diff --git a/modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/module.go b/modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/module.go
index 9af9cfbc..c6d869c6 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/module.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/module.go
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
-	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/buildstep"
@@ -60,6 +58,11 @@ type Look struct {
 // missing is a *buildstep.Refusal naming it, so a step ends refused and the health says the same.
 func (m *Module) look(ctx context.Context) (Look, error) {
 	l := Look{Account: m.Account}
+	// The runtime directory comes first: buildah refuses before anything else when its XDG_RUNTIME_DIR is not there
+	// (issue 1884), so a look that made it only after `buildah --version` never made it at all.
+	if err := m.ensureRuntimeDir(); err != nil {
+		return l, &buildstep.Refusal{Text: err.Error()}
+	}
 	var err error
 	if l.Buildah, err = m.buildahVersion(ctx); err != nil {
 		return l, &buildstep.Refusal{Text: err.Error()}
@@ -67,11 +70,6 @@ func (m *Module) look(ctx context.Context) (Look, error) {
 	if l.UIDs, l.GIDs, err = m.ranges(); err != nil {
 		return l, &buildstep.Refusal{Text: err.Error(), Have: l.Buildah}
 	}
-	for _, d := range []string{m.Store, filepath.Join(m.Store, "xdg")} {
-		if err := os.MkdirAll(d, 0o700); err != nil {
-			return l, err
-		}
-	}
 	if err := m.userNamespace(ctx); err != nil {
 		return l, &buildstep.Refusal{Text: err.Error(), Have: l.Buildah}
 	}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/probe.go b/modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/probe.go
index 3b2a587d..e96c2212 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/probe.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/probe.go
@@ -111,6 +111,25 @@ func (m *Module) storeFlags() []string {
 // env is what buildah is given beyond the base environment: a runtime directory of its own inside the store, so
 // nothing is read from the account's runtime directory, and no registry credential file anywhere (the module has none
 // and REGISTRY_AUTH_FILE is never set).
+//
+// Every call makes the runtime directory first if it is not there (issue 1884): a directory removed after the last look
+// is made again before buildah runs. A failure to make it is not lost: buildah then names the directory in its own
+// error, and the next look refuses with it.
 func (m *Module) env() []string {
-	return []string{"XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=" + filepath.Join(m.Store, "xdg")}
+	_ = m.ensureRuntimeDir()
+	return []string{"XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=" + m.runtimeDir()}
+}
+
+// runtimeDir is buildah's runtime directory, inside the store.
+func (m *Module) runtimeDir() string { return filepath.Join(m.Store, "xdg") }
+
+// ensureRuntimeDir makes the store and the runtime directory inside it, 0700 and under the module's own account (the
+// process runs as it), when they are not there; it changes nothing that is.
+func (m *Module) ensureRuntimeDir() error {
+	for _, d := range []string{m.Store, m.runtimeDir()} {
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(d, 0o700); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("buildah's runtime directory %s cannot be made: %w", m.runtimeDir(), err)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/runtimedir_test.go b/modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/runtimedir_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d2445774
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/mesh-build-image/cmd/mesh-build-image/runtimedir_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/forgekey"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/health"
+)
+
+// buildahLike refuses as buildah does when the XDG_RUNTIME_DIR it is given is not there (seen on ace, issue 1884):
+// "lstat <dir>: no such file or directory", before it does anything else.
+func buildahLike(t *testing.T, run forgekey.Runner, seen *[]string) forgekey.Runner {
+	t.Helper()
+	return func(ctx context.Context, env []string, name string, args ...string) forgekey.Ran {
+		if name == "buildah" {
+			for _, e := range env {
+				dir, ok := strings.CutPrefix(e, "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=")
+				if !ok {
+					continue
+				}
+				if _, err := os.Lstat(dir); err != nil {
+					*seen = append(*seen, "missing")
+					return forgekey.Ran{Status: 125, Stderr: "Error: lstat " + dir + ": no such file or directory\n"}
+				}
+				*seen = append(*seen, "present")
+			}
+		}
+		return run(ctx, env, name, args...)
+	}
+}
+
+// 1884/AC1: given a store directory that exists without its runtime directory, when the health is looked at, then the
+// module makes the runtime directory (0700) before it runs buildah, and the health is healthy.
+func TestHealthMakesTheRuntimeDirectoryBeforeBuildah(t *testing.T) {
+	f := newFake(t)
+	m := moduleWith(t, f, newStates())
+	var seen []string
+	m.Run = buildahLike(t, m.Run, &seen)
+	xdg := filepath.Join(m.Store, "xdg")
+	if _, err := os.Stat(xdg); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Fatalf("the test needs a store without its runtime directory: %v", err)
+	}
+	a := m.Health(context.Background())
+	if a.State != health.StateHealthy || !a.Healthy {
+		t.Fatalf("health = %+v, want healthy", a)
+	}
+	st, err := os.Stat(xdg)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("the runtime directory was not made: %v", err)
+	}
+	if st.Mode().Perm() != 0o700 || !st.IsDir() {
+		t.Errorf("the runtime directory is %v, want a directory 0700", st.Mode())
+	}
+	for _, s := range seen {
+		if s != "present" {
+			t.Fatalf("buildah ran without its runtime directory: %v", seen)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// 1884/AC2: given a module whose runtime directory was removed after its last look, when a build step runs buildah, then
+// the runtime directory is made again before buildah runs.
+func TestEveryBuildahRunMakesTheRuntimeDirectoryAgain(t *testing.T) {
+	f := newFake(t)
+	m := moduleWith(t, f, newStates())
+	var seen []string
+	m.Run = buildahLike(t, m.Run, &seen)
+	if err := m.Check(context.Background()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := os.RemoveAll(filepath.Join(m.Store, "xdg")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	seen = nil
+	m.remove("localhost/x:y")
+	if len(seen) != 1 || seen[0] != "present" {
+		t.Fatalf("buildah's runs saw their runtime directory %v, want [present]", seen)
+	}
+}