diff --git a/modules/mesh-cli/README.md b/modules/mesh-cli/README.md
index 9615aab1..6dfb4cab 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-cli/README.md
+++ b/modules/mesh-cli/README.md
@@ -35,9 +35,11 @@ everywhere say `mesh-cli`. In interactive zsh the alias hides any other `nox` (A
      It meets every refusal of the generic `command` verb, and a change made at the terminal alone is refused with
      the reason.
    - **refused**: any other account, root included. Run it as yourself, not under `sudo`.
-3. `mesh-cli` prints standard output and standard error as the command wrote them, says why a line was not the
-   terminal or was refused, says when the output was cut to fit one bus message, and exits with the command's
-   status.
+3. A line still running after ten seconds is followed by its call until it ends. `mesh-cli` prints standard
+   output and standard error as the command wrote them, says why a line was not the terminal or was refused, says
+   when the output was cut to fit one bus message, and exits with the command's status. When no answer comes in
+   time it says the line may have run and names its call; "nothing ran" is said only of a line no controller
+   took.
 
 A process that runs for a verb (it carries `MESH_VERB`) is refused before anything is asked: a verb is never the
 operator.
@@ -49,11 +51,14 @@ operator.
   Give settings inline: `nox settings set <module> "$(cat settings.json)" --node <node>`.
 - **No streaming.** The answer arrives when the command ends, within the controller's bound on a call (five
   minutes). Interrupting `mesh-cli` stops the wait, not the command.
+- **The `MESH_VERB` refusal is a courtesy.** A verb's process is refused before asking, but the gate is the
+  controller: it judges the account the node-engine vouches for, whatever the program says.
 - **No other node is the terminal.** Phase 2 of ADR 0272 adds a node whose agents run under an account of their
   own (ADR 0266), judged unable to become root.
 
 ## Tests
 
-`go test ./...`: the line is asked as given and the answer printed with its exit; a reason, a refusal and a cut
+`go test ./...`: the module places exactly one file (one archive resource, one Go bundle compiled to the binary
+alone); the line is asked as given and the answer printed with its exit; a reason, a refusal, a cut and an outcome not known
 are said and a refusal never exits 0; a verb's process is refused before asking; an engine that does not answer
 is said.
diff --git a/modules/mesh-cli/cmd/mesh-cli/main.go b/modules/mesh-cli/cmd/mesh-cli/main.go
index 7b61cde9..f5019e5e 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-cli/cmd/mesh-cli/main.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-cli/cmd/mesh-cli/main.go
@@ -69,6 +69,13 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, args []string, stdout, stderr io.Writer) int {
 	if !a.Terminal && a.Why != "" {
 		fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "mesh-cli: "+a.Why)
 	}
+	if a.Unknown != "" {
+		// Asked, and what came of it not known: never said as nothing having run.
+		fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "mesh-cli: "+a.Unknown)
+		if a.Exit == 0 {
+			return 1
+		}
+	}
 	if a.Refused != "" {
 		fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "mesh-cli: "+a.Refused)
 		if a.Exit == 0 {
diff --git a/modules/mesh-cli/cmd/mesh-cli/main_test.go b/modules/mesh-cli/cmd/mesh-cli/main_test.go
index 37076633..a38238fe 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-cli/cmd/mesh-cli/main_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-cli/cmd/mesh-cli/main_test.go
@@ -93,3 +93,14 @@ func TestAnEngineThatDoesNotAnswerIsSaid(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("exit %d, said %q", code, errOut.String())
 	}
 }
+
+// An outcome not known is said as such — the line may have run — and never as nothing having run.
+func TestAnOutcomeNotKnownIsSaid(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("MESH_VERB", "")
+	engine(t, cli.NotKnown("call-4", "no answer within 6m0s"))
+	var out, errOut bytes.Buffer
+	code := run(context.Background(), []string{"push", "laptop"}, &out, &errOut)
+	if code == 0 || !strings.Contains(errOut.String(), "may have run") || !strings.Contains(errOut.String(), "call-4") {
+		t.Fatalf("exit %d, said %q", code, errOut.String())
+	}
+}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-cli/cmd/mesh-cli/manifest_test.go b/modules/mesh-cli/cmd/mesh-cli/manifest_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bf143a9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/mesh-cli/cmd/mesh-cli/manifest_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// **The archive places exactly one file, /usr/local/bin/mesh-cli** (review of novox/hq ADR 0272): one archive
+// resource, unpacking one artifact into /usr/local/bin, and that artifact a compiled Go bundle — the builder writes
+// such a bundle as its binary alone (`go build -o <out>/<binary>`), named mesh-cli — with nothing the runtime would
+// load or put beside it. A second file in the bundle, or a second resource writing there, fails here.
+func TestTheArchivePlacesExactlyOneFile(t *testing.T) {
+	raw, err := os.ReadFile("../../module.json")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	var m struct {
+		Resources []map[string]any `json:"resources"`
+		Build     struct {
+			Artifacts []map[string]any `json:"artifacts"`
+		} `json:"build"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &m); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(m.Resources) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("the module declares %d resources; it places one file", len(m.Resources))
+	}
+	r := m.Resources[0]
+	if r["type"] != "archive" || r["path"] != "/usr/local/bin" {
+		t.Fatalf("its resource is %v", r)
+	}
+	if len(m.Build.Artifacts) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("it builds %d artifacts", len(m.Build.Artifacts))
+	}
+	a := m.Build.Artifacts[0]
+	if a["name"] != r["artifact"] || a["kind"] != "bundle" || a["language"] != "go" || a["binary"] != "mesh-cli" ||
+		a["from"] != "cmd/mesh-cli" {
+		t.Fatalf("its artifact is %v, unpacked as %v", a, r["artifact"])
+	}
+	for _, extra := range []string{"loads", "env", "context", "files"} {
+		if _, has := a[extra]; has {
+			t.Fatalf("its artifact says %q, which would put more than the binary in the bundle or load it", extra)
+		}
+	}
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(".")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		if e.IsDir() {
+			t.Fatalf("cmd/mesh-cli holds a directory %s, which a build could carry into the bundle", e.Name())
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-cli/go.mod b/modules/mesh-cli/go.mod
index 566150bb..4d6d5938 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-cli/go.mod
+++ b/modules/mesh-cli/go.mod
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@ module mesh-cli
 
 go 1.22
 
-require git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.8-0.20261009100314-bfe82315f42c
+require git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.8-0.20261009103748-a5a040c9049b
diff --git a/modules/mesh-cli/go.sum b/modules/mesh-cli/go.sum
index eb901752..22f2ed57 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-cli/go.sum
+++ b/modules/mesh-cli/go.sum
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.8-0.20261009100314-bfe82315f42c h1:8hjQ3FYt7mGdZv+HX0Vk+n3pdaS3W5EIlwsrvSXXhRY=
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.8-0.20261009100314-bfe82315f42c/go.mod h1:GFuZUElBZ9A++mxgIKo97aXXo+kV0uJ/UkbhQPPIbrY=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.8-0.20261009103748-a5a040c9049b h1:HmasScQ02QeFlAFDnmRCOEserbtDJJtutK+acBmGlNs=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.8-0.20261009103748-a5a040c9049b/go.mod h1:GFuZUElBZ9A++mxgIKo97aXXo+kV0uJ/UkbhQPPIbrY=