diff --git a/modules/disk-load/cmd/disk-load/data.go b/modules/disk-load/cmd/disk-load/data.go
index 724cec2d..7882c804 100644
--- a/modules/disk-load/cmd/disk-load/data.go
+++ b/modules/disk-load/cmd/disk-load/data.go
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ func (w *Watched) Follow(k *Keeper) error {
 		return nil
 	})
 	w.Ready()
+	// The handed-over set is complete now: a module whose key went while the watch was down is retired once.
+	k.RetireUnkeyed(context.Background())
 	// A round refused while the watch caught up runs now, not at the next hour (the delivery's readings within minutes).
 	go k.RoundIfRefused(context.Background())
 	return nil
diff --git a/modules/disk-load/cmd/disk-load/data_test.go b/modules/disk-load/cmd/disk-load/data_test.go
index 5d375056..c8a86f46 100644
--- a/modules/disk-load/cmd/disk-load/data_test.go
+++ b/modules/disk-load/cmd/disk-load/data_test.go
@@ -134,6 +134,37 @@ func TestTheItemsComeFromTheEnginesKeysAndARoundSaysHowFarItGot(t *testing.T) {
 	if measured["/srv/web2"] != before || round().Items != 2 {
 		t.Errorf("an item whose key was deleted was measured again: %d times, round %+v", measured["/srv/web2"]-before, round())
 	}
+
+	// A restart: oldie's key was deleted while the watch was down, so no delete arrives. Once the watch handed over its
+	// keys, oldie's reading is retired and pg's kept; an empty set retires nothing (the engine has not written yet).
+	_ = readings.Put("ace.oldie.x", health.Reading{V: health.ReadingVersion, Node: "ace",
+		PlacedDataItem: catalogue.PlacedDataItem{Module: "oldie", ID: "x", Path: "/srv/oldie"}})
+	for _, restart := range []struct {
+		name    string
+		keys    []stdio.StateChange
+		retired bool
+	}{
+		{"no key yet", nil, false},
+		{"pg's key alone", []stdio.StateChange{{Key: key("pg"), Op: stdio.OpPut, Value: value("pg", pg, gone), Current: true}}, true},
+	} {
+		w2 := &Watched{Node: "ace"}
+		said = nil
+		k2 := &Keeper{Node: "ace", Items: w2.All, Store: readings, Say: k.Say, Measurer: k.Measurer}
+		for _, ch := range restart.keys {
+			if _, _, err := w2.Take(ch); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+		}
+		w2.Ready()
+		k2.RetireUnkeyed(context.Background())
+		oldie, pgData := readingOf(readings, "ace.oldie.x"), readingOf(readings, "ace.pg.data")
+		if oldie == nil || pgData == nil || oldie.RetiredAt.IsZero() == restart.retired || !pgData.RetiredAt.IsZero() {
+			t.Errorf("%s: oldie %+v, pg %+v; oldie retired: want %v, pg never", restart.name, oldie, pgData, restart.retired)
+		}
+		if !restart.retired && !strings.Contains(strings.Join(said, "\n"), "holds no key") {
+			t.Errorf("%s: the skip was not said: %v", restart.name, said)
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 func readingOf(s *memStore, key string) *health.Reading {
diff --git a/modules/disk-load/cmd/disk-load/keeper.go b/modules/disk-load/cmd/disk-load/keeper.go
index 5d9e7a16..95998f3f 100644
--- a/modules/disk-load/cmd/disk-load/keeper.go
+++ b/modules/disk-load/cmd/disk-load/keeper.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/catalogue"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/health"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -286,13 +287,47 @@ func (k *Keeper) MeasureModule(ctx context.Context, module string) {
 // asked only on a change of that module's key (novox/hq ADR 0577 clause 2), never from a round. It is cleared when the
 // item is declared again (measureOne).
 func (k *Keeper) retireGone(module string, declared []catalogue.PlacedDataItem) (int, error) {
+	return k.retire(func(r health.Reading) bool { return r.Module == module }, declared)
+}
+
+// RetireUnkeyed retires, once the watch handed over every current key, the readings of this node whose module has no
+// key in that set: a key deleted while the watch was not up (disk-load restarted, the machine rebooted or slept) never
+// reaches disk-load as a delete. An empty set is skipped and said: the engine has not written its keys yet, and an
+// empty set would retire every reading.
+func (k *Keeper) RetireUnkeyed(ctx context.Context) {
+	k.mu.Lock()
+	defer k.mu.Unlock()
+	items, err := k.Items(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		k.Say("the readings of modules with no key are not looked for: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+	if len(items) == 0 {
+		k.Say("the node-engine's state %s holds no key of this machine yet: no reading is retired for it", delivery.EngineDataBucket)
+		return
+	}
+	var declared []catalogue.PlacedDataItem
+	for _, its := range items {
+		declared = append(declared, its...)
+	}
+	n, err := k.retire(func(r health.Reading) bool { _, keyed := items[r.Module]; return !keyed }, declared)
+	switch {
+	case err != nil:
+		k.Say("the readings of modules with no key are not all retired: %v", err)
+	case n > 0:
+		k.Say("%d reading(s) of modules with no key of this machine retired, measured no more", n)
+	}
+}
+
+// retire marks retired every reading of this node that of picks and declared does not name.
+func (k *Keeper) retire(of func(health.Reading) bool, declared []catalogue.PlacedDataItem) (int, error) {
 	keys, err := k.Store.Keys()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
 	declaredNow := map[string]bool{}
 	for _, it := range declared {
-		declaredNow[health.ReadingKey(k.Node, module, it.ID)] = true
+		declaredNow[health.ReadingKey(k.Node, it.Module, it.ID)] = true
 	}
 	now := k.Measurer.Now().UTC()
 	n := 0
@@ -305,7 +340,7 @@ func (k *Keeper) retireGone(module string, declared []catalogue.PlacedDataItem)
 			continue
 		}
 		r, err := health.DecodeReading(raw)
-		if err != nil || r.Node != k.Node || r.Module != module || !r.RetiredAt.IsZero() {
+		if err != nil || r.Node != k.Node || !of(r) || !r.RetiredAt.IsZero() {
 			continue
 		}
 		r.RetiredAt = now