diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/oldsections.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/oldsections.go
index 14a6db51..91d16b98 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/oldsections.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/oldsections.go
@@ -5,9 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"maps"
-	"slices"
 
-	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/catalogue"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
 
 	"mesh-delivery-indexer/judge"
@@ -44,21 +42,21 @@ func DecodeOldSections(value []byte) (OldSectionsCount, error) {
 	return c, nil
 }
 
-// countBefore counts the accepted modules using each old section as the pass starts: those whose verdict held says accepted,
-// or which have none and are not fresh (acceptedBefore). A manifest is read leniently, since a module the judge now finds
-// a problem in is still accepted (ADR 0579 §1) and still counts.
-func (ix *Indexer) countBefore(ctx context.Context, raws map[string][]byte, digests map[string]string, fresh map[string]bool) judge.OldSectionCounts {
-	var accepted []catalogue.Manifest
-	for _, name := range slices.Sorted(maps.Keys(raws)) {
-		if !ix.acceptedBefore(ctx, digests[name], fresh) {
-			continue
-		}
-		if m, err := catalogue.Decode(raws[name]); err == nil {
-			m.Module = name
-			accepted = append(accepted, m)
+// heldOldSections is the count the last pass wrote (the accepted set it held): a module that keeps using a section was
+// accepted with it, so it is counted, and a fresh manifest changes nothing in it. Nil when none is held yet or it cannot be
+// read; a failed read is said, never taken as 0 (issue 1966 D4).
+func (ix *Indexer) heldOldSections(ctx context.Context) judge.OldSectionCounts {
+	value, _, found, err := ix.OldSections.Get(ctx, OldSectionsKey)
+	if err == nil && found {
+		var c OldSectionsCount
+		if c, err = DecodeOldSections(value); err == nil {
+			return c.Counts
 		}
 	}
-	return judge.CountOldSections(accepted)
+	if err != nil {
+		ix.logf("judge: the count of the old sections cannot be read (%v), so the zero rule is not applied in this pass", err)
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // keepOldSections writes the counts under OldSectionsKey when they differ from the ones held.
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts.go
index 03138bd2..64d5f825 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts.go
@@ -75,10 +75,10 @@ func (ix *Indexer) JudgeAll(ctx context.Context, fresh map[string]bool) (Judged,
 		digests[name] = digest
 	}
 	predefined := ix.predefinedList(ctx)
-	// The old sections end when no module is left in them (issue 1966 D4): counted from the verdicts held before this pass.
+	// The old sections end when no module is left in them (issue 1966 D4): the count is the accepted set the last pass held.
 	var counts judge.OldSectionCounts
 	if ix.OldSections != nil {
-		counts = ix.countBefore(ctx, raws, digests, fresh)
+		counts = ix.heldOldSections(ctx)
 	}
 	refused, unnamed := judge.ShelfCounting(raws, predefined, 0, counts)
 	for _, p := range unnamed {
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts_test.go
index 380ca073..2e84f954 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/verdicts_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package index
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -168,9 +170,42 @@ func TestTheIndexerJudgesEveryManifestOnce(t *testing.T) {
 	if v := verdict(grants); v.Refused() {
 		t.Fatalf("the foundation's manifest was refused: %+v", v)
 	}
+	// 1966/AC11: the sole user of an old section changes its manifest and keeps the section: accepted, since it was accepted
+	// with it (the count is the accepted set held from the last pass, not recounted from fresh digests).
+	hold("solo", `{"module":"solo","version":"1","objects":[{"name":"o","max-mib":1}]}`)
+	if _, err := ix.JudgeAll(ctx, nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	solo2 := hold("solo", `{"module":"solo","version":"2","objects":[{"name":"o","max-mib":2}]}`)
+	if _, err := ix.JudgeAll(ctx, map[string]bool{solo2: true}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if v := verdict(solo2); v.Refused() {
+		t.Fatalf("the sole user of objects, changing its manifest and keeping objects, was refused: %+v", v)
+	}
+	// A count that cannot be read is never taken as 0: the zero rule is not applied in that pass and the log says so.
+	var logged []string
+	ix.Logf = func(f string, a ...any) { logged = append(logged, fmt.Sprintf(f, a...)) }
+	held := ix.OldSections
+	ix.OldSections = unreadable{held}
+	retry := hold("late", `{"module":"late","version":"2","logs":[{"name":"l"}]}`)
+	if _, err := ix.JudgeAll(ctx, map[string]bool{retry: true}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if v := verdict(retry); v.Refused() || !strings.Contains(strings.Join(logged, "\n"), "the zero rule is not applied") {
+		t.Fatalf("a count that could not be read: %+v, logged %q", v, logged)
+	}
+	ix.OldSections = held
 	// Without the verdicts state the indexer judges nothing.
 	ix.Verdicts = nil
 	if j, err := ix.JudgeAll(ctx, nil); err != nil || j.Judged != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("without the state: %+v %v", j, err)
 	}
 }
+
+// unreadable is a store whose reads fail.
+type unreadable struct{ Store }
+
+func (unreadable) Get(context.Context, string) ([]byte, uint64, bool, error) {
+	return nil, 0, false, errors.New("the bus did not answer")
+}