diff --git a/modules/claude-licence-manager/cmd/claude-licence-manager/main.go b/modules/claude-licence-manager/cmd/claude-licence-manager/main.go
index 7e8ddc6f4..1d34a8da9 100644
--- a/modules/claude-licence-manager/cmd/claude-licence-manager/main.go
+++ b/modules/claude-licence-manager/cmd/claude-licence-manager/main.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func manager() (*Manager, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	keys, err := keypair(dir)
+	keys, err := keypair(dir, say)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -131,28 +131,60 @@ func configLevels(node string) (map[string]string, error) {
 }
 
 // keypair is this module's own, made once in its state directory; the private half never leaves it.
-// Written whole, then linked into place, so a second process reads the first's key and never half of it.
-func keypair(dir string) (KeyPair, error) {
+// Written whole, then linked into place, so a second process reads the first's key and never half of it. A pair it
+// finds and cannot read (another account's, left before the module ran as its own) is made anew in its place and said
+// in its journal (design 39 bus-and-switch C2): every use passes the public key per ask, so nothing depends on the old.
+func keypair(dir string, log func(string, ...any)) (KeyPair, error) {
 	file := filepath.Join(dir, "manager-key.json")
 	if _, err := os.Stat(file); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
-		k, err := GenerateKeyPair()
-		if err != nil {
+		if err := writeKeyPair(dir, file, false); err != nil {
 			return KeyPair{}, err
 		}
-		raw, _ := json.Marshal(k)
-		tmp := filepath.Join(dir, fmt.Sprintf(".manager-key.%d.json", os.Getpid()))
-		if err := os.WriteFile(tmp, raw, 0o600); err != nil {
-			return KeyPair{}, err
-		}
-		_ = os.Link(tmp, file) // fails when another made it first, which is right
-		_ = os.Remove(tmp)
 	}
+	k, err := readKeyPair(file)
+	if err == nil {
+		return k, nil
+	}
+	log("the key pair %s cannot be read (%v); a new one is made in its place", file, err)
+	if err := writeKeyPair(dir, file, true); err != nil {
+		return KeyPair{}, err
+	}
+	return readKeyPair(file)
+}
+
+func readKeyPair(file string) (KeyPair, error) {
 	raw, err := os.ReadFile(file)
 	if err != nil {
 		return KeyPair{}, err
 	}
 	var k KeyPair
-	return k, json.Unmarshal(raw, &k)
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &k); err != nil {
+		return KeyPair{}, err
+	}
+	if k.PublicKey == "" || k.PrivateKey == "" {
+		return KeyPair{}, errors.New("it holds no whole key pair")
+	}
+	return k, nil
+}
+
+// writeKeyPair writes a new pair whole beside file, then links it into place, or, replacing, renames it over the one
+// that cannot be read.
+func writeKeyPair(dir, file string, replace bool) error {
+	k, err := GenerateKeyPair()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	raw, _ := json.Marshal(k)
+	tmp := filepath.Join(dir, fmt.Sprintf(".manager-key.%d.json", os.Getpid()))
+	if err := os.WriteFile(tmp, raw, 0o600); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if replace {
+		return os.Rename(tmp, file)
+	}
+	_ = os.Link(tmp, file) // fails when another made it first, which is right
+	_ = os.Remove(tmp)
+	return nil
 }
 
 // ---- the long-running half ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/modules/claude-licence-manager/cmd/claude-licence-manager/seal_test.go b/modules/claude-licence-manager/cmd/claude-licence-manager/seal_test.go
index 87038f0d7..2f096ba9b 100644
--- a/modules/claude-licence-manager/cmd/claude-licence-manager/seal_test.go
+++ b/modules/claude-licence-manager/cmd/claude-licence-manager/seal_test.go
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -41,3 +44,29 @@ func TestABoxOpensOnlyForItsRecipient(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("a box opened for another key")
 	}
 }
+
+// design 39 bus-and-switch C2: a key pair the manager finds and cannot read (left by another account, here mode 000) is
+// replaced in its place by a new one, said in its journal; the new one is read back by the next start.
+func TestAKeyPairItCannotReadIsMadeAnew(t *testing.T) {
+	if os.Geteuid() == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("run as root, a file of mode 000 is still read: this test needs an ordinary account")
+	}
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	file := filepath.Join(dir, "manager-key.json")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(file, []byte(`{"publicKey":"old","privateKey":"old"}`), 0o000); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	var said []string
+	log := func(format string, a ...any) { said = append(said, fmt.Sprintf(format, a...)) }
+	k, err := keypair(dir, log)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("a key pair it cannot read stops the manager: %v", err)
+	}
+	if k.PublicKey == "" || k.PublicKey == "old" || len(said) != 1 || !strings.Contains(said[0], "manager-key.json") {
+		t.Fatalf("not made anew and said: key %q, journal %q", k.PublicKey, said)
+	}
+	again, err := keypair(dir, log)
+	if err != nil || again != k || len(said) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("the new pair is not the one read at the next start: %v, %v, %q", again == k, err, said)
+	}
+}