diff --git a/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/health.go b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/health.go
index 78c97064..693ee0dc 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/health.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/health.go
@@ -24,26 +24,30 @@ const HealthTool = "mail_reader_health"
 // judgement that succeeds makes it healthy again at once.
 func RecordJudgement(current ReaderHealth, outcome HealthOutcome, why string, now time.Time) ReaderHealth {
 	if outcome == OutcomeOK {
-		return ReaderHealth{Healthy: true}
+		return ReaderHealth{Healthy: true, LastSuccess: now}
 	}
 	since := now
 	if !current.Healthy && !current.Since.IsZero() {
 		since = current.Since
 	}
-	return ReaderHealth{Healthy: false, Cause: outcome, Why: why, Since: since}
+	return ReaderHealth{Healthy: false, Cause: outcome, Why: why, Since: since, LastSuccess: current.LastSuccess}
 }
 
 // Answer is the state as mail_reader_health answers it (1519/AC2, AC3): unhealthy names which of the three
-// outcomes, the judgement's own words, and since when, in local; healthy otherwise.
+// outcomes, the judgement's own words, and since when, in local; healthy names when the last batch judgement
+// succeeded, or says no batch has run yet (1580).
 func (h ReaderHealth) Answer(local *time.Location) health.Answer {
+	in := func(t time.Time) string {
+		if local != nil {
+			return t.In(local).Format("15:04 2006-01-02")
+		}
+		return t.Local().Format("15:04 2006-01-02")
+	}
 	if h.Healthy {
-		return health.Healthy("the last batch judgement succeeded")
+		if h.LastSuccess.IsZero() {
+			return health.Healthy(NoBatchYet)
+		}
+		return health.Healthy("the last batch judgement succeeded at " + in(h.LastSuccess))
 	}
-	since := h.Since
-	if local != nil {
-		since = since.In(local)
-	} else {
-		since = since.Local()
-	}
-	return health.Unhealthy(fmt.Sprintf("a batch judgement was %s: %s (since %s)", h.Cause, h.Why, since.Format("15:04 2006-01-02")))
+	return health.Unhealthy(fmt.Sprintf("a batch judgement was %s: %s (since %s)", h.Cause, h.Why, in(h.Since)))
 }
diff --git a/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/migrations/0003-reader-health-says-when-a-batch-last-succeeded.sql b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/migrations/0003-reader-health-says-when-a-batch-last-succeeded.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..61d29b06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/migrations/0003-reader-health-says-when-a-batch-last-succeeded.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+-- Issue 1580: the health said "the last batch judgement succeeded" before any batch had run. reader_health
+-- now keeps when a batch last succeeded (null while none has); a reader that has already judged mail takes
+-- its last judged entry's time as that evidence.
+alter table reader_health add column last_success timestamptz;
+update reader_health set last_success = (select max(judged) from mail_entry) where healthy;
diff --git a/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/nobatch_test.go b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/nobatch_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea32c127
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/nobatch_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+package main
+
+// Issue 1580: before any batch has run, the reader's health and status say so — never that the last batch
+// succeeded; after one has, they say when (evidence over assertion).
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/health"
+)
+
+func bundleOver(store Store) *Bundle {
+	return &Bundle{
+		Caller:          func(map[string]any) string { return "mesh-mail-web" },
+		callersOverride: func() (Callers, error) { return Callers{"mesh-mail-web"}, nil },
+		Store:           func(context.Context) (Store, error) { return store, nil },
+	}
+}
+
+// 1580/AC1: a reader that has run no batch says no batch has run yet, in status and in its health, and
+// never that the last batch succeeded.
+func TestNoBatchYetIsSaidAsSuch(t *testing.T) {
+	b := bundleOver(newMemStore()) // a fresh store: PgStore's own answer when reader_health has no row
+	out, err := b.statusTool(map[string]any{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	status := out.(map[string]any)
+	if status["why"] != "no batch has run yet" {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %v, want why \"no batch has run yet\"", status)
+	}
+	if _, says := status["last-success"]; says {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %v names a last success, and none has run", status)
+	}
+	got, err := b.healthTool(map[string]any{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	a := got.(health.Answer)
+	if strings.Contains(a.Why, "succeeded") || !strings.Contains(a.Why, "no batch has run yet") {
+		t.Fatalf("mail_reader_health = %+v, want it to say no batch has run yet, never that one succeeded", a)
+	}
+}
+
+// 1580/AC2: after one batch succeeds, status and health say when; after a failure, unhealthy with the cause
+// and since when, as before.
+func TestAfterABatchStatusSaysWhenItSucceeded(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	store := newMemStore()
+	seedWaiting(t, store, 1)
+	waiting, _ := store.Waiting(ctx)
+	at := time.Date(2026, 10, 22, 9, 30, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	if err := RunOneBatch(ctx, store, noopReadText, judgeAllNeither(waiting), waiting, func() time.Time { return at }, noopLogf); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	b := bundleOver(store)
+	out, _ := b.statusTool(map[string]any{})
+	status := out.(map[string]any)
+	if status["healthy"] != true || status["last-success"] != "2026-10-22T09:30:00Z" {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %v, want healthy with last-success 2026-10-22T09:30:00Z", status)
+	}
+	h, _ := store.ReaderHealth(ctx)
+	if a := h.Answer(time.UTC); a.State != health.StateHealthy || !strings.Contains(a.Why, "09:30 2026-10-22") {
+		t.Fatalf("health = %+v, want healthy naming when the last batch succeeded", a)
+	}
+
+	failedAt := at.Add(10 * time.Minute)
+	if err := recordOutcome(ctx, store, OutcomeRefused, "holds no licence", failedAt); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	out, _ = b.statusTool(map[string]any{})
+	status = out.(map[string]any)
+	if status["healthy"] != false || status["cause"] != "refused" || status["since"] != "2026-10-22T09:40:00Z" {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %v, want unhealthy, refused, since 09:40", status)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/pgstore.go b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/pgstore.go
index de4ed15c..a9fb2e40 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/pgstore.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/pgstore.go
@@ -312,10 +312,10 @@ func (s *PgStore) TakeWaiting(ctx context.Context, seq int64) error {
 func (s *PgStore) ReaderHealth(ctx context.Context) (ReaderHealth, error) {
 	var h ReaderHealth
 	var cause, why string
-	var since *time.Time
-	err := s.pool.QueryRow(ctx, `select healthy, cause, why, since from reader_health where id = 1`).Scan(&h.Healthy, &cause, &why, &since)
+	var since, lastSuccess *time.Time
+	err := s.pool.QueryRow(ctx, `select healthy, cause, why, since, last_success from reader_health where id = 1`).Scan(&h.Healthy, &cause, &why, &since, &lastSuccess)
 	if errors.Is(err, pgx.ErrNoRows) {
-		return ReaderHealth{Healthy: true}, nil
+		return ReaderHealth{Healthy: true}, nil // 1580: healthy, and no batch has run yet (LastSuccess zero)
 	}
 	if err != nil {
 		return ReaderHealth{}, err
@@ -324,6 +324,9 @@ func (s *PgStore) ReaderHealth(ctx context.Context) (ReaderHealth, error) {
 	if since != nil {
 		h.Since = since.UTC()
 	}
+	if lastSuccess != nil {
+		h.LastSuccess = lastSuccess.UTC()
+	}
 	return h, nil
 }
 
