diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/rollout_events_test.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/rollout_events_test.go
index 3944773b..3f15e8bb 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/rollout_events_test.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/rollout_events_test.go
@@ -187,8 +187,11 @@ func TestARolloutAdvancesOnEventsAndAReplacedControllerResumesIt(t *testing.T) {
 	eventually(t, "tier 0 sent to both machines and tier 1 taken from its key, on the save alone", func() bool {
 		mu.Lock()
 		defer mu.Unlock()
+		// b is taken from its key; the walk carries a commit of novox/mesh-catalog only, and b is registered from
+		// novox/b, so the key is read at b's own trunk value and KeyAt stays empty (Plan.CommitOn names no other
+		// repository's commit).
 		b := plan().Modules["b"]
-		return len(sends) == 1 && len(*asked) == 0 && plan().Tier == 1 && b != nil && b.Key && b.KeyAt == "c2"
+		return len(sends) == 1 && len(*asked) == 0 && plan().Tier == 1 && b != nil && b.Key && b.KeyAt == ""
 	})
 	eventually(t, "a key on the bus for each machine tier 0 was sent to", func() bool { return len(heldKeys()) == 2 })