diff --git a/modules/mesh-issues/cmd/mesh-issues/main.go b/modules/mesh-issues/cmd/mesh-issues/main.go
index 8435c8e4..6328124a 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-issues/cmd/mesh-issues/main.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-issues/cmd/mesh-issues/main.go
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ func Tools(t *Tracker) []stdio.Tool {
 			}},
 		{Name: Seat + ".tracking",
 			Description: "Which issues track which conditions: for every condition key an issue links (link kind condition), " +
-				"or only the keys given, the issues that link it, those not resolved first, each with its status, " +
+				"or only the keys given, the issues that link it, those not closed (resolved or wontfix) first, each with its status, " +
 				"severity, what it needs, who works on it since when and whether they went quiet (stale), and where its " +
 				"fix is (fix: not-merged, merged, held, failed, unheard or delivered; empty when none is named). The " +
 				"operator's channel asks it to say in a condition's message which issue tracks it. Refused: a key not of a condition " +
diff --git a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/tracking.go b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/tracking.go
index b71f2176..eeea1f24 100644
--- a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/tracking.go
+++ b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/tracking.go
@@ -115,10 +115,12 @@ func (h *Holder) warmTracking() {
 	now := h.Now()
 	h.mu.Lock()
 	tried := h.track.tried
-	h.mu.Unlock()
 	if !tried.IsZero() && now.Sub(tried) >= 0 && now.Sub(tried) < TrackingAskEvery {
+		h.mu.Unlock()
 		return
 	}
+	h.track.tried = now // marked before asking, so two callers at once ask once
+	h.mu.Unlock()
 	got, err := h.askTracking()
 	h.mu.Lock()
 	defer h.mu.Unlock()
@@ -162,9 +164,10 @@ func withTracking(m Message, r *Record, what string, issues []TrackedIssue, know
 		return m
 	}
 	line, verdict := trackingWords(issues, known, now, loc)
-	explanation, since, _ := strings.Cut(m.Body, "\n")
-	if !strings.Contains(m.Body, "\n") {
-		explanation, since = "", m.Body
+	// since is the last line, which never holds a line break; the explanation is everything before it.
+	explanation, since := "", m.Body
+	if i := strings.LastIndex(m.Body, "\n"); i >= 0 {
+		explanation, since = m.Body[:i], m.Body[i+1:]
 	}
 	if rest, ok := strings.CutPrefix(explanation, verdictNothing); ok {
 		switch verdict {
@@ -186,12 +189,17 @@ func withTracking(m Message, r *Record, what string, issues []TrackedIssue, know
 
 // needsAnswer is the "Needs you:" sentence for the issues that wait for the operator's answer.
 func needsAnswer(issues []TrackedIssue) string {
-	var ns []string
+	var nums []uint64
 	for _, is := range issues {
 		if waitsForOperator(is) {
-			ns = append(ns, fmt.Sprint(is.Number))
+			nums = append(nums, is.Number)
 		}
 	}
+	sort.Slice(nums, func(i, j int) bool { return nums[i] < nums[j] })
+	var ns []string
+	for _, n := range nums {
+		ns = append(ns, fmt.Sprint(n))
+	}
 	if len(ns) == 1 {
 		return "answer issue " + ns[0] + "."
 	}
@@ -209,7 +217,7 @@ func trackingWords(issues []TrackedIssue, known bool, now time.Time, loc *time.L
 	}
 	sorted := append([]TrackedIssue(nil), issues...)
 	sort.SliceStable(sorted, func(i, j int) bool {
-		ri, rj := sorted[i].Status == "resolved", sorted[j].Status == "resolved"
+		ri, rj := closed(sorted[i]), closed(sorted[j])
 		if ri != rj {
 			return !ri
 		}
@@ -307,14 +315,13 @@ func issueState(is TrackedIssue, now time.Time, loc *time.Location) string {
 	case waitsForOperator(is):
 		return "it waits for your answer"
 	}
-	s := "nobody is working on it"
 	if is.Worker != "" && is.Active != nil {
-		s = "nobody has worked on it since " + when(*is.Active, now, loc)
+		return "nobody has worked on it since " + when(*is.Active, now, loc)
 	}
 	if is.Needs == "decision" {
-		s += "; it waits for a decision first"
+		return "nobody is working on it; it waits for a decision first"
 	}
-	return s
+	return "nobody is working on it"
 }
 
 // workerWords is who@node as said: "fix-400 on g14".
diff --git a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/tracking_test.go b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/tracking_test.go
index 336fbd23..47d2364a 100644
--- a/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/tracking_test.go
+++ b/modules/messenger/cmd/messenger/tracking_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 )
 
-// The alert says which issue tracks its condition and where that issue stands (novox/hq issue 400, ADR 0285):
+// A condition's message says which issue tracks it and where that issue stands (novox/hq issue 400, ADR 0285):
 // one case per wording, each through the message as composed, and the content rule passes every line.
 
 var trackNow = time.Date(2026, 10, 10, 19, 30, 0, 0, time.UTC)
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func trackedMessage(issues []TrackedIssue, known bool) Message {
 	return withTracking(m, r, "quiet-reminder", issues, known, trackNow, time.UTC)
 }
 
-func TestAnAlertSaysWhereTheIssueThatTracksItStands(t *testing.T) {
+func TestAConditionsMessageSaysWhereTheIssueThatTracksItStands(t *testing.T) {
 	cases := []struct {
 		name    string
 		issues  []TrackedIssue
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ func TestAnAlertSaysWhereTheIssueThatTracksItStands(t *testing.T) {
 			"Tracked as issue 386: it was resolved, yet this still happens.", "A person repaired"},
 		{"it will not be fixed", []TrackedIssue{{Number: 386, Status: "wontfix"}}, true,
 			"Tracked as issue 386: it will not be fixed.", "A person repaired"},
+		{"one not fixed after one open", []TrackedIssue{{Number: 100, Status: "wontfix"}, {Number: 200, Status: "open"}}, true,
+			"Tracked as issue 200: nobody is working on it. Also as issue 100: it will not be fixed.", "A person repaired"},
+		{"its worker went quiet on one that waits for a decision", []TrackedIssue{{Number: 400, Status: "fixing", Needs: "decision",
+			Worker: "fix-400@g14", Since: at(9, 0), Active: at(9, 30), Stale: true}}, true,
+			"Tracked as issue 400: nobody has worked on it since 09:30.", "A person repaired"},
 		{"it waits for the operator", []TrackedIssue{{Number: 336, Status: "open", Needs: "operator"}}, true,
 			"Tracked as issue 336: it waits for your answer.", "Needs you: answer issue 336. A person repaired"},
 		{"it waits for a decision", []TrackedIssue{{Number: 400, Status: "open", Needs: "decision"}}, true,
@@ -152,7 +157,7 @@ func TestAClearingASilenceAndANoticeSayNoIssue(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Through the router: the tracker is asked outside the work, its word is kept, a word older than TrackingKept is
 // not used, and a tracker that fails is said as not checked.
-func TestTheRouterAsksTheTrackerAndSaysItsWordInTheAlert(t *testing.T) {
+func TestTheRouterAsksTheTrackerAndSaysItsWordInTheMessage(t *testing.T) {
 	h, tg, dt, c, _ := newHolder(t)
 	h.Zone = func() *time.Location { return time.UTC }
 	asked := 0