diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/plan.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/plan.go
index 46d269b..f5acc6a 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/plan.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/plan.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -281,8 +282,9 @@ func theRestOfTheMesh(ctx context.Context, inv *inventory.Inventory,
 	for _, o := range others {
 		got, err := catalogue.Resolve(shelf, o.assigned, o.node, catalogue.World{Unchecked: true, Holdings: holdings})
 		if err != nil {
-			// Their set does not resolve for some other reason. Not this node's problem to
-			// report, and nothing of theirs is running, so it offers nothing.
+			// Said, not skipped: a machine dropped here offers nothing and holds nothing as far
+			// as every other machine's plan can tell (novox/hq issue 188).
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%s is left out of the rest of the mesh: it does not resolve: %v\n", o.node.Name, err)
 			continue
 		}
 		firstHeld = append(firstHeld, got.Claims...)
@@ -313,8 +315,17 @@ func theRestOfTheMesh(ctx context.Context, inv *inventory.Inventory,
 	world := catalogue.World{Offered: offered, Held: firstHeld, Holdings: holdings}
 	var held []catalogue.Held
 	for _, o := range others {
-		got, err := catalogue.Resolve(shelf, o.assigned, o.node, world)
+		// Each machine is resolved with its own pins, as its plan is: a machine that needs one to
+		// settle two providers would otherwise be refused here and vanish from the mesh — every
+		// seat it holds unheld, every build that needs one refused (2026-10-01, the control node;
+		// novox/hq issue 188).
+		theirs := world
+		if pins, err := inv.PinsFor(ctx, o.node.Name); err == nil {
+			theirs.Pinned = pins
+		}
+		got, err := catalogue.Resolve(shelf, o.assigned, o.node, theirs)
 		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%s is left out of the rest of the mesh: it does not resolve: %v\n", o.node.Name, err)
 			continue
 		}
 		held = append(held, got.Claims...)