diff --git a/modules/mesh-grants/grants_test.go b/modules/mesh-grants/grants_test.go
index f54ed06e..807b85a6 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-grants/grants_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-grants/grants_test.go
@@ -2256,6 +2256,33 @@ func TestGrants(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 
+	// What the part needs to hear the seat and read the list is never held by the unread list (ADR 0636 §1; the lead's ruling
+	// of 2026-11-05): its own module (its consumer on EVENTS, its grant of the seat's verb) and the module that holds the seat
+	// the list is read through, whatever other seats their manifests name.
+	t.Run("the seat list unread never holds the part's own module or the holder of the seat it is read through", func(t *testing.T) {
+		b := fixture()
+		own, err := os.ReadFile("module.json")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		b.manifestOf(grants.Module, string(own))
+		b.manifestOf("cat-holder", `{"module":"cat-holder","version":"1","claims":[{"name":"mesh-catalog"}],"invokes":["seat:mesh-vault.account-issue"]}`)
+		b.assign("a", grants.Module)
+		b.assign("a", "cat-holder")
+		p := partOn(b)
+		p.SeatList = &seatGate{} // nothing is bootstrapped: only the exemption lets these two through
+		p.Compose()
+		refused := strings.Join(p.Last().Refused, "\n")
+		for _, module := range []string{grants.Module, "cat-holder"} {
+			if strings.Contains(refused, "manifest of "+module+":") {
+				t.Errorf("%s is held while the seat list is unread: %v", module, p.Last().Refused)
+			}
+		}
+		if !strings.Contains(refused, "manifest of mod-x: it waits for the seat list") {
+			t.Errorf("another module is not held: %v", p.Last().Refused)
+		}
+	})
+
 	// DLV-G1, 1966/AC32-AC33 (novox/hq ADR 0595 §1, §7; design 25 § 12.2): the bus module's created writes the binding into
 	// the module's membership on every machine it is assigned, one assigned later included; recreated rewrites it; dropped
 	// removes it; before created, on a refused, or from an emitter holding no mesh-broker, none.
diff --git a/modules/mesh-grants/internal/grants/inputs.go b/modules/mesh-grants/internal/grants/inputs.go
index 49afd3f6..7b7a6074 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-grants/internal/grants/inputs.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-grants/internal/grants/inputs.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-delivery/contracts/go/seats/meshcatalog"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/catalogue"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
 )
@@ -219,6 +220,14 @@ type SeatGate interface {
 	MayAct(seats ...string) bool
 }
 
+// readsTheList says whether a module is what the part needs to hear the seat and read the list: the part's own module (its
+// consumer on EVENTS, its grant of the seat's verb and events) and the holder of the seat the list is read through. The unread
+// list never holds these, whatever other seats their manifests name: held, the seat's event could not reach the part and
+// the list would never be read (ADR 0636 §1).
+func readsTheList(module string, m catalogue.Manifest) bool {
+	return module == Module || slices.ContainsFunc(m.Claims, func(c catalogue.Claim) bool { return c.Name == meshcatalog.Seat })
+}
+
 // SeatsOf are the seats a manifest claims or invokes, which the seat list must name before the part composes the module.
 func SeatsOf(m catalogue.Manifest) []string {
 	var seats []string
@@ -422,7 +431,7 @@ func ReadInputs(r Reader, cache *Manifests) Inputs {
 		if err == nil {
 			m, err = cache.get(r, v.Manifest)
 		}
-		if err == nil && gate != nil && !gate.MayAct(SeatsOf(m)...) {
+		if err == nil && gate != nil && !readsTheList(module, m) && !gate.MayAct(SeatsOf(m)...) {
 			err = errors.New("it waits for the seat list: the list has not been read yet and the manifest names seats the bootstrapped list does not (novox/hq ADR 0636 §1)")
 		}
 		if err != nil {