@@ -333,9 +336,10 @@ func (s *PgStore) SetReaderHealth(ctx context.Context, h ReaderHealth) error {
 		t := h.Since
 		since = &t
 	}
-	_, err := s.pool.Exec(ctx, `insert into reader_health (id, healthy, cause, why, since) values (1, $1, $2, $3, $4)
-		on conflict (id) do update set healthy = excluded.healthy, cause = excluded.cause, why = excluded.why, since = excluded.since`,
-		h.Healthy, string(h.Cause), h.Why, since)
+	_, err := s.pool.Exec(ctx, `insert into reader_health (id, healthy, cause, why, since, last_success) values (1, $1, $2, $3, $4, $5)
+		on conflict (id) do update set healthy = excluded.healthy, cause = excluded.cause, why = excluded.why, since = excluded.since,
+			last_success = excluded.last_success`,
+		h.Healthy, string(h.Cause), h.Why, since, nullDate(h.LastSuccess))
 	return err
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/schema.sql b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/schema.sql
index 8dcf4522..918c0e58 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/schema.sql
+++ b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/schema.sql
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
--- The consolidated schema, through migration 0002: what a fresh database is given at once (the mesh's rule: a
+-- The consolidated schema, through migration 0003: what a fresh database is given at once (the mesh's rule: a
 -- numbered migration for the running store, and this for a fresh install).
 create table mail_group (
     id      bigserial   primary key,
@@ -69,11 +69,13 @@ create table waiting_mail (
 
