diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/acts.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/acts.go
index 4a0abe8..c5bae72 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/acts.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/acts.go
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@ import (
 // It costs a resolution per machine. Assignment is a person typing a command, and being told which
 // machines this just blocked is worth more than the milliseconds.
 func assign(ctx context.Context, open *stores, node, module string) (string, error) {
+	// Held while it is recorded, so it cannot land between a converge's preview and its flip and
+	// be taken without ever having been previewed (novox/hq ADR 0100).
+	ctx, release, err := holdNodes(ctx, open, []string{node})
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	defer release()
 	if err := open.inventory.Assign(ctx, node, module); err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
@@ -71,6 +78,11 @@ func assign(ctx context.Context, open *stores, node, module string) (string, err
 // module off one machine is the ordinary way to stop providing something to another, and nothing
 // about the command's own output would ever have said so.
 func unassign(ctx context.Context, open *stores, node, module string) (string, error) {
+	ctx, release, err := holdNodes(ctx, open, []string{node})
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	defer release()
 	if err := open.inventory.Unassign(ctx, node, module); err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/adopting_test.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/adopting_test.go
index ef81c2a..3eddda5 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/adopting_test.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/adopting_test.go
@@ -502,3 +502,33 @@ func TestTheFlipIsRefusedOnAnAccountNamingNothingReachable(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("a refused flip changed something")
 	}
 }
+
+// An assignment cannot land between a preview and the flip that takes every module: assigning
+// holds the node, so it waits for whatever is converging it.
+func TestAssigningWaitsForWhateverIsConvergingTheNode(t *testing.T) {
+	open, _ := anAdoptedAnchor(t)
+	ctx := t.Context()
+	if _, err := take(ctx, open, "anchor", "hello-web"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	reportsHolding(t, open, heldFile)
+	preview, err := converge(ctx, open, "anchor", false, "", "")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	saved, savedPoll := inventory.HoldWaitFor, inventory.HoldPoll
+	inventory.HoldWaitFor, inventory.HoldPoll = time.Second, 50*time.Millisecond
+	defer func() { inventory.HoldWaitFor, inventory.HoldPoll = saved, savedPoll }()
+
+	var whileFlipping error
+	sendNodes = func(context.Context, *stores, []string) error {
+		_, whileFlipping = assign(ctx, open, "anchor", "notes")
+		return nil
+	}
+	if _, err := converge(ctx, open, "anchor", true, digestIn(t, preview), ""); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !errors.Is(whileFlipping, inventory.ErrNodeBusy) {
+		t.Fatalf("an assignment landed while the node was being converged: %v", whileFlipping)
+	}
+}