diff --git a/internal/broker/nats.go b/internal/broker/nats.go
index 6ae882d..492a111 100644
--- a/internal/broker/nats.go
+++ b/internal/broker/nats.go
@@ -294,7 +294,13 @@ func PermissionsFor(p Principal) (Permissions, error) {
 		// grants nothing anybody can use.
 		sub = append(sub, "_DELIVER."+consumerDurable(p))
 		for _, s := range p.Holds {
-			sub = append(sub, "_DELIVER.SEAT_"+upperSnake(s.Name)+"_worker")
+			// Taking work from the role's queue: the worker consumer it binds (asked about,
+			// delivered on, acknowledged), each on the seat's own stream. The first machine to
+			// take work over the new bus was refused the asking (2026-09-28).
+			worker := "SEAT_" + upperSnake(s.Name) + "_worker"
+			stream := seatStreamName(s.Name)
+			sub = append(sub, "_DELIVER."+worker)
+			pub = append(pub, "$JS.API.CONSUMER.INFO."+stream+"."+worker, "$JS.ACK."+stream+"."+worker+".>")
 			for _, a := range s.Accepts {
 				sub = append(sub, seatSubject(s, "accept", a))
 			}
diff --git a/internal/broker/testdata/composed.conf b/internal/broker/testdata/composed.conf
index 9ebd7e8..365f227 100644
--- a/internal/broker/testdata/composed.conf
+++ b/internal/broker/testdata/composed.conf
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ accounts {
         subscribe: { allow: ["_DELIVER.one", "_INBOX.node.one.>", "mesh.node.one.declare"] }
       } }
       { user: "one.telegram", password: "$2a$11$tttttttttttttttttttttt", permissions: {
-        publish: { allow: ["$JS.ACK.EVENTS.one_telegram.>", "mesh.seat.telegram-sender.event.delivered", "mesh.seat.telegram-sender.event.failed"] }
+        publish: { allow: ["$JS.ACK.EVENTS.one_telegram.>", "$JS.ACK.SEAT_TELEGRAM_SENDER.SEAT_TELEGRAM_SENDER_worker.>", "$JS.API.CONSUMER.INFO.SEAT_TELEGRAM_SENDER.SEAT_TELEGRAM_SENDER_worker", "mesh.seat.telegram-sender.event.delivered", "mesh.seat.telegram-sender.event.failed"] }
         subscribe: { allow: ["_DELIVER.SEAT_TELEGRAM_SENDER_worker", "_DELIVER.one_telegram", "_INBOX.one.telegram.>", "mesh.mod.telegram.tool.status", "mesh.seat.telegram-sender.accept.send"] }
         allow_responses: { max: 1, ttl: "1m" }
       } }
diff --git a/internal/catalogue/holdings_test.go b/internal/catalogue/holdings_test.go
index 6394447..3c8d8eb 100644
--- a/internal/catalogue/holdings_test.go
+++ b/internal/catalogue/holdings_test.go
@@ -143,3 +143,18 @@ func TestAMembershipForTheNewBusIsComposedAsASealedFile(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// The store's seat rows have no protocol columns yet; loading them must not drop the protocol the
+// bus is derived from, or no role's work queue is ever raised (found live, 2026-09-28).
