diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/ready.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/ready.go
index 6f1f287bb..d02dd1f4f 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/ready.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/ready.go
@@ -456,7 +456,8 @@ func (h *Holder) readyWaits(d *Delivery) string {
 }
 
 // ungatedWaits is readyWaits while mesh/check gates no merge (check-gates-merge false): a ready delivery waits only for its
-// review at its head, and a group member for every member to be ready; no verdict, composed check or trunk is waited on.
+// review at its head, and a group member for every member to be ready; no verdict, composed check or trunk is waited on,
+// so the Approve is asked at once.
 func (h *Holder) ungatedWaits(d *Delivery) string {
 	if d.State != Ready {
 		return "it is " + string(d.State) + ", not ready yet"
@@ -473,9 +474,9 @@ func (h *Holder) ungatedWaits(d *Delivery) string {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if h.covering(d) == nil {
-		return h.verdictWaits(d)
-	}
+	// No verdict is waited on (the operator, 2026-11-07: "we aren't running any checks anymore, we're delivering"): while
+	// the check gates no merge, the Approve is asked once the delivery is reviewed and ready; a verdict that comes later
+	// is shown on the pull request and the delivery, as before.
 	return ""
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/ready_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/ready_test.go
index c685ac84f..6c80aec72 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/ready_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/ready_test.go
@@ -85,20 +85,14 @@ func TestAnApprovedPullRequestIsMergedThroughTheMergeTool(t *testing.T) {
 		{name: "gated, passed", gated: true, state: "pass", asks: 1, head: "Merge into main: app#7 Fix it",
 			want: []string{"app#7 Fix it passed its check. Approve merges it into main at " + readyHead[:12] + ";"},
 			not:  []string{"before its check ends", "no verdict yet"}},
-		{name: "ungated, no verdict", asks: 0, want: []string{waitsCheckBeforeAsking + "its check has no verdict yet"}, not: []string{"anyway"}},
-		{name: "ungated, running", state: "running", asks: 0, want: []string{waitsCheckBeforeAsking + "its check has no verdict yet: it is running"}},
-		{name: "ungated, running for hours, still not asked", state: "running", after: 5 * time.Hour, asks: 0,
-			want: []string{waitsCheckBeforeAsking + "its check has no verdict yet: it is running"}, not: []string{"anyway"}},
-		{name: "ungated, running, then passed", state: "running", after: 2 * time.Hour, then: "pass", asks: 1,
-			want: []string{"passed its check. Approve merges it into main at " + readyHead[:12] + ";"}, not: []string{"before its check ends", "anyway"}},
-		{name: "ungated, passed", state: "pass", asks: 1,
+		// The operator, 2026-11-07: "we aren't running any checks anymore, we're delivering": while the check gates no
+		// merge the Approve is asked at once, with no verdict or a running check, never waiting for one.
+		{name: "ungated, no verdict", asks: 1, not: []string{waitsCheckBeforeAsking}},
+		{name: "ungated, running", state: "running", asks: 1, not: []string{waitsCheckBeforeAsking}},
+		// Asked at once, then asked again in its words once the verdict comes (a later verdict asks a pending Approve again).
+		{name: "ungated, passed", state: "pass", asks: 2,
 			want: []string{"passed its check. Approve merges it into main at " + readyHead[:12] + ";"}, not: []string{"before its check ends"}},
-		// A pass that turns back into a check with no verdict (a check started again, its verdict taken away) withdraws the ask.
