diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts.go
index 24ce8159..ccb67181 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts.go
@@ -245,6 +245,12 @@ func (ix *Indexer) judgeOverHeld(ctx context.Context, fresh map[string]bool, ove
 				a := acceptedOf(digests[name], v, revision, raws[name])
 				_ = ix.sayAccepted(ctx, a, acceptedEventID(a))
 			}
+		} else if over == nil && fresh[digests[name]] && !meshcatalogclient.VerdictHeld(v) {
+			// A manifest a merge just made its module's trunk manifest is newly accepted there, even when a pull request's
+			// judgement wrote its verdict before the merge and said it nowhere (a candidate's verdict is not said): it is
+			// said now from the verdict held, with its revision, so the bus module and the grants part hear it (design 25
+			// bus-state §1; issue 1966: claude-licence-manager's new builds waited for a grant nothing wrote).
+			ix.sayHeld(ctx, digests[name], raws[name])
 		}
 		// The reader capabilities the manifest's own words, forms and seat names need, named with the verdict (ADR 0614 §4).
 		needs, _ := catalogue.ManifestNeeds(raws[name])
@@ -262,6 +268,26 @@ func (ix *Indexer) judgeOverHeld(ctx context.Context, fresh map[string]bool, ove
 	return out, nil
 }
 
+// sayHeld says manifest-accepted for the trunk's manifest of digest from the accepted verdict the verdicts state holds on
+// it, with that verdict's revision; a verdict that cannot be read, or that refuses or waits, says nothing.
+func (ix *Indexer) sayHeld(ctx context.Context, digest string, raw []byte) {
+	key, err := meshcatalogclient.VerdictsKey(digest)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	value, revision, found, err := ix.Verdicts.Get(ctx, key)
+	if err != nil || !found {
+		ix.logf("judge: the verdict on %s cannot be read, so its manifest-accepted is not said: %v", digest, err)
+		return
+	}
+	v, err := meshcatalogclient.DecodeVerdict(value)
+	if err != nil || meshcatalogclient.VerdictHeld(v) {
+		return
+	}
+	a := acceptedOf(digest, v, revision, raw)
+	_ = ix.sayAccepted(ctx, a, acceptedEventID(a))
+}
+
 // JudgeAtStart is JudgeAll of every manifest held, none fresh, as the indexer starts (a judge that changed judges every
 // one again); one that fails is judged again at the next message or source revision heard (kickJudge). Then every other
 // digest of the verdicts state that another judge refused or held waiting (one of a candidate, or one back on the trunk
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts_test.go
index 09d6cf52..80be7d72 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts_test.go
@@ -185,8 +185,9 @@ func TestTheIndexerJudgesEveryManifestOnce(t *testing.T) {
 	moved := hold("moved", `{"module":"moved","version":"1","requires":[`+
 		`{"name":"cache","storage":"key-value","template":"state","options":{"history":8}},`+
 		`{"name":"audit","storage":"stream","template":"log","options":{"max-mib":64}}]}`)
-	for pass := 0; pass < 2; pass++ {
-		if _, err := ix.JudgeAll(ctx, map[string]bool{moved: true}); err != nil {
+	// The merge's pass, then a later one that knows nothing of the merge.
+	for _, fresh := range []map[string]bool{{moved: true}, nil} {
+		if _, err := ix.JudgeAll(ctx, fresh); err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -235,6 +236,17 @@ func TestTheIndexerJudgesEveryManifestOnce(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, err := ix.judgeOver(ctx, nil, "bydigest", candidate); err != nil || accepted[len(accepted)-1].Digest != byDigest {
 		t.Fatalf("a candidate's verdict was said: %v %+v", err, accepted[len(accepted)-1])
 	}
+	// Issue 1966 (design 25 bus-state §1): the candidate merged, its verdict unchanged, is newly accepted on the trunk and
+	// said at the merge's pass, from the verdict held and with its revision, though the pass writes no verdict.
+	if hold("bydigest", `{"module":"bydigest","version":"2"}`) != candidate {
+		t.Fatal("the merged manifest is not the candidate's")
+	}
+	if j, err := ix.JudgeAll(ctx, map[string]bool{candidate: true}); err != nil || j.Written != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("the merge's pass: %+v %v", j, err)
+	}
+	if _, rev, _, _ := ix.Verdicts.Get(ctx, candidate); accepted[len(accepted)-1].Digest != candidate || accepted[len(accepted)-1].Revision != int64(rev) {
+		t.Fatalf("the merged candidate's manifest was not said accepted with its verdict's revision %d: last said %+v", rev, accepted[len(accepted)-1])
+	}
 	// DLV-I9b: a failed publish is published again; one failing twice writes the finding naming the module, which the next
 	// judging pass says again and clears.
 	ix.Findings = newMem()