 -- The reader's own health (novox/hq ADR 0459 §12, issue 1519), kept across a restart: one row, singleton by
 -- its fixed id. cause is "" while healthy, else one of refused, timed out, out of shape; since is the first
--- failure's own time, not the latest one.
+-- failure's own time, not the latest one. last_success is when a batch last succeeded, null while none has
+-- (issue 1580: no batch has run yet is said as such).
 create table reader_health (
     id      smallint    primary key default 1,
     healthy boolean     not null default true,
     cause   text        not null default '',
     why     text        not null default '',
     since   timestamptz,
+    last_success timestamptz,
     constraint reader_health_singleton check (id = 1));
diff --git a/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/store.go b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/store.go
index 7afd9565..5615c5e2 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/store.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/store.go
@@ -118,14 +118,20 @@ const (
 
 // ReaderHealth is the kept health state (1519): unhealthy once a judgement is refused, times out or answers out
 // of shape, naming the cause, the judgement's own words, and since when; healthy again once one succeeds. Kept
-// in the module's own database, so a restart answers the same (1519/AC4).
+// in the module's own database, so a restart answers the same (1519/AC4). LastSuccess is when a batch's
+// judgement last succeeded, zero while none has (issue 1580: healthy with no batch yet is said as such, never
+// as a success).
 type ReaderHealth struct {
-	Healthy bool
-	Cause   HealthOutcome // "" while healthy
-	Why     string        // the judgement's own words
-	Since   time.Time     // the first failure's own time; zero while healthy
+	Healthy     bool
+	Cause       HealthOutcome // "" while healthy
+	Why         string        // the judgement's own words
+	Since       time.Time     // the first failure's own time; zero while healthy
+	LastSuccess time.Time     // zero while no batch has succeeded
 }
 
+// NoBatchYet is what the health and status say before any batch has succeeded (1580/AC1).
+const NoBatchYet = "no batch has run yet"
+
 // Store is everything mesh-mail-reader keeps of its own. A PgStore (pgstore.go) backs it in the running
 // module; the tests use an in-memory double (kit_test.go).
 type Store interface {
@@ -139,7 +145,8 @@ type Store interface {
 	// TakeWaiting removes a waiting mail once it has been handed to reading (1520).
 	TakeWaiting(ctx context.Context, seq int64) error
 
-	// ReaderHealth answers the kept health state (1519/AC4); healthy with a zero Since on a fresh database.
+	// ReaderHealth answers the kept health state (1519/AC4); healthy with a zero Since and a zero LastSuccess on a
+	// fresh database (1580: no batch has run yet).
 	ReaderHealth(ctx context.Context) (ReaderHealth, error)
 	// SetReaderHealth replaces the kept health state.
 	SetReaderHealth(ctx context.Context, h ReaderHealth) error
diff --git a/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/tools.go b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/tools.go
index 3137b7ae..e57e7dff 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/tools.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-mail-reader/cmd/mesh-mail-reader/tools.go
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ func (b *Bundle) Tools() []stdio.Tool {
 			Run: b.undoTool},
 		{Name: StatusTool,
 			Description: "How mail reading stands for the page (novox/hq ADR 0459 §10): healthy or not, the cause " +
-				"and since when, and reading lessons per 100 read mails for each of the last 8 weeks (a week with " +
+				"and since when, when a batch last succeeded (or that none has run yet), and reading lessons per 100 read mails for each of the last 8 weeks (a week with " +
 				"no mail read says so). Answered only to a caller the setting callers names. Read-only.",
 			Input: schema(nil, map[string]any{}),
 			Run:   b.statusTool},
@@ -509,6 +509,12 @@ func (b *Bundle) statusTool(args map[string]any) (any, error) {
 		weeksOut[i] = week
 	}
 	out := map[string]any{"healthy": h.Healthy, "weeks": weeksOut}
+	// 1580: when the last batch succeeded, or that none has run yet — never a success no batch made.
+	if !h.LastSuccess.IsZero() {
+		out["last-success"] = h.LastSuccess.UTC().Format(time.RFC3339)
+	} else if h.Healthy {
+		out["why"] = NoBatchYet
+	}
 	if !h.Healthy {
 		out["cause"] = string(h.Cause)
 		out["why"] = h.Why