-		{name: "ungated, passed, running again", state: "pass", then: "running", asks: 1, open: -1,
-			want: []string{waitsCheckBeforeAsking + "its check has no verdict yet: it is running"}, not: []string{"anyway"}},
-		{name: "ungated, passed, its verdict gone", state: "pass", then: "gone", asks: 1, open: -1,
-			want: []string{waitsCheckBeforeAsking + "its check has no verdict yet"}, not: []string{"anyway"}},
-		{name: "ungated, failed", state: "fail", failed: "TestThing: wanted 1, got 2", asks: 1,
+		{name: "ungated, failed", state: "fail", failed: "TestThing: wanted 1, got 2", asks: 2,
 			head: "Check failed \u2014 merge into main: app#7 Fix it",
 			want: []string{"its check failed: TestThing: wanted 1, got 2", "although its check failed"}, not: []string{"passed", "anyway"}},
 	} {
@@ -175,8 +169,8 @@ func TestAnApprovedPullRequestIsMergedThroughTheMergeTool(t *testing.T) {
 	u.h.PullUpdated(pr("novox/app", 7, readyHead, "feat/x", "src/a.go"))
 	u.h.PullUpdated(pr("novox/app", 8, other, "feat/y", "src/b.go"))
 	u.settleAll()
-	if u.op.count() != 0 || u.state(IDOf("novox/app", readyHead)) != Ready {
-		t.Fatalf("ungated, two reviewed pull requests with no verdict: %d asks, %s; wanted ready and not asked", u.op.count(), u.state(IDOf("novox/app", readyHead)))
+	if u.op.count() == 0 || u.state(IDOf("novox/app", readyHead)) != Ready {
+		t.Fatalf("ungated, two reviewed pull requests with no verdict: %d asks, %s; wanted ready and asked at once", u.op.count(), u.state(IDOf("novox/app", readyHead)))
 	}
 	if gates, _ := u.h.Status("listening")["check-gates-merge"].(bool); gates {
 		t.Fatalf("delivery_status does not say the check gates no merge: %v", u.h.Status("listening"))
@@ -189,8 +183,8 @@ func TestAnApprovedPullRequestIsMergedThroughTheMergeTool(t *testing.T) {
 	checkerSays(u, "feat/y", "fail", "TestB", headOf("novox/app", 8, other))
 	u.h.PullMerged(merged("novox/app", 7, readyHead, "m7m7m7m7m7m7"))
 	u.settleAll()
-	if u.op.count() != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("ungated, a failed verdict is asked once (the check gates no merge): %d asks", u.op.count())
+	if u.op.count() == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("ungated, a failed verdict holds the ask (the check gates no merge): %d asks", u.op.count())
 	}
 	d = u.delivery(IDOf("novox/app", other))
 	if d.State != Ready || d.Check == nil || d.Check.Passes() {
@@ -359,15 +353,15 @@ func TestAGroupMergesEveryMemberInOnePassOnlyOnceComposedAndApproved(t *testing.
 	group := []mdc.Head{headOf("novox/mesh-controller", 1, ctlHead), headOf("novox/mesh-catalog", 2, catHead)}
 	checkerSays(u, "feat/x", "running", "", group...)
 	u.settleAll()
-	// The group's check is the one of its heads together: while it runs, nothing is asked and each member says it waits.
-	if d := u.delivery(IDOf("novox/mesh-catalog", catHead)); u.op.count() != 0 || d.Ready == nil ||
-		!strings.Contains(d.Ready.Waits, waitsCheckBeforeAsking+"its check has no verdict yet: it is running") {
-		t.Fatalf("ungated, the group is asked %d times while its check runs; wanted none, and the wait said: %+v", u.op.count(), d.Ready)
+	// Issue 1966 (the operator, 2026-11-07): the group is asked at once, its check running or not; nothing waits on it.
+	if d := u.delivery(IDOf("novox/mesh-catalog", catHead)); u.op.count() != 1 || d.Ready == nil ||
+		strings.Contains(d.Ready.Waits, waitsCheckBeforeAsking) {
+		t.Fatalf("ungated, the group is asked %d times while its check runs; wanted once at once, and the wait said: %+v", u.op.count(), d.Ready)
 	}
 	checkerSays(u, "feat/x", "pass", "", group...)
 	u.settleAll()
-	if u.op.count() != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("ungated, the group is asked %d times once its check passed; wanted once", u.op.count())
+	if u.op.count() != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("ungated, the group is asked %d times once its check passed; wanted once at once and once again in its words", u.op.count())
 	}
 	if e := u.op.ask(u.op.open()[0]).Explanation; !strings.Contains(e, "2 pull requests, passed its check. Approve merges all of them into main in one pass, at the heads named;") {
 		t.Fatalf("ungated, the group's ask does not say its check passed:\n%s", e)
@@ -388,9 +382,10 @@ func TestAGroupMergesEveryMemberInOnePassOnlyOnceComposedAndApproved(t *testing.
 	r.h.ungate(r.h.deliveries[IDOf("novox/mesh-controller", ctlHead2)], r.h.Now())
 	r.h.mu.Unlock()
 	r.settleAll()
-	if d := r.delivery(IDOf("novox/mesh-catalog", catHead)); r.op.count() != 0 || d.Ready == nil ||
-		!strings.Contains(d.Ready.Waits, waitsCheckBeforeAsking) {
-		t.Fatalf("a member re-pushed hours later: asked %d times, wait %+v; wanted none asked and the wait said", r.op.count(), d.Ready)
+	// Issue 1966: no verdict is waited on, so the new heads are asked again at once, never held for a check.
+	if d := r.delivery(IDOf("novox/mesh-catalog", catHead)); r.op.count() == 0 || d.Ready == nil ||
+		strings.Contains(d.Ready.Waits, waitsCheckBeforeAsking) {
+		t.Fatalf("a member re-pushed hours later: asked %d times, wait %+v; wanted asked again at once", r.op.count(), d.Ready)
 	}
 
 	u.op.answer(u.op.open()[0], OptionApprove)