diff --git a/modules/distribution/cmd/distribution-tools/main.go b/modules/distribution/cmd/distribution-tools/main.go
index 529b70c3..2f0bd5a1 100644
--- a/modules/distribution/cmd/distribution-tools/main.go
+++ b/modules/distribution/cmd/distribution-tools/main.go
@@ -154,23 +154,62 @@ func learnPublishing(windows kept[holder.Window], caller string) {
 		logf("node_haves names no build of %s: the direct-write window counts it at its next publish", caller)
 		return
 	}
-	pub := kept[holder.Publishing]{state: "windows", key: func(p holder.Publishing) string { return holder.PublishingKey }}
-	cur, _, err := pub.Get(holder.PublishingKey)
+	learnt, err := learnInto(stdio.State("windows"), module, a.Keys[caller].FP, learnAttempts)
 	if err != nil {
-		logf("the publishing builds cannot be read: %v", err)
+		logf("the publishing build of %s is not kept: %v", caller, err)
 		return
 	}
-	cur.Name = holder.PublishingKey
-	if cur.Learn(module, a.Keys[caller].FP) {
-		if err := pub.Put(cur); err != nil {
-			logf("the publishing build of %s is not kept: %v", caller, err)
-			return
-		}
+	if learnt {
 		logf("%s's build %s publishes through the seats", module, a.Keys[caller].FP)
 	}
 	learned.Store(caller, true)
 }
 
+// learnAttempts bounds learnInto's tries against other writers of the key.
+const learnAttempts = 8
+
+// casState is the part of a kept state learnInto writes through: a read with its revision, a create, an update at a
+// revision (stdio.KeptState).
+type casState interface {
+	Get(key string) (*stdio.StateEntry, error)
+	Create(key string, value any) (uint64, error)
+	Update(key string, value any, revision uint64) (uint64, error)
+}
+
+// learnInto adds fp for module to the publishing builds kept at holder.PublishingKey with compare-and-set on the key's
+// revision: two first publishes at once each read, add and write only if nobody wrote meanwhile, else read again, so
+// neither is lost. It answers whether fp was new.
+func learnInto(state casState, module, fp string, attempts int) (bool, error) {
+	for i := 0; i < attempts; i++ {
+		e, err := state.Get(holder.PublishingKey)
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
+		var cur holder.Publishing
+		if e != nil {
+			if err := json.Unmarshal(e.Value, &cur); err != nil {
+				return false, fmt.Errorf("%s holds no publishing builds: %w", holder.PublishingKey, err)
+			}
+		}
+		cur.Name = holder.PublishingKey
+		if !cur.Learn(module, fp) {
+			return false, nil
+		}
+		if e == nil {
+			_, err = state.Create(holder.PublishingKey, cur)
+		} else {
+			_, err = state.Update(holder.PublishingKey, cur, e.Revision)
+		}
+		if err == nil {
+			return true, nil
+		}
+		if !errors.Is(err, stdio.ErrChanged) {
+			return false, err
+		}
+	}
+	return false, fmt.Errorf("%s was written by another writer first %d times: %w", holder.PublishingKey, attempts, stdio.ErrChanged)
+}
+
 func arg[T any](args map[string]any) (T, error) {
 	var v T
 	clean := map[string]any{}
diff --git a/modules/distribution/cmd/distribution-tools/publishing_test.go b/modules/distribution/cmd/distribution-tools/publishing_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5a208579
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/distribution/cmd/distribution-tools/publishing_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+
+	stdio "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go"
+
+	"distribution/internal/holder"
+)
+
+// casMem is a kept state with revisions; before writes it lets another writer write first, once.
+type casMem struct {
+	value  []byte
+	rev    uint64
+	before func()
+}
+
+func (m *casMem) Get(string) (*stdio.StateEntry, error) {
+	if m.value == nil {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	return &stdio.StateEntry{Value: m.value, Revision: m.rev}, nil
+}
+func (m *casMem) write(v any, at uint64) (uint64, error) {
+	if f := m.before; f != nil {
+		m.before = nil
+		f()
+	}
+	if m.rev != at {
+		return 0, stdio.ErrChanged
+	}
+	m.value, _ = json.Marshal(v)
+	m.rev++
+	return m.rev, nil
+}
+func (m *casMem) Create(_ string, v any) (uint64, error)             { return m.write(v, 0) }
+func (m *casMem) Update(_ string, v any, rev uint64) (uint64, error) { return m.write(v, rev) }
+
+// TestTwoFirstPublishesAtOnceAreBothKept: the publishing builds are written with compare-and-set, so a writer that lost
+// the race reads again and neither build is lost (A3f finding 2).
+func TestTwoFirstPublishesAtOnceAreBothKept(t *testing.T) {
+	m := &casMem{}
+	m.before = func() {
+		// Another tools process learns mesh-build-go's build first.
+		m.value, _ = json.Marshal(holder.Publishing{Name: holder.PublishingKey, Modules: map[string][]string{"mesh-build-go": {"fp-go"}}})
+		m.rev = 1
+	}
+	if learnt, err := learnInto(m, "mesh-build-node", "fp-node", 3); err != nil || !learnt {
+		t.Fatalf("learnInto = %v, %v", learnt, err)
+	}
+	var got holder.Publishing
+	_ = json.Unmarshal(m.value, &got)
+	want := map[string][]string{"mesh-build-go": {"fp-go"}, "mesh-build-node": {"fp-node"}}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(got.Modules, want) {
+		t.Errorf("kept %v, want both builds %v", got.Modules, want)
+	}
+	if learnt, err := learnInto(m, "mesh-build-node", "fp-node", 3); err != nil || learnt {
+		t.Errorf("learning a kept build again = %v, %v, want not new and no write", learnt, err)
+	}
+	m.before = func() { m.rev++ }
+	if _, err := learnInto(m, "mesh-build-oci", "fp-oci", 1); err == nil {
+		t.Error("a write lost on every attempt answered no error")
+	}
+}