diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/plain_words.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/plain_words.go
index 54befa7f..9e92bffd 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/plain_words.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/plain_words.go
@@ -374,10 +374,7 @@ var plainWordings = map[string]func(conditions.Observation) words{
 			Resolved:    "Resolved: " + m + " runs a good build again"}
 	}),
 	"release-held": worded(func(o conditions.Observation) words {
-		return words{Headline: "Updates wait for your release",
-			Needs:       "release them, or leave them held.",
-			Explanation: "Some module updates wait for a person to release them, and are not delivered until then.",
-			Resolved:    "Resolved: the held updates are released"}
+		return releaseHeldWords(nil, o.Also)
 	}),
 	"facts-stale": worded(func(o conditions.Observation) words {
 		return words{Headline: "Merge checks use outdated facts",
@@ -389,21 +386,21 @@ var plainWordings = map[string]func(conditions.Observation) words{
 	// The controller and the core.
 	"controller-deaf": worded(func(o conditions.Observation) words {
 		return words{Headline: "The controller stopped listening",
-			Needs: "restart the controller if this stays.",
+			Needs: "restart the controller if this stays, " + FromMeshMCPServer,
 			Explanation: "The controller, which coordinates the mesh, has taken no messages for minutes while some " +
 				"wait. Changes and repairs do not happen until it recovers.",
 			Resolved: "The controller listens again"}
 	}),
 	"self-check-silent": worded(func(o conditions.Observation) words {
 		return words{Headline: "The mesh's self-check stopped",
-			Needs: "restart the controller if this stays.",
+			Needs: "restart the controller if this stays, " + FromMeshMCPServer,
 			Explanation: "The self-check, which looks over the whole mesh every few minutes, has not finished a run. " +
 				"Problems may go unnoticed until it runs again.",
 			Resolved: "The self-check runs again"}
 	}),
 	"watchdogs-silent": worded(func(o conditions.Observation) words {
 		return words{Headline: "The mesh's watchdogs stopped",
-			Needs: "restart the controller if this stays.",
+			Needs: "restart the controller if this stays, " + FromMeshMCPServer,
 			Explanation: "The watchdogs, which notice when something expected does not happen, have not run, so " +
 				"missed signals are not noticed.",
 			Resolved: "The watchdogs run again"}
@@ -670,6 +667,32 @@ func moduleNeeds(node string, rs []inventory.ResourceHealth) string {
 // authorised (to-be 46 phases 5 and 6).
 const FromMeshMCPServer = "from the mesh MCP server; this notification cannot do it."
 
+// releaseHeldWords are the plain words of updates held after a release failed its gate: which modules wait,
+// on which machines, and where the operator releases them (ADR 0258: a release is not an acknowledgement, so
+// no notification gives it). Raised with the modules and machines (backlogObservation); the kind's fallback
+// knows neither.
+func releaseHeldWords(modules, machines []string) words {
+	what := "Some module updates"
+	headline := "Updates wait for your release"
+	if len(modules) > 0 {
+		what = "Updates of " + namesWords(modules, 3)
+		if h := what + " wait for your release"; len(h) <= conditions.HeadlineMax {
+			headline = h
+		} else if h := fmt.Sprintf("%d module updates wait for your release", len(modules)); len(h) <= conditions.HeadlineMax {
+			headline = h
+		}
+	}
+	where := ""
+	if len(machines) > 0 {
+		where = " on " + namesWords(machines, 4)
+	}
+	return words{Headline: headline,
+		Needs: "release them " + FromMeshMCPServer,
+		Explanation: fmt.Sprintf("%s%s wait for a person to release them, because the last release failed its "+
+			"check. They are not delivered until then, and stay held if you leave them.", what, where),
+		Resolved: "Resolved: the held updates are released"}
+}
+
 // reloginNeeds is what an account waiting for its groups needs (ADR 0252).
 func reloginNeeds(node string) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("log out of %s completely and log in again, or restart it.", node)
diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/plain_words_test.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/plain_words_test.go
index a24290df..74b19716 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/plain_words_test.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/plain_words_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -222,3 +223,69 @@ func TestDataLossOffersNoSilence(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// **Updates held after a failed release** (2026-10-08): the popup read "Needs you: release them, or leave
+// them held." — naming neither what waits nor where it is released. It names the modules and machines, and
+// the mesh MCP server.
+func TestUpdatesHeldNameWhatWaitsAndWhereItIsReleased(t *testing.T) {
+	saved := backlogNow
+	t.Cleanup(func() { backlogNow = saved })
+	backlogNow.held = "release-1791457717307061152 failed (failed its gate on g14); what waits is released again by a person"
+	backlogNow.waiting = map[string][]inventory.CarriedMove{
+		"shanks": {{Module: "openrazer"}},
+		"g14":    {{Module: "openrazer"}, {Module: "sensors"}},
+	}
+	got := backlogObservation()
+	if len(got) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("raised %d", len(got))
+	}
+	plainExample(t, got[0], "Updates of openrazer and sensors wait for your release",
+		"Needs you: release them from the mesh MCP server; this notification cannot do it. Updates of openrazer and "+
+			"sensors on g14 and shanks wait for a person to release them, because the last release failed its check. "+
+			"They are not delivered until then, and stay held if you leave them.")
