diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/go.mod b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/go.mod
index c0375b2..fc407f5 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/go.mod
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/go.mod
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module mesh-delivery-assigner
 go 1.26.0
 
 require (
-	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024142924-d6cef5829bb7
+	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024144045-64a502d16aac
 	github.com/nats-io/nats-server/v2 v2.11.17
 	github.com/nats-io/nats.go v1.54.0
 )
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/go.sum b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/go.sum
index d5a62aa..49041ec 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/go.sum
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/go.sum
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024142924-d6cef5829bb7 h1:tIzslR6sjUtCMlh1510t/D+dKXKqQUXp9dwTayhfJcs=
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024142924-d6cef5829bb7/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024144045-64a502d16aac h1:jInLKz6gUCzs94z0egG7f05V7x+0t4BXt9cCa87ePLA=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024144045-64a502d16aac/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
 github.com/antithesishq/antithesis-sdk-go v0.7.0-default-no-op h1:Z/MZK75wC/NSrkgqeNIa7jexam9uWzhLmFTSCPI/kn0=
 github.com/antithesishq/antithesis-sdk-go v0.7.0-default-no-op/go.mod h1:FQyySiasQQM8735Ddel3MRojmy4dA1IqCeyJ5jmPMbI=
 github.com/google/go-tpm v0.9.8 h1:slArAR9Ft+1ybZu0lBwpSmpwhRXaa85hWtMinMyRAWo=
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants.go
index 6788ec9..0820d8c 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants.go
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ func (m Module) mustAsk(node string, before delivery.Want, had bool, d delivery.
 	if catalogue.ProvidesBus(m.Manifest) && before.FP != m.FP {
 		return nil, true // the bus is never moved by the assigner; the operator writes its want (§15)
 	}
-	if policy, _, _ := catalogue.DerivedUpgrade(m.Manifest); policy != catalogue.PolicyRecord || d.Judgement == delivery.JudgedNeither {
+	if !m.recorded(d) || d.Judgement == delivery.JudgedNeither {
 		return nil, false
 	}
 	if m.Allowed != nil && m.Allowed(node, d.Digest) {
@@ -275,3 +275,13 @@ func (m Module) mustAsk(node string, before delivery.Want, had bool, d delivery.
 	}
 	return &RecordNeed{Node: node, Digest: d.Digest, Judgement: d.Judgement, Words: d.Words}, true
 }
+
+// recorded says whether the module is of policy record: as the controller holds it beside the composition's digest, the
+// operator's own choice included (ADR 0539 §14); on a composition made by hand, which carries none, as the manifest derives it.
+func (m Module) recorded(d delivery.ComposedDigest) bool {
+	if d.Policy != "" {
+		return d.Policy == delivery.PolicyRecord
+	}
+	policy, _, _ := catalogue.DerivedUpgrade(m.Manifest)
+	return policy == catalogue.PolicyRecord
+}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants_test.go
index 4b7b303..a7a474d 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants_test.go
@@ -368,3 +368,30 @@ func TestARestoreAnswerSetsADataModuleBack(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("after restore ace's want = %+v", w)
 	}
 }
+
+// 1906/D4 (ADR 0539 §14): the policy the controller holds beside the composition decides, the operator's own choice included;
+// a composition with none (made by hand) falls back to what the manifest derives.
+func TestTheRecordPolicyIsTheOneTheControllerHolds(t *testing.T) {
+	m, n, wanted := movingTo(delivery.JudgedMovesData)
+	with := func(policy, from string) {
+		inner := m.Composed
+		m.Composed = func(node, fp string) (delivery.ComposedDigest, bool) {
+			d, ok := inner(node, fp)
+			d.Policy, d.PolicyFrom = policy, from
+			return d, ok
+		}
+	}
+	with(delivery.PolicyRecord, "person") // a roll module the operator set to record
+	if out := Wants(m, n, wanted, nil); len(out.Record) == 0 || out.Wants["ace"].FP == fNew {
+		t.Errorf("the operator's record policy was not honoured: %+v", out)
+	}
+	recording(&m) // the manifest says record, the operator chose roll
+	with("roll", "person")
+	if out := Wants(m, n, wanted, nil); len(out.Record) != 0 || out.Wants["ace"].FP != fNew {
+		t.Errorf("the operator's roll policy was not honoured: %+v", out)
+	}
+	with("", "") // made by hand: the manifest decides
+	if out := Wants(m, n, wanted, nil); len(out.Record) == 0 {
+		t.Errorf("a hand-made composition fell through the manifest's record policy: %+v", out)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-view/go.mod b/modules/mesh-delivery-view/go.mod
index 9a48a6d..2434516 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-view/go.mod
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-view/go.mod
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module mesh-delivery-view
 go 1.26.0
 
