diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/cmd/mesh-delivery-assigner/integration_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/cmd/mesh-delivery-assigner/integration_test.go
index 08351fcf..0362b1fc 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/cmd/mesh-delivery-assigner/integration_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/cmd/mesh-delivery-assigner/integration_test.go
@@ -219,6 +219,9 @@ func saysWhatItKeeps(t *testing.T, b *bed, done <-chan error) {
 		t.Fatalf("the assigner said %+v, want the %d states its manifest declares", said, len(m.State))
 	}
 	for _, s := range m.State {
+		if s.Name == retiredState {
+			continue // read by the copy alone (migrate.go), by no reader
+		}
 		if !said.Readable(s.Name) {
 			t.Errorf("the assigner said %+v: its state %s is not readable", said, s.Name)
 		}