+}
+
+// mcpVerb is a need that opens with a verb only the mesh MCP server performs (ADR 0258 §1): release, stop,
+// start, restart, and a restore.
+var mcpVerb = regexp.MustCompile(`^(release|stop|start|restart|restore)\b`)
+
+// **A need no notification can answer says where it is answered** (ADR 0258 §1): every wording whose need
+// opens with a verb the mesh MCP server performs, and offers no action, ends with FromMeshMCPServer — the
+// kinds worded here for every subject shape, and those worded where they are raised. A new kind that misses
+// it fails here; release-held did (2026-10-08).
+func TestANeedNoNotificationAnswersNamesTheMeshMCPServer(t *testing.T) {
+	check := func(what string, w words) {
+		t.Helper()
+		if w.Needs == "" || len(w.Actions) > 0 || !mcpVerb.MatchString(w.Needs) {
+			return
+		}
+		if !strings.HasSuffix(w.Needs, FromMeshMCPServer) {
+			t.Errorf("%s needs %q without %q", what, w.Needs, FromMeshMCPServer)
+		}
+	}
+	subjects := []conditions.Observation{
+		{Scope: conditions.ScopeMachine, ID: "ace", Machine: "ace"},
+		{Scope: conditions.ScopeMachine, ID: "ace.immich.library", Machine: "ace"},
+		{Scope: conditions.ScopeModule, ID: "openrazer.g14", Machine: "g14"},
+		{Scope: conditions.ScopeDelivery, ID: "novox/hq@055550802096"},
+		{Scope: conditions.ScopeCore, ID: "controller.anchor", Machine: "anchor"},
+		{Scope: conditions.ScopeMesh, ID: "release", Also: []string{"g14"}},
+	}
+	for kind, fn := range plainWordings {
+		for _, s := range subjects {
+			for _, sev := range []conditions.Severity{conditions.Warning, conditions.Urgent} {
+				s.Kind, s.Severity, s.Resolver = kind, sev, conditions.ResolverOperator
+				check(kind+" about "+s.ID, fn(s))
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	check("a walk waiting", words{Needs: waitingNeeds(conditions.Urgent)})
+	check("a module's failed service", words{Needs: moduleNeeds("g14",
+		[]inventory.ResourceHealth{{Kind: link.KindUnit, Target: "openrazer-daemon.service"}})})
+	for _, state := range []string{"held", "ready", "failing"} {
+		_, _, _, needs, actions := stalledWords(stalledLine{ID: "novox/hq@055550802096", State: state, For: "36h"},
+			conditions.Observation{Resolver: conditions.ResolverOperator})
+		check("a delivery "+state, words{Needs: needs, Actions: actions})
+	}
+	check("updates held", releaseHeldWords([]string{"openrazer"}, []string{"g14"}))
+}
diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/release.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/release.go
index c1667ec2..421a01f8 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/release.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/release.go
@@ -710,15 +710,27 @@ func backlogObservation() []conditions.Observation {
 	}
 	n := 0
 	var machines []string
+	seen := map[string]bool{}
+	var modules []string
 	for node, moves := range backlogNow.waiting {
 		n += len(moves)
 		machines = append(machines, node)
+		for _, mv := range moves {
+			if !seen[mv.Module] {
+				seen[mv.Module] = true
+				modules = append(modules, mv.Module)
+			}
+		}
 	}
 	sort.Strings(machines)
-	return []conditions.Observation{{Scope: conditions.ScopeMesh, ID: "release", Token: "held", Kind: "release-held",
-		Severity: conditions.Warning, Resolver: conditions.ResolverOperator,
+	sort.Strings(modules)
+	o := conditions.Observation{Scope: conditions.ScopeMesh, ID: "release", Token: "held", Kind: "release-held",
+		Severity: conditions.Warning, Resolver: conditions.ResolverOperator, Also: machines,
 		Summary: fmt.Sprintf("%d build move(s) on %s wait for a gate and are not released: %s — `upgrade backlog` lists "+
-			"them, `upgrade release-backlog --why …` releases them", n, strings.Join(machines, ", "), backlogNow.held)}}
+			"them, `upgrade release-backlog --why …` releases them", n, strings.Join(machines, ", "), backlogNow.held)}
+	w := releaseHeldWords(modules, machines)
+	o.Headline, o.Explanation, o.Resolved, o.Needs = w.Headline, w.Explanation, w.Resolved, w.Needs
+	return []conditions.Observation{o}
 }
 
 // backlogCommand is `upgrade backlog`, read-only, and `upgrade release-backlog --why`.