diff --git a/modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/config_test.go b/modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/config_test.go
index e2418422..91a14c71 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/config_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/config_test.go
@@ -551,3 +551,43 @@ func TestTheVerbsArgumentsAreReadStrictly(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("read %+v (%v)", call, err)
 	}
 }
+
+// Issue 1098: a value of the assignments bucket with `ended` set, or with a `state`, is not an assignment: it
+// resolves nothing and takes the module's resolved values away, as a removed key does.
+func TestAnEndedAssignmentIsNotAnAssignment(t *testing.T) {
+	c, m := aMesh(t)
+	m.assign(t, "ace", "dunst")
+	if r, err := c.Reconcile(); err != nil || len(r.Moved) != 4 {
+		t.Fatalf("the assignment moved %+v (%v)", r.Moved, err)
+	}
+	for _, ended := range []string{`"ended":"2026-10-18T01:00:00Z"`, `"state":"pending"`} {
+		m.mirror(t, AssignmentsRead, "ace.dunst", `{"node":"ace","module":"dunst","assigned":"2026-10-14T00:00:00Z",`+ended+`}`)
+		r, err := c.Reconcile()
+		if err != nil || len(r.Moved) != 4 || !r.Moved[0].Gone {
+			t.Errorf("%s moved %+v (%v)", ended, r.Moved, err)
+		}
+		if e, _ := m.Get(ResolvedState, ResolvedKey("ace", "dunst", "font-size")); e != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%s: the module keeps its resolved values", ended)
+		}
+		m.assign(t, "ace", "dunst")
+		if r, _ = c.Reconcile(); len(r.Moved) != 4 {
+			t.Fatalf("the assignment standing again moved %+v", r.Moved)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// Issue 1098: the fields the controller adds to an assignment change nothing, under the same key.
+func TestAnAssignmentCarriesBuildCommitAndRolloutWithoutChangingItsKey(t *testing.T) {
+	c, m := aMesh(t)
+	m.mirror(t, AssignmentsRead, "ace.dunst", `{"node":"ace","module":"dunst","assigned":"2026-10-14T00:00:00Z",`+
+		`"build":"b-1","artifact":{"name":"dunst","version":"1.2"},"commit":"abc123","rollout":"r-9",`+
+		`"since":"2026-10-18T00:00:00Z","ended":"","state":"","future":{"x":1}}`)
+	r, err := c.Reconcile()
+	if err != nil || len(r.Moved) != 4 {
+		t.Fatalf("an assignment with the new fields moved %+v (%v)", r.Moved, err)
+	}
+	expect(t, m, "ace", "10", SourceDefault)
+	if r, _ = c.Reconcile(); len(r.Moved) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("a quiet pass moved %+v", r.Moved)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/declared.go b/modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/declared.go
index 6cf9f63f..372179a9 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/declared.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/declared.go
@@ -121,10 +121,24 @@ type Published struct {
 	Commit     string `json:"commit"`
 }
 
-// Assignment is one key of the assignments mirror: a module on a node.
+// Assignment is one key of the assignments bucket: a module on a node. The value also carries the build, commit and
+// rollout that put it there and more; those are read where they are reported, and an unknown field never fails a
+// parse. **Ended** and **State** are set on a value that is not a standing assignment (novox/hq ADR 0408 clause 4):
+// it reads exactly as a removed key (issue 1098).
 type Assignment struct {
-	Node   string `json:"node"`
-	Module string `json:"module"`
+	Node   string          `json:"node"`
+	Module string          `json:"module"`
+	Ended  json.RawMessage `json:"ended,omitempty"`
+	State  json.RawMessage `json:"state,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// Standing is whether the value is a standing assignment: neither ended nor in a state.
+func (a Assignment) Standing() bool { return !fieldSet(a.Ended) && !fieldSet(a.State) }
+
+// fieldSet is whether a field of an assignment's value carries something: not absent, null or empty.
+func fieldSet(f json.RawMessage) bool {
+	s := strings.TrimSpace(string(f))
+	return s != "" && s != "null" && s != `""`
 }
 
 // rule is the validation a value is held to, from a module's declaration or a predefined key.
diff --git a/modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/sources.go b/modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/sources.go
index 13cd30f1..221d1294 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/sources.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-config/cmd/mesh-config/sources.go
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ func (c *Config) sources() (Sources, error) {
 		if err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &a); err != nil || a.Node == "" || a.Module == "" {
 			return fmt.Errorf("the assignment %s is not one: %s", key, raw)
 		}
+		if !a.Standing() {
+			return nil // ended or pending: read as a removed key (issue 1098)
+		}
 		s.Assignments = append(s.Assignments, a)
 		return nil
 	}); err != nil {