 require (
-	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024142924-d6cef5829bb7
+	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024144045-64a502d16aac
 	github.com/nats-io/nats-server/v2 v2.11.17
 	github.com/nats-io/nats.go v1.54.0
 )
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-view/go.sum b/modules/mesh-delivery-view/go.sum
index d5a62aa..49041ec 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-view/go.sum
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-view/go.sum
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024142924-d6cef5829bb7 h1:tIzslR6sjUtCMlh1510t/D+dKXKqQUXp9dwTayhfJcs=
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024142924-d6cef5829bb7/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024144045-64a502d16aac h1:jInLKz6gUCzs94z0egG7f05V7x+0t4BXt9cCa87ePLA=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024144045-64a502d16aac/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
 github.com/antithesishq/antithesis-sdk-go v0.7.0-default-no-op h1:Z/MZK75wC/NSrkgqeNIa7jexam9uWzhLmFTSCPI/kn0=
 github.com/antithesishq/antithesis-sdk-go v0.7.0-default-no-op/go.mod h1:FQyySiasQQM8735Ddel3MRojmy4dA1IqCeyJ5jmPMbI=
 github.com/google/go-tpm v0.9.8 h1:slArAR9Ft+1ybZu0lBwpSmpwhRXaa85hWtMinMyRAWo=
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-watchman/go.mod b/modules/mesh-delivery-watchman/go.mod
index a344cf8..3a2fcdf 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-watchman/go.mod
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-watchman/go.mod
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module mesh-delivery-watchman
 go 1.26.0
 
 require (
-	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024142924-d6cef5829bb7
+	git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024144045-64a502d16aac
 	github.com/nats-io/nats-server/v2 v2.11.17
 	github.com/nats-io/nats.go v1.54.0
 )
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-watchman/go.sum b/modules/mesh-delivery-watchman/go.sum
index 34cc0e9..82217fb 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-watchman/go.sum
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-watchman/go.sum
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024142924-d6cef5829bb7 h1:tIzslR6sjUtCMlh1510t/D+dKXKqQUXp9dwTayhfJcs=
-git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024142924-d6cef5829bb7/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024144045-64a502d16aac h1:jInLKz6gUCzs94z0egG7f05V7x+0t4BXt9cCa87ePLA=
+git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-0.20261024144045-64a502d16aac/go.mod h1:ouERNpZizzwZ0HLEtAypsY9FR20FyUgUYRni6J7kVCY=
 github.com/antithesishq/antithesis-sdk-go v0.8.0-default-no-op h1:1BOWQJweNyvZMlpAHXGLiZQn9S+QXGcz3xh94lC0w6E=
 github.com/antithesishq/antithesis-sdk-go v0.8.0-default-no-op/go.mod h1:FQyySiasQQM8735Ddel3MRojmy4dA1IqCeyJ5jmPMbI=
 github.com/google/go-tpm v0.9.8 h1:slArAR9Ft+1ybZu0lBwpSmpwhRXaa85hWtMinMyRAWo=