diff --git a/modules/mesh-provisioner-client/cmd/mesh-provisioner-client/client.go b/modules/mesh-provisioner-client/cmd/mesh-provisioner-client/client.go
index 7bd28b50..489d5d28 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-provisioner-client/cmd/mesh-provisioner-client/client.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-provisioner-client/cmd/mesh-provisioner-client/client.go
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ type Client struct {
 	// Now dates the reports; nil is time.Now.
 	Now func() time.Time
 	// SocketUp wakes the client when the node-engine's write socket is made again (watchSocket); nil never does.
-	// A module whose write failed for want of the socket is filled again then (issue 1165), and nothing else is.
+	// A module whose write failed is filled again then (issue 1165, issue 1873), and nothing else is.
 	SocketUp <-chan struct{}
 
 	// watchBound watches a provider's bucket of entries for this machine's keys, once per run (consumers.go); set by
@@ -150,7 +150,8 @@ type state struct {
 	// of the consumers left out of one of its files.
 	providing map[string]bool
 	leftOut   map[string]string
-	// unplaced is a module whose last fill failed for want of the node-engine's write socket (issue 1165).
+	// unplaced is a module whose last fill failed, for want of the node-engine's write socket (issue 1165) or by the
+	// engine's own refusal (issue 1873): filled again when the socket is made again.
 	unplaced map[string]bool
 	// bound is each provider's bucket of entries this client watches, by key: this machine's consumers' entries alone;
 	// boundReady is a bucket whose current entries are all read, and boundUsers the modules filled from each.
@@ -705,9 +706,10 @@ func (c *Client) reconcile(ctx context.Context, kvs map[string]jetstream.KeyValu
 			err = errFill(a)
 		}
 		if err != nil {
-			if socketAbsent(err) {
-				s.unplaced[module] = true
-			}
+			// Filled again when a node-engine makes its socket again: one gone (issue 1165), or one that refused for a
+			// reason of its own, which a newer engine may write (issue 1873: "is a directory", what a container
+			// runtime left at the path, cleared by the engine that followed).
+			s.unplaced[module] = true
 			failed = append(failed, fmt.Sprintf("%s: %v", f.Path, err))
 			continue
 		}