diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/record.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/record.go
index 38b81225a..f99abaa03 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/record.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/record.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-delivery/contracts/go/seats/meshdelivery"
 	stdio "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buscalls"
 )
@@ -498,10 +499,24 @@ func (rs *Records) Open(milestone string, heads map[string]string, forgeMade boo
 	r, err = rs.Read(inst)
 	if err == nil && r != nil {
 		rs.keep(r)
+		// Said once, under the record's id: the watchman times it against 24 hours, ended by record-ended. A say that fails is
+		// said again by the next write of the record (the id keeps it once).
+		if serr := rs.say(meshdelivery.SubjectRecordOpened, recordOpened{Record: inst, Milestone: milestone, ForgeMade: forgeMade, At: now.UTC()},
+			"record-opened."+inst); serr != nil && rs.Logf != nil {
+			rs.Logf("[mesh-delivery] the record %s is opened and its opening is not said: %v", inst, serr)
+		}
 	}
 	return r, err == nil && r != nil, err
 }
 
+// recordOpened is the body of the seat's event record-opened.
+type recordOpened struct {
+	Record    string    `json:"record"`
+	Milestone string    `json:"milestone"`
+	ForgeMade bool      `json:"forge-made,omitempty"`
+	At        time.Time `json:"at"`
+}
+
 // List is every record kept, opened within the retention and a month more, oldest first.
 func (rs *Records) List() ([]*Record, error) {
 	now := rs.now()
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/record_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/record_test.go
index 87efb4b97..fcbb9336f 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/record_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/record_test.go
@@ -290,6 +290,9 @@ func TestTheDeliveryRecordIsALedgerInstanceKeyedByMilestoneAndHeads(t *testing.T
 		}
 		var got []said
 		rs := &Records{Ledger: l, Now: func() time.Time { return at }, Say: func(subject string, body any, id string) error {
+			if subject == meshdelivery.SubjectRecordOpened {
+				return nil
+			}
 			got = append(got, said{subject, id, body.(meshdelivery.Pins)})
 			return nil
 		}}
@@ -694,7 +697,11 @@ func TestTheRecordsToolsReadThemAndEndOneByHand(t *testing.T) {
 		return rs, r, &said
 	}
 	t.Run("gate_record and gate_records read a record whole and its fill", func(t *testing.T) {
-		rs, r, _ := setup(t)
+		rs, r, said := setup(t)
+		// W9.3: the record's opening is said once, under its id, for the watchman to time against 24 hours.
+		if !slices.Contains(*said, meshdelivery.SubjectRecordOpened+" record-opened."+r.Instance) {
+			t.Fatalf("the record's opening is not said: %v", *said)
+		}
 		got, err := rs.RecordOf(r.Instance, "")
 		if err != nil || len(got) != 1 || got[0].Record.Milestone != "47/G" || got[0].Waits != "waiting for mesh-x on ace" ||
 			got[0].Bytes == 0 || got[0].Of != 256<<10 {
@@ -769,6 +776,9 @@ func TestTheRecordsLedgerSaysFillingFullAndRoom(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	saying := func(out *[]said) SeatSay {
 		return func(subject string, body any, id string) error {
+			if subject == meshdelivery.SubjectRecordOpened {
+				return nil // the opening of a record, not a fill
+			}
 			f, _ := body.(meshdelivery.Fill)
 			*out = append(*out, said{subject, id, f})
 			return nil