diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/chain.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/chain.go
index e9169a01..18436e8b 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/chain.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/chain.go
@@ -46,29 +46,43 @@ const chainMoveRetry = 30 * time.Second
 // over the bus's largest — is raised as an urgent condition, and the tables stay what is read: nothing is half-switched.
 func movingTheChain(ctx context.Context, inv *inventory.Inventory) {
 	say := func(format string, args ...any) { fmt.Printf("chain: "+format+"\n", args...) }
-	for {
-		_, err := inv.MoveChain(ctx, say)
-		var refusal *inventory.Refusal
-		switch {
-		case err == nil:
-			go clearChainMove(ctx)
-			go askAgainSoon(ctx, inv)
-			return
-		case errors.As(err, &refusal):
-			say("%v", err)
-			go raiseChainMove(ctx, refusal)
-			return
-		case ctx.Err() != nil:
-			return
-		default:
-			say("the move to the bus did not finish, and the tables are read until it does: %v", err)
-		}
-		select {
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-			return
-		case <-time.After(chainMoveRetry):
-		}
+	// The first try is made here, before the controller serves; the tries after it, while it serves.
+	if movedOrStopped(ctx, inv, say) {
+		return
 	}
+	go func() {
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				return
+			case <-time.After(chainMoveRetry):
+			}
+			if movedOrStopped(ctx, inv, say) {
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+}
+
+// movedOrStopped makes one try at the move and says whether there is nothing more to try: moved, refused, or the controller
+// ending. False for a failure of the kind that is tried again (the bus away, a write not granted yet, the lease not held).
+func movedOrStopped(ctx context.Context, inv *inventory.Inventory, say func(string, ...any)) bool {
+	_, err := inv.MoveChain(ctx, say)
+	var refusal *inventory.Refusal
+	switch {
+	case err == nil:
+		go clearChainMove(ctx)
+		go askAgainSoon(ctx, inv)
+		return true
+	case errors.As(err, &refusal):
+		say("%v", err)
+		go raiseChainMove(ctx, refusal)
+		return true
+	case ctx.Err() != nil:
+		return true
+	}
+	say("the move to the bus did not finish, and the tables are read until it does: %v", err)
+	return false
 }
 
 // chainMoveObservation is the urgent condition for a refused move.
@@ -100,7 +114,7 @@ func raiseChainMove(ctx context.Context, r *inventory.Refusal) {
 
 func clearChainMove(ctx context.Context) {
 	whenKept(ctx, func(k *conditions.Keeper) {
-		for _, kind := range []string{inventory.KindBuilds} {
+		for _, kind := range []string{inventory.KindBuilds, inventory.KindRollouts, inventory.KindAssignments} {
 			key := chainMoveObservation(&inventory.Refusal{Kind: kind}).Key()
 			if _, err := k.Clear(ctx, key, "the "+kind+" are on the bus"); err != nil {
 				fmt.Printf("chain: the condition for the move of the %s could not be cleared: %v\n", kind, err)
diff --git a/internal/inventory/chain_move.go b/internal/inventory/chain_move.go
index c97c36d3..a9afde08 100644
--- a/internal/inventory/chain_move.go
+++ b/internal/inventory/chain_move.go
@@ -248,24 +248,39 @@ func (i *Inventory) assignedWithSends(ctx context.Context) ([]chain.Assignment,
 	if err := rows.Err(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	// The build of each commit, read once: the newest successful build of the module at it.
+	type at struct{ module, commit string }
+	var all []Build
+	if _, moved, err := i.ChainReads(ctx, KindBuilds); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	} else if moved {
+		if all, err = chainBuilds(ctx, i.attached()); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	} else if all, err = i.allBuildRows(ctx); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	newest := map[at]Build{}
+	for _, b := range all {
+		k := at{b.Module, b.Commit}
+		if b.Failed != "" || b.Module == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		if had, has := newest[k]; !has || b.At.After(had.At) || (b.At.Equal(had.At) && b.ID > had.ID) {
+			newest[k] = b
+		}
+	}
 	for k := range out {
 		if out[k].Commit == "" {
 			continue
 		}
-		id, err := i.BuildOf(ctx, out[k].Module, out[k].Commit)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		if id == "" {
+		b, found := newest[at{out[k].Module, out[k].Commit}]
+		if !found {
 			continue
 		}
-		out[k].Build = id
-		if b, found, err := i.BuildByID(ctx, id); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		} else if found {
-			if published := publishedOf(b.Made); published != nil {
-				out[k].Artifact, out[k].Package = published.Artifact, published.Package
-			}
+		out[k].Build = b.ID
+		if published := publishedOf(b.Made); published != nil {
+			out[k].Artifact, out[k].Package = published.Artifact, published.Package
 		}
 	}
 	return out, nil