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 03ef6b9e..4f85d309 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
@@ -388,9 +388,11 @@ func TestAGroupMergesEveryMemberInOnePassOnlyOnceComposedAndApproved(t *testing.
 	r.settleAll()
 	r.later(askCheckBound + time.Minute)
 	r.h.PullUpdated(pr("novox/mesh-controller", 1, ctlHead2, "feat/x", "internal/a.go"))
-	// Ready in its handler, with no run yet, while the check of the group's new heads together runs.
-	r.h.Checked(judgedAt("novox/mesh-controller", 1, ctlHead2, "pass", "t1t1t1t1t1t1"))
-	checkerSays(r, "feat/x", "running", "", headOf("novox/mesh-controller", 1, ctlHead2), headOf("novox/mesh-catalog", 2, catHead))
+	// Made ready by a handler, before the look gives it a run: no verdict and no status at the new heads, so only the rule
+	// that a member with no run counts as ready now keeps the older sibling's time from asking it as unanswered.
+	r.h.mu.Lock()
+	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) {