diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/checks.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/checks.go
index 7f47ae09..007b4adb 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/checks.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/checks.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ type checkScope struct {
 	// Mesh says the repository is the mesh's: modules are built from it on some branch, its owner is the
 	// core's, or the change adds a module to it.
 	Mesh bool
-	// Judge is who judges the gate (link.JudgeSelf, link.JudgeValidator, or the running controller).
+	// Judge is who judges the gate (link.JudgeSelf, or the running controller).
 	Judge string
 	// From is a module built from the repository, for how the mesh clones it; nil when none is.
 	From *inventory.Entry
@@ -101,10 +101,6 @@ func pullScope(p link.PullUpdated, entries []inventory.Entry, read map[string][]
 		switch e.Manifest.Module {
 		case "mesh-controller":
 			s.Judge = link.JudgeSelf
-		case "mesh-host":
-			if s.Judge == "" {
-				s.Judge = link.JudgeValidator
-			}
 		}
 	}
 	for _, d := range r.Added {
diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/checks_test.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/checks_test.go
index 24e37f3d..27bc6f8f 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/checks_test.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/checks_test.go
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ func TestThePullRequestIsMappedOntoTheModuleGraph(t *testing.T) {
 			"", "modules/newmod", "modules/newmod/module.json", true, ""},
 		{"the controller judges itself", pull("novox", "mesh-controller", "main", []string{"cmd/x.go"}),
 			"mesh-controller", "", "module.json", true, "self"},
-		{"the node-engine is judged with its validator", pull("novox", "mesh-host", "main", []string{"validate/v.go"}),
-			"mesh-host", "", "module.json", true, "validator"},
+		{"the node-engine is judged by the controller the mesh runs, as any module is (issue 1391)",
+			pull("novox", "mesh-host", "main", []string{"validate/v.go"}), "mesh-host", "", "module.json", true, ""},
 		{"the core's owner, no module: the mesh's, its own check alone", pull("novox", "hq", "main", []string{"README.md"}),
 			"", "", "", true, ""},
 		{"a branch nothing is built from: the mesh's repository, no module", pull("novox", "photos", "master",
diff --git a/internal/link/build.go b/internal/link/build.go
index e824d5ab..9405c532 100644
--- a/internal/link/build.go
+++ b/internal/link/build.go
@@ -180,8 +180,9 @@ type CheckRequest struct {
 	// gate puts through `module check`.
 	Manifests []string `json:"manifests,omitempty"`
 	// Judge is who judges the gate: empty for the controller the mesh runs; JudgeSelf for a change to
-	// the controller, judged by itself; JudgeValidator for a change to the node-engine, judged by the
-	// running controller built with the change's validator in place of the one it vendors.
+	// the controller, judged by itself. A change to the node-engine is judged by the controller the mesh runs, as any
+	// module is: the validator is mesh-sdk's, at the controller's pin (novox/hq ADR 0446 clause 5). An older request that
+	// says "validator" is read the same way: the judge is the controller the mesh runs.
 	Judge string `json:"judge,omitempty"`
 	// Siblings are the other open pull requests of this one's delivery group the check reads beside it (novox/hq ADR
 	// 0382 §1): each repository found under Dir is read at the sibling's head merged onto the sibling's base, in
@@ -295,8 +296,7 @@ type GroupMember struct {
 
 // Who judges a merge check's gate.
 const (
-	JudgeSelf      = "self"
-	JudgeValidator = "validator"
+	JudgeSelf = "self"
 )
 
 // CheckedOut is a repository cloned beside a check, at a ref.