
--- a/doc/tor.1.txt
+++ b/doc/tor.1.txt
@@ -2143,9 +2143,7 @@ is non-zero):
 [[AssumeReachable]] **AssumeReachable** **0**|**1**::
     This option is used when bootstrapping a new Tor network. If set to 1,
     don't do self-reachability testing; just upload your server descriptor
-    immediately. If **AuthoritativeDirectory** is also set, this option
-    instructs the dirserver to bypass remote reachability testing too and list
-    all connected servers as running. (Default: 0)
+    immediately. (Default: 0)
 
 [[AssumeReachableIPv6]] **AssumeReachableIPv6** **0**|**1**|**auto**::
     Like **AssumeReachable**, but affects only the relay's own IPv6 ORPort.
@@ -3010,6 +3008,12 @@ on the public Tor network.
     if there is some major bug in Ed25519 link authentication that causes us
     to label all the relays as not Running.  (Default: 1)
 
+[[AuthDirTestReachability]] **AuthDirTestReachability** **0**|**1**::
+    Authoritative directories only. If set to 1, then we periodically
+    check every relay we know about to see whether it is running.
+    If set to 0, we vote Running for every relay, and don't perform
+    these tests. (Default: 1)
+
 [[BridgePassword]] **BridgePassword** __Password__::
     If set, contains an HTTP authenticator that tells a bridge authority to
     serve all requested bridge information. Used by the (only partially
diff --git a/src/feature/dirauth/dirauth_options.inc b/src/feature/dirauth/dirauth_options.inc
index 21f4996c39..40ef7c3bab 100644
--- a/src/feature/dirauth/dirauth_options.inc
+++ b/src/feature/dirauth/dirauth_options.inc
@@ -44,6 +44,13 @@ CONF_VAR(AuthDirSharedRandomness, BOOL, 0, "1")
 /* NOTE: remove this option someday. */
 CONF_VAR(AuthDirTestEd25519LinkKeys, BOOL, 0, "1")
 
+/**
+ * Bool (default 1): As an authority, should we launch tests for
+ * reachability, and use those results to vote on "Running"?  If 0,
+ * we assume that every relay is Runnning.
+ **/
+CONF_VAR(AuthDirTestReachability, BOOL, 0, "1")
+
 /** Authority only: key=value pairs that we add to our networkstatus
  * consensus vote on the 'params' line. */
 CONF_VAR(ConsensusParams, STRING, 0, NULL)
diff --git a/src/feature/dirauth/reachability.c b/src/feature/dirauth/reachability.c
index 65fa27ed80..30938f528d 100644
--- a/src/feature/dirauth/reachability.c
+++ b/src/feature/dirauth/reachability.c
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ dirserv_should_launch_reachability_test(const routerinfo_t *ri,
 {
   if (!authdir_mode_handles_descs(get_options(), ri->purpose))
     return 0;
+  if (! dirauth_get_options()->AuthDirTestReachability)
+    return 0;
   if (!ri_old) {
     /* New router: Launch an immediate reachability test, so we will have an
      * opinion soon in case we're generating a consensus soon */
@@ -189,6 +191,9 @@ dirserv_test_reachability(time_t now)
    * the testing, and directory authorities are easy to upgrade. Let's
    * wait til 0.2.0. -RD */
 //  time_t cutoff = now - ROUTER_MAX_AGE_TO_PUBLISH;
+  if (! dirauth_get_options()->AuthDirTestReachability)
+    return;
+
   routerlist_t *rl = router_get_routerlist();
   static char ctr = 0;
   int bridge_auth = authdir_mode_bridge(get_options());
diff --git a/src/feature/dirauth/voteflags.c b/src/feature/dirauth/voteflags.c
index 477eb6f0b7..3938b61adb 100644
--- a/src/feature/dirauth/voteflags.c
+++ b/src/feature/dirauth/voteflags.c
@@ -487,7 +487,6 @@ dirserv_set_router_is_running(routerinfo_t *router, time_t now)
     unreachable.
    */
   int answer;
-  const or_options_t *options = get_options();
   const dirauth_options_t *dirauth_options = dirauth_get_options();
   node_t *node = node_get_mutable_by_id(router->cache_info.identity_digest);
   tor_assert(node);
@@ -501,8 +500,9 @@ dirserv_set_router_is_running(routerinfo_t *router, time_t now)
     /* A hibernating router is down unless we (somehow) had contact with it
      * since it declared itself to be hibernating. */
     answer = 0;
-  } else if (options->AssumeReachable) {
-    /* If AssumeReachable, everybody is up unless they say they are down! */
+  } else if (! dirauth_options->AuthDirTestReachability) {
+    /* If we aren't testing reachability, then everybody is up unless they say
+     * they are down. */
     answer = 1;
   } else {
     /* Otherwise, a router counts as up if we found all announced OR