diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/cmd/mesh-delivery-assigner/pipelines.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/cmd/mesh-delivery-assigner/pipelines.go
index e7a555e8..8c1eef61 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/cmd/mesh-delivery-assigner/pipelines.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/cmd/mesh-delivery-assigner/pipelines.go
@@ -157,13 +157,44 @@ type pipelineEnds struct {
 	onBranches func([]string)
 	// trunk names the first watched branch, the trunk's (design 47 G §507), the branch of a module registered with none.
 	trunk func() string
-	// runner is the module holding the seat mesh-pipeline-runner, as the last pass read it from the acting edges (A-334).
+	// runner is the module holding the seat mesh-pipeline-runner, as the last pass read it from the acting edges (A-334); nil
+	// until a pass read the graph.
 	runner atomic.Pointer[string]
+	// held are the group members' pipeline-ended heard before a pass read the graph, by their body: unacknowledged, so the
+	// bus keeps them, and taken once the runner is read (A-334), never dropped for the runner not being known yet.
+	held map[string]jetstream.Msg
 }
 
-// setRunner keeps the module holding the seat mesh-pipeline-runner, read by the pass from the acting edges (A-334).
+// setRunner keeps the module holding the seat mesh-pipeline-runner, read by the pass from the acting edges (A-334); the
+// first one takes the group members' ends held until the graph was read.
 func (e *pipelineEnds) setRunner(module string) {
-	e.runner.Store(&module)
+	e.mu.Lock()
+	first := e.runner.Swap(&module) == nil
+	held := e.held
+	e.held = nil
+	e.mu.Unlock()
+	if !first {
+		return
+	}
+	for _, m := range held {
+		e.hearPipeline(m)
+	}
+}
+
+// holdUntilRead keeps m, a group member's pipeline-ended, until a pass reads the runner from the graph; false when the
+// runner is read already, so m is taken now.
+func (e *pipelineEnds) holdUntilRead(m jetstream.Msg) bool {
+	e.mu.Lock()
+	defer e.mu.Unlock()
+	if e.runner.Load() != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if e.held == nil {
+		e.held = map[string]jetstream.Msg{}
+	}
+	e.held[string(m.Data())] = m
+	e.logf("%s is a group member's end heard before the assignment graph is read: held until a pass reads which module is the runner (A-334)", m.Subject())
+	return true
 }
 
 // isRunner says whether module holds the seat mesh-pipeline-runner, as the last pass read it.
@@ -257,6 +288,8 @@ func (e *pipelineEnds) hearPipeline(m jetstream.Msg) {
 	switch {
 	case err != nil:
 		e.logf("%s is not taken: %v", m.Subject(), err)
+	case p.Run == "" && p.Group != "" && e.holdUntilRead(m):
+		return
 	case p.Run != "" || (p.Group != "" && !e.isRunner(p.Module)):
 	default:
 		if err := e.take(p, requiredPassed(p)); err != nil {
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/cmd/mesh-delivery-assigner/pipelines_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/cmd/mesh-delivery-assigner/pipelines_test.go
index f2e0a12b..535fa85c 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/cmd/mesh-delivery-assigner/pipelines_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/cmd/mesh-delivery-assigner/pipelines_test.go
@@ -163,18 +163,29 @@ func TestAWantFollowsAPassedPipeline(t *testing.T) {
 	{
 		e := newPipelineEnds(newMemEnds(), func() {}, t.Logf)
 		e.on.Store(true)
-		e.setRunner(assigngraph.Runner([]mws.AssignmentEntry{{Node: "ace", Module: "web", Edges: []mws.Edge{
-			{Kind: assigngraph.EdgeActing, Node: "ace", Module: "runner", Seat: mpr.Seat, Step: "pipeline"}}}}))
-		hear := func(p mpr.PipelineEnded) {
+		heard := func(p mpr.PipelineEnded) *heardMsg {
 			p.Group = "g"
 			raw, _ := json.Marshal(p)
 			m := &heardMsg{data: raw, subject: "mesh.seat.mesh-pipeline-runner.event.pipeline-ended.x"}
 			e.hearPipeline(m)
-			if !m.acked {
+			return m
+		}
+		hear := func(p mpr.PipelineEnded) {
+			if m := heard(p); !m.acked {
 				t.Errorf("the pipeline-ended of %s is not acknowledged", p.Module)
 			}
 		}
-		hear(pipe("runner", "main", 5, 1, "fp-runner", pass, step(req, "passed")))
+		// The runner's end heard before a pass read the graph is held, unacknowledged, and taken once the runner is read.
+		early := heard(pipe("runner", "main", 5, 1, "fp-runner", pass, step(req, "passed")))
+		if early.acked || early.naked || e.mayWant("runner", "fp-runner", []string{"main"}, nil) {
+			t.Fatalf("the runner's end before the graph is read: acked %v, naked %v, wanted %v; want it held", early.acked, early.naked,
+				e.mayWant("runner", "fp-runner", []string{"main"}, nil))
+		}
+		e.setRunner(assigngraph.Runner([]mws.AssignmentEntry{{Node: "ace", Module: "web", Edges: []mws.Edge{
+			{Kind: assigngraph.EdgeActing, Node: "ace", Module: "runner", Seat: mpr.Seat, Step: "pipeline"}}}}))
+		if !early.acked {
+			t.Error("the runner's end held until the graph was read is not taken once it is")
+		}
 		hear(pipe("web", "main", 5, 1, fp1, pass, step(req, "passed")))
 		if !e.mayWant("runner", "fp-runner", []string{"main"}, nil) || e.mayWant("web", fp1, []string{"main"}, nil) {
 			t.Errorf("a group changing the runner: may want the runner %v, web %v; want the runner ahead of the group and web not yet",