diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/group_wait.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/group_wait.go
index 12cc63a3..1be26410 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/group_wait.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/group_wait.go
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
+
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/catalogue"
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/inventory"
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-controller/internal/link"
@@ -60,13 +62,16 @@ var groupsAsked = func(ctx context.Context, held bool) ([]groupsLine, error) {
 	if !held {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no holder of %s is on record to say it", catalogue.DeliverySeat)
 	}
-	serving := servingBus.Load()
-	if serving == nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("this controller is not on the bus")
-	}
-	asking, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, groupAskWithin)
-	defer cancel()
-	raw, err := askDeliveryOwner(asking, serving.Conn(), "groups", map[string]any{})
+	// On the bus as this process is: the serving controller's own connection, lent, or — in a verb that runs as a command
+	// of its own, such as a recheck's `delivery check` — one dialled for the moment (onTheBus).
+	var raw json.RawMessage
+	err := onTheBus(func(conn *nats.Conn) error {
+		asking, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, groupAskWithin)
+		defer cancel()
+		var err error
+		raw, err = askDeliveryOwner(asking, conn, "groups", map[string]any{})
+		return err
+	})
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, link.ErrNothingServes) {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("nothing serves %s.groups", catalogue.DeliverySeat)
diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/replay867_test.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/replay867_test.go
index 9db90bd9..ac6b2add 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/replay867_test.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/replay867_test.go
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ type theIssue867 struct {
 	js                       interface{ Conn() *nats.Conn }
 	judgeCache               string
 	registry                 string
+	groups                   string // what mesh-delivery's groups answers
 }
 
 func r867Git(t *testing.T, dir string, args ...string) string {
@@ -172,13 +173,14 @@ func theGroupOfIssue867(t *testing.T) *theIssue867 {
 		if verb != "groups" {
 			t.Fatalf("asked the owner %s", verb)
 		}
-		return json.RawMessage(`[{"id":"feat/867","members":["` + root + `/mesh-host@` + r.hostHead[:12] + ` (checked)","` +
-			root + `/mesh-controller@` + r.controllerHead[:12] + ` (checked)"],"member_details":[` +
-			`{"id":"novox/mesh-host@` + r.hostHead[:12] + `","repository":"novox/mesh-host","state":"checked","number":114,"head":"` +
-			r.hostHead + `","base":"main","open":true},` +
-			`{"id":"novox/mesh-controller@` + r.controllerHead[:12] + `","repository":"novox/mesh-controller","state":"checked","number":346,"head":"` +
-			r.controllerHead + `","base":"main","open":true}]}]`), nil
+		return json.RawMessage(r.groups), nil
 	}
+	r.groups = (`[{"id":"feat/867","members":["` + root + `/mesh-host@` + r.hostHead[:12] + ` (checked)","` +
+		root + `/mesh-controller@` + r.controllerHead[:12] + ` (checked)"],"member_details":[` +
+		`{"id":"novox/mesh-host@` + r.hostHead[:12] + `","repository":"novox/mesh-host","state":"checked","number":114,"head":"` +
+		r.hostHead + `","base":"main","open":true},` +
+		`{"id":"novox/mesh-controller@` + r.controllerHead[:12] + `","repository":"novox/mesh-controller","state":"checked","number":346,"head":"` +
+		r.controllerHead + `","base":"main","open":true}]}]`)
 	r.registry = r867Registry(t)
 	r867Runtime(t)
 	return r
@@ -301,3 +303,44 @@ exit 1
 	t.Setenv("PATH", dir+string(os.PathListSeparator)+os.Getenv("PATH"))
 	t.Setenv("GOTOOLCHAIN", "local")
 }
+
+// A recheck runs as a command of its own (`delivery check` with one member), where the controller is not the serving
+// one and holds no connection: it dials the bus for the moment and asks mesh-delivery's `groups` as the daemon does.
+// This drives the verb on a test bus with a fake mesh-delivery answering `groups`, with no stub of the seam between.
+func TestTheRecheckVerbAsksMeshDeliveryOnABusOfItsOwn(t *testing.T) {
+	realAsk := askDeliveryOwner
+	r := theGroupOfIssue867(t)
+	askDeliveryOwner = realAsk
+	js, _ := aBuildQueue(t)
+	if servingBus.Load() != nil {
+		t.Fatal("this test is of a process that is not the serving controller")
+	}
+	asked := 0
+	wrapped, _ := json.Marshal(map[string]any{"content": []map[string]any{{"type": "text", "text": r.groups}}})
+	sub, err := js.Conn().Subscribe(link.SeatToolSubject(catalogue.DeliverySeat, "groups"), func(m *nats.Msg) {
+		asked++
+		body, _ := json.Marshal(link.Answer{Result: wrapped})
+		_ = m.Respond(body)
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = sub.Unsubscribe() })
+	member := `[{"id":"novox/mesh-host@` + r.hostHead[:12] + `","repository":"novox/mesh-host","base":"main","head":"` +
+		r.hostHead + `","number":114,"paths":["validate/more.go"],"module_dirs_said":true}]`
+	if err := deliveryCommand(t.Context(), []string{"check", "--members", member}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	q, err := link.ReadQueue(t.Context(), js, link.TheBuildMachine)
+	if err != nil || len(q.Asks) == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("nothing was asked of the build seat: %v", err)
+	}
+	c := q.Asks[len(q.Asks)-1].Request.Check
+	if c.SiblingsUnknown != "" || len(c.Siblings) != 1 || c.Siblings[0].Repository != "novox/mesh-controller" ||
+		c.Siblings[0].Number != 346 || c.Siblings[0].Head != r.controllerHead {
+		t.Fatalf("the recheck learned siblings %+v, unknown %q", c.Siblings, c.SiblingsUnknown)
+	}
+	if asked != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("mesh-delivery was asked %d times", asked)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/testdata/store-tests b/testdata/store-tests
index 055495ac..ebafe258 100644
--- a/testdata/store-tests
+++ b/testdata/store-tests
@@ -81,3 +81,4 @@
 ./cmd/mesh-controller TestARecordedMoveThatCannotBeJudgedWaits
 ./cmd/mesh-controller TestReplay867
 ./cmd/mesh-controller TestReplay867Recheck
+./cmd/mesh-controller TestTheRecheckVerbAsksMeshDeliveryOnABusOfItsOwn