diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/bus_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/bus_test.go
index b34c470c..cdeebbcb 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/bus_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/bus_test.go
@@ -514,6 +514,11 @@ func TestAPassingVerdictAsksTheApproveAndItsApproveMergesWithinSecondsOverARealB
 	announced.Title = "Fix the apostrophe (issue 975)"
 	announced.Body = "The description, with no review line yet."
 	b.publish(t, "mesh.mod.gitea.event.pull.updated", announced)
+	rt.until("the pull request's key to hold its head", eventWithin, func() bool {
+		e, err := b.kvs["pulls"].Get(ctx, "novox.app.7")
+		var k PullKey
+		return err == nil && json.Unmarshal(e.Value(), &k) == nil && k.Head == head && k.Trunk == "a1a1a1a1a1a1"
+	})
 	b.checkPasses(t, rt, "fix/x", "a1a1a1a1a1a1", judgedPull{"novox/app", 7, head})
 
 	// No review names the head, so nothing is asked (ADR 0496, issue 1803): the delivery waits for a review.
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/pullkey.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/pullkey.go
index 68b98350..4b2b7701 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/pullkey.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/pullkey.go
@@ -51,7 +51,38 @@ func (h *Holder) KeepPull(p PullEvent) {
 	if err != nil {
 		h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] the key of %s/%s#%d could not be written: %v", p.Owner, p.Repo, p.Number, err)
 		h.again("a pull request's key that could not be written")
+		return
 	}
+	// The head's mesh/check may have been heard before this key held the head: the two events are taken on goroutines of
+	// their own, and KeepCheckVerdict then found no head to write a verdict to. The verdict the delivery holds for this head
+	// and trunk is written now; read after the write above landed, it cannot miss one taken before that write.
+	verdict := h.checkVerdictOf(p.repository(), p.HeadSHA, p.BaseSHA)
+	if verdict == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	err = h.Pulls.Change(pullKeyName(p.Owner, p.Repo, p.Number), func(k PullKey) (PullKey, bool) {
+		if !sameCommit(k.Head, p.HeadSHA) || !sameCommit(k.Trunk, p.BaseSHA) || k.Verdict != "" {
+			return k, false
+		}
+		k.Verdict = verdict
+		return k, true
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		h.Logf("[mesh-delivery] the verdict in the key of %s/%s#%d could not be written: %v", p.Owner, p.Repo, p.Number, err)
+		h.again("a pull request's key that could not be written")
+	}
+}
+
+// checkVerdictOf is the verdict of the mesh/check the delivery of a head holds, when it judged this head on this trunk
+// commit; empty otherwise. Outside the lock.
+func (h *Holder) checkVerdictOf(repository, head, trunk string) string {
+	h.mu.Lock()
+	defer h.mu.Unlock()
+	d := h.deliveries[IDOf(strings.ToLower(repository), head)]
+	if d == nil || d.Check == nil || d.Check.Status != ctxCheck || !sameCommit(d.Check.Head, head) || !sameCommit(d.Check.Trunk, trunk) {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return d.Check.Gate
 }
 
 // KeepCheckVerdict writes the verdict of a head's mesh/check into the key of its pull request, when the key holds that head
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/pullkey_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/pullkey_test.go
index 4d250f66..a24a2882 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/pullkey_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/pullkey_test.go
@@ -145,3 +145,21 @@ func TestTheSameMergeHeardAgainAfterALaterMergeMovesNoTrunkBack(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("the trunk moved from %q to %q on a merge heard again; wanted it to stay m9m9m9m9m9m9", before.TrunkNow, after.TrunkNow)
 	}
 }
+
+// The forge's mesh/check event handled wholly between the announcement's PullUpdated and its KeepPull (the two events are
+// taken on goroutines of their own): the verdict must still reach the pull request's key.
+func TestAVerdictHeardBeforeTheKeyIsWrittenReachesTheKey(t *testing.T) {
+	w := newWorld(t)
+	pulls := newFakePulls()
+	w.h.Pulls = pulls
+	p := announcedAt(readyHead, "a1a1a1a1a1a1")
+	w.h.PullUpdated(p)
+	s := ForgeStatusEvent{Owner: "novox", Repo: "app", SHA: readyHead, Context: ctxCheck, State: "success",
+		Description: "pass " + readyHead[:12] + " on a1a1a1a1a1a1 | unit 3 run"}
+	w.h.CommitStatus(s)
+	w.h.KeepCheckVerdict(s)
+	w.h.KeepPull(p)
+	if got := pulls.get(appKey); got.Head != readyHead || got.Verdict != "pass" {
+		t.Fatalf("the key holds %+v, want the head with the verdict pass", got)
+	}
+}