diff --git a/src/allmydata/client.py b/src/allmydata/client.py
index cb0978bc4..390327345 100644
--- a/src/allmydata/client.py
+++ b/src/allmydata/client.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ from allmydata.nodemaker import NodeMaker
 from allmydata.blacklist import Blacklist
 from allmydata.node import OldConfigOptionError, _common_config_sections
 from allmydata.node import read_config
+from allmydata.node import get_app_versions
 
 
 KiB=1024
@@ -277,7 +278,7 @@ class _Client(node.Node, pollmixin.PollMixin):
                                   self.nickname,
                                   str(allmydata.__full_version__),
                                   str(self.OLDEST_SUPPORTED_VERSION),
-                                  self.config.get_app_versions(), self._sequencer,
+                                  get_app_versions(), self._sequencer,
                                   introducer_cache_filepath)
             self.introducer_clients.append(ic)
             self.introducer_furls.append(introducer['furl'])
diff --git a/src/allmydata/node.py b/src/allmydata/node.py
index 0d738cc6c..aa00deb48 100644
--- a/src/allmydata/node.py
+++ b/src/allmydata/node.py
@@ -161,6 +161,11 @@ def config_from_string(config_str, portnumfile, basedir):
     return _Config(parser, portnumfile, basedir, '<in-memory>')
 
 
+def get_app_versions():
+    # TODO: merge this with allmydata.get_package_versions
+    return dict(app_versions.versions)
+
+
 def _error_about_old_config_files(basedir, generated_files):
     """
     If any old configuration files are detected, raise
@@ -216,10 +221,6 @@ class _Config(object):
             if os.path.exists(self.config_fname):
                 raise
 
-    def get_app_versions(self):
-        # TODO: merge this with allmydata.get_package_versions
-        return dict(app_versions.versions)
-
     def write_config_file(self, name, value, mode="w"):
         """
         writes the given 'value' into a file called 'name' in the config