diff --git a/internal/catalogue/consumer_secret_owner_test.go b/internal/catalogue/consumer_secret_owner_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e525866c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/catalogue/consumer_secret_owner_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+package catalogue
+
+import "testing"
+
+// A consumer's credential is read by the consumer's own code, and that stopped being root for every
+// module whose code is a bundle the node's runtime runs (novox/hq issue 624, the consumer's side of
+// issue 225). The lab requires the package registry and reads its bound credential to clone the forge;
+// the credential file was composed with no owner, so root's and 0600, and the lab — running as the
+// operator's account — cloned with no credential and was refused, "could not read Username".
+
+// aConsumerWithABundle is the lab's shape: tools in a bundle, a requirement, its credential in a file.
+func aConsumerWithABundle() Manifest {
+	return Manifest{
+		Module:   "lab",
+		Requires: []string{"npm-package-registry"},
+		Secrets:  map[string]string{"npm-package-registry": "/var/lib/lab/package-registry.secret"},
+		Bundles:  []Bundle{{Name: "code", Language: "typescript"}},
+	}
+}
+
+func consumerSecret(t *testing.T, m Manifest, account string) map[string]any {
+	t.Helper()
+	r := Resolution{Node: "shanks", Account: account, Modules: []Manifest{m},
+		Needs: []Needed{{Name: "npm-package-registry", For: m.Module, From: "novox", Sealed: "c2VhbGVk"}}}
+	out, err := r.Declaration(Rendering{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for _, res := range out {
+		if res["type"] == "file" && res["path"] == "/var/lib/lab/package-registry.secret" {
+			return res
+		}
+	}
+	t.Fatalf("no credential file was composed: %v", out)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func TestABundlesBoundCredentialBelongsToTheAccountItsRuntimeRunsAs(t *testing.T) {
+	if got := consumerSecret(t, aConsumerWithABundle(), "jochen")["owner"]; got != "jochen" {
+		t.Fatalf("the lab's credential belongs to %v; its tools run as %q, and a root-owned 0600 file is one "+
+			"they cannot read", got, "jochen")
+	}
+}
+
+// A module that names its secrets' owner keeps it, and one with no bundle and no owner stays root's.
+func TestAConsumersDeclaredSecretsOwnerStillWins(t *testing.T) {
+	m := aConsumerWithABundle()
+	m.SecretsOwner = "65534:65534"
+	if got := consumerSecret(t, m, "jochen")["owner"]; got != "65534:65534" {
+		t.Errorf("a declared owner was replaced by %v", got)
+	}
+	m = aConsumerWithABundle()
+	m.Bundles = nil
+	if got, has := consumerSecret(t, m, "jochen")["owner"]; has {
+		t.Errorf("a container consumer's credential was given the owner %v", got)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/catalogue/declaration.go b/internal/catalogue/declaration.go
index f452d4a2..e9851bb7 100644
--- a/internal/catalogue/declaration.go
+++ b/internal/catalogue/declaration.go
@@ -730,7 +730,16 @@ func (r Resolution) compose(with Rendering, owner map[string]string,
 					// worse than none: something would read it and fail authenticating.
 					continue
 				}
-				first = append(first, ownedBy(m.SecretsOwner, map[string]any{
+				// **Read by the module's own code, so owned by whoever runs it** (novox/hq issue 624, the
+				// consumer's side of issue 225): a module whose code is a bundle the node's runtime runs reads
+				// its binding's credential as the operator's account, and a root-owned 0600 file is one it
+				// cannot read — the lab cloned the forge with no credential and said nothing about why. A
+				// module that names its secrets' owner keeps it.
+				owner := m.SecretsOwner
+				if owner == "" {
+					owner = r.provisionsAs(m)
+				}
+				first = append(first, ownedBy(owner, map[string]any{
 					"id": SecretID(SecretLocal(to, file.Local)), "type": "file", "path": file.Path,
 					"sealed": found.Sealed,
 				}))