diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/adopting_test.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/adopting_test.go
index d10914d1..9a95be52 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/adopting_test.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/adopting_test.go
@@ -503,7 +503,6 @@ func TestThePreviewNamesEveryHeldKind(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, err := take(ctx, open, "anchor", "hello-web", takeOptions{Yes: true}); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	*sent = nil // the take composed the node; what follows is judged from here
 	since := time.Now()
 	held := []link.Held{heldFile,
 		{ID: "notes.data", Module: "notes", Kind: "directory", Target: "/var/lib/notes", Since: since},