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
 		}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-provisioner-client/cmd/mesh-provisioner-client/socket_integration_test.go b/modules/mesh-provisioner-client/cmd/mesh-provisioner-client/socket_integration_test.go
index 094a7e29..049b0be7 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-provisioner-client/cmd/mesh-provisioner-client/socket_integration_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-provisioner-client/cmd/mesh-provisioner-client/socket_integration_test.go
@@ -106,3 +106,38 @@ func TestWatchSocketWakesWhenTheSocketIsMadeAndWhenItsDirectoryReturns(t *testin
 	defer l.Close()
 	heard("the directory and socket back")
 }
+
+// Issue 1873: a fill the node-engine refused for a reason of its own (on ace, "read …/superuser.secret: is a
+// directory", what a container runtime had left there) is tried again when a node-engine makes its socket again, as a
+// newer engine may write what the older could not. Before, only a fill that failed for want of the socket was, so
+// ace's postgres stayed unplaced after the engine that cures it was delivered, and its old failure was said every 30 s.
+func TestNatsAFillTheEngineFailedIsTriedWhenTheSocketReturns(t *testing.T) {
+	b := startBus(t)
+	heard := b.listen(t)
+	e := newEngine(t, map[string]string{dunstrc: "owned"})
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(e.at(dunstrc), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	stop := e.listen(t)
+	b.config(t, "dunst", "font-size", "13")
+	b.assign(t, "dunst", dunst(t))
+	aClient(t, b, e, t.TempDir())
+
+	eventually(t, "the engine's failure is said", func() bool {
+		r, _ := heard.last("dunst")
+		return r.Status == StatusFailed && strings.Contains(r.Reason, "is a directory")
+	})
+	// The node-engine replaces itself with one that clears what the runtime left.
+	stop()
+	if err := os.Remove(e.at(dunstrc)); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	e.listen(t)
+	eventually(t, "dunstrc is written by the new engine", func() bool {
+		return strings.Contains(e.read(t, dunstrc), "Monospace 13")
+	})
+	eventually(t, "and the report says applied", func() bool {
+		r, _ := heard.last("dunst")
+		return r.Status == StatusApplied
+	})
+}