diff --git a/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/retire.go b/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/retire.go
index ddc47474..ea694aa9 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/retire.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/retire.go
@@ -236,6 +236,18 @@ func (v *Vault) RetireAccounts(caller string, users []string, why string) (any,
 	if len(users) == 0 {
 		return nil, errors.New("account_retire names the accounts (`users`), as vault_status lists them waiting")
 	}
+	// As the passes: never while the controller holds the lease (it forgets the accounts it mints), nor before the wanted
+	// accounts are read whole (an account not read yet is not known to be gone).
+	v.leaseAfresh()
+	if on, why := v.mintingOn(); !on {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("nothing was retired: %s", why)
+	}
+	v.minting.mu.Lock()
+	read := v.minting.retiring.wantsRead
+	v.minting.mu.Unlock()
+	if !read {
+		return nil, errors.New("nothing was retired: the wanted accounts are not read whole yet, so none is known to be gone")
+	}
 	for _, u := range users {
 		if _, wanted := v.wanted(u); wanted {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s is still wanted by the grants part: only an account no longer wanted is retired; nothing was retired", u)
diff --git a/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/retire_test.go b/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/retire_test.go
index df6c2721..2c4fe6ae 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/retire_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/retire_test.go
@@ -65,6 +65,21 @@ func TestAWantGoneRetiresItsAccountOnlyWithinTheBounds(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, err := v.RetireAccounts("person.jochen", []string{"ace.m2"}, "test"); err == nil {
 		t.Error("retired by hand an account still wanted")
 	}
+	// Never while the controller holds the lease, nor before the wants are read whole.
+	held := v.LeaseRead
+	v.LeaseRead = func() ([]byte, bool, error) { return []byte(`{"instance":"novox/1","epoch":57}`), true, nil }
+	if _, err := v.RetireAccounts("person.jochen", []string{"ace.m5"}, "the modules left"); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "controller holds the lease") {
+		t.Errorf("retired by hand under the controller's lease: %v", err)
+	}
+	v.LeaseRead = held
+	v.LeaseHeard([]byte(`{"handed-to":"the operator's hand-over"}`), true, nil)
+	v.minting.mu.Lock()
+	v.minting.retiring.wantsRead = false
+	v.minting.mu.Unlock()
+	if _, err := v.RetireAccounts("person.jochen", []string{"ace.m5"}, "the modules left"); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "not read whole") {
+		t.Errorf("retired by hand before the wants were read: %v", err)
+	}
+	v.WantsRead()
 	if _, err := v.RetireAccounts("person.jochen", []string{"ace.m5", "ace.m6"}, "the modules left"); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}