diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/moved.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/moved.go
index ca5c03e9..88596958 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/moved.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/moved.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	sdkdelivery "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
 
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/catalogue"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/kvlimit"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/process"
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/broker"
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/inventory"
@@ -180,7 +181,12 @@ func (k keepingDeliveryMerges) KeepDeliveryMerge(ctx context.Context, emitter st
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%w: the bucket of mesh-delivery's merges: %w", link.ErrTryAgain, err)
 	}
-	if _, err := kv.Put(ctx, deliveryMergeKey(d.Owner, d.Repo, d.Number, d.HeadSHA), body); err != nil {
+	// Through kvlimit (sweep 2026-10-30, issue 774): a word too large for the bucket is refused before it is put, and
+	// is an answer, never "not now" — retried, it held the forge's merges for a day (10054 on de-spiegel's merge).
+	if _, err := kvlimit.Put(ctx, kv, deliveryMergeKey(d.Owner, d.Repo, d.Number, d.HeadSHA), body); err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, kvlimit.ErrTooLarge) {
+			return err
+		}
 		return fmt.Errorf("%w: %w", link.ErrTryAgain, err)
 	}
 	if k.kept != nil {