+func TestAStoreRowWithoutAProtocolKeepsTheCompiledOne(t *testing.T) {
+	was := Seats()
+	t.Cleanup(func() { UseSeats(was) })
+	UseSeats([]Seat{{Name: "mesh-build-machine", Scope: ScopeMesh, Decision: "row"}})
+	got, ok := SeatNamed("mesh-build-machine")
+	if !ok || len(got.Accepts) == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("the build machine's seat lost what it accepts when loaded from the store: %+v", got)
+	}
+	if got.Decision != "row" {
+		t.Fatalf("the store's own columns were not kept: %+v", got)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/catalogue/seat_into_test.go b/internal/catalogue/seat_into_test.go
index bb7dc6b..04b911a 100644
--- a/internal/catalogue/seat_into_test.go
+++ b/internal/catalogue/seat_into_test.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ func TestASeatPlaceholderAnswersWhereThisMachinePutTheHolder(t *testing.T) {
 		"type": "container", "id": "server", "name": "mesh-controller",
 		"env": map[string]any{
 			"MESH_STORE_INVENTORY_PORT": "${seat:mesh-store:5432}",
-			"MESH_BROKER_AMQP_PORT":     "${seat:mesh-broker:5672}",
 			"MESH_BROKER_ADDRESS_PORT":  "${seat:mesh-broker:5671}",
 			"MESH_STORE_INVENTORY_FILE": "/run/secrets/inventory",
 		},
@@ -27,7 +26,6 @@ func TestASeatPlaceholderAnswersWhereThisMachinePutTheHolder(t *testing.T) {
 	env := control["env"].(map[string]any)
 	for key, want := range map[string]string{
 		"MESH_STORE_INVENTORY_PORT": "6852",
-		"MESH_BROKER_AMQP_PORT":     "5679",
 		"MESH_BROKER_ADDRESS_PORT":  "5671",
 		"MESH_STORE_INVENTORY_FILE": "/run/secrets/inventory",
 	} {
@@ -146,7 +144,6 @@ func TestTheControlPlanesOwnAddressesFollowTheNodesPorts(t *testing.T) {
 		"MESH_STORE_INVENTORY_PORT":   "6852",
 		"MESH_STORE_IDENTITY_PORT":    "6852",
 		"MESH_STORE_LICENCES_PORT":    "6852",
-		"MESH_BROKER_AMQP_PORT":       "5679",
 		"MESH_BROKER_MANAGEMENT_PORT": "15673",
 		"MESH_BROKER_ADDRESS_PORT":    "5671",
 	} {
@@ -164,7 +161,7 @@ func TestTheControlPlanesOwnAddressesFollowTheNodesPorts(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	env, _ = fileNamed(out, "mesh-controller.server")["env"].(map[string]any)
-	if env["MESH_STORE_INVENTORY_PORT"] != "" || env["MESH_BROKER_AMQP_PORT"] != "" {
+	if env["MESH_STORE_INVENTORY_PORT"] != "" {
 		t.Errorf("with no settings, the control plane is told %v", env)
 	}
 }
@@ -175,7 +172,6 @@ var SeatPorts = map[string]string{
 	"MESH_STORE_INVENTORY_PORT":   "${seat:mesh-store:5432}",
 	"MESH_STORE_IDENTITY_PORT":    "${seat:mesh-store:5432}",
 	"MESH_STORE_LICENCES_PORT":    "${seat:mesh-store:5432}",
-	"MESH_BROKER_AMQP_PORT":       "${seat:mesh-broker:5672}",
 	"MESH_BROKER_MANAGEMENT_PORT": "${seat:mesh-broker:15672}",
 	"MESH_BROKER_ADDRESS_PORT":    "${seat:mesh-broker:5671}",
 }
diff --git a/internal/catalogue/seats.go b/internal/catalogue/seats.go
index 6cb9827..8d6c873 100644
--- a/internal/catalogue/seats.go
+++ b/internal/catalogue/seats.go
@@ -109,9 +109,30 @@ func DefaultSeats() []Seat { return append([]Seat(nil), defaultSeats...) }
 // than running on the set the binary shipped with. So the store can only ever *replace* the set with
 // a non-empty one, never erase it.
 func UseSeats(s []Seat) {
-	if len(s) > 0 {
-		seats = s
+	if len(s) == 0 {
+		return
 	}
+	// **The store's rows carry no protocol yet, and the protocol is what the bus is derived
+	// from.** ADR 0129 gives a seat what it accepts, emits and serves; ADR 0122 moved the set into
+	// a table that has name, scope, delivers and decision and nothing else, and the columns for
+	// the rest are not there yet. So a row replacing a compiled entry would silently drop the
+	// protocol, and the roles' work queues would never be raised — found live as "no response
+	// from stream" the first time a build was submitted over the new bus (2026-09-28). Until the
+	// table gains the columns, a row without a protocol keeps the compiled one of the same name.
+	byName := map[string]Seat{}
+	for _, d := range defaultSeats {
+		byName[d.Name] = d
+	}
+	merged := make([]Seat, 0, len(s))
+	for _, row := range s {
+		if len(row.Accepts)+len(row.Emits)+len(row.Serves) == 0 {
+			if d, known := byName[row.Name]; known {
+				row.Accepts, row.Emits, row.Serves = d.Accepts, d.Emits, d.Serves
+			}
+		}
+		merged = append(merged, row)
+	}
+	seats = merged
 }
 
 // aliases maps a seat's former names to its current canonical name (novox/hq ADR 0122). Loaded from