diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/push.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/push.go
index 4da42308..651765ec 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/push.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/push.go
@@ -225,8 +225,11 @@ func serve(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 	if !isNATS {
 		return errors.New("the mesh's verbs are served over the bus, and this control plane is not on it")
 	}
-	// The hand-act log is counted for `status` on this connection rather than a new one a minute.
+	// The hand-act log is counted for `status` on this connection rather than a new one a minute; no longer serving, the
+	// connection is closed, and a verb run after in this process dials its own (a served test's leftover failed the
+	// next test's `conditions` with "connection closed", issue 1945).
 	handActConn = bus.Conn
+	defer func() { handActConn = nil }()
 	// And everything else this controller does on the bus for a moment (novox/hq issue 327).
 	servingBus.Store(server.JetStream())
 	// No longer serving: nothing is lent, and dead-letters says it is not read here (novox/hq issue 330).