diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants.go
index 650b2157..6e7845cd 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants.go
@@ -186,14 +186,15 @@ func holds(m Module, node string, n Nodes, ordering bool) (bool, int, string) {
 }
 
 // readerLacking says why the module's want on node is held for the node's engine (ADR 0614 §4): a reader capability its
-// manifest needs that the engine does not state, read as the baseline when it states none. It is held under rule 7 (the
+// manifest needs that the engine does not state, read as the baseline when it states none, a bootstrapped seat counting as
+// read by every engine (graph.MissingReads, ADR 0636 §2). It is held under rule 7 (the
 // composition), since no rule of its own is numbered in this release, with words naming the capability; it moves once the
 // engine states it. The node-engine's own new build is held only by a word of its own manifest no engine states.
 //
 // A build's reference forms hold the want only when the engine reads none of them (ADR 0624 §2): every engine reads a
 // first form, so a build written in one is never held by its forms; the words name the forms it reads none of.
 func (m Module) readerLacking(node string, n Nodes) (string, bool) {
-	missing := catalogue.MissingManifestReads(m.Needs, n.Reads[node])
+	missing := graph.MissingReads(m.Needs, n.Reads[node])
 	if len(missing) == 0 && forms.Current.Held(m.FormNeeds, n.Reads[node]) {
 		missing = slices.Clone(m.FormNeeds)
 	}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants_test.go
index 4707f6d7..7dc925fc 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-assigner/internal/assign/wants_test.go
@@ -138,6 +138,15 @@ func TestEachRuleHoldsTheWantBack(t *testing.T) {
 			map[string][]string{"ace": catalogue.ManifestReads(), "g14": catalogue.ManifestReads()}, false, nil, ""},
 		{"the baseline's words on engines stating nothing", "mail", []string{"word:claims.serves", "seat:mesh-catalog", "form:config"}, nil, false, nil, ""},
 		{"the node-engine's new build, whose contract has more words than its manifest uses", "mesh-host", hostNeeds, nil, false, nil, ""},
+		// Issue 1966: g14's engine states its words and forms but no seat (its statement made before its seat list was in
+		// use); needs of the bootstrapped seats mesh-catalog and node-backup move all the same (ADR 0636 §2), one of a seat
+		// not bootstrapped is held.
+		{"mesh-catalog on an engine stating no seat", "mesh-host", []string{"seat:mesh-catalog", "word:module"},
+			map[string][]string{"g14": {"word:module"}}, false, nil, ""},
+		{"node-backup on an engine stating no seat", "restic", []string{"seat:node-backup", "word:module"},
+			map[string][]string{"g14": {"word:module"}}, false, nil, ""},
+		{"a seat not bootstrapped on an engine stating no seat: held, naming it", "mail", []string{"seat:mesh-vault", "word:module"},
+			map[string][]string{"g14": {"word:module"}}, true, nil, "seat:mesh-vault"},
 		// ADR 0624 §2, with form:new a form no engine reads unless it states it and artifact-store the first form.
 		{"g14 back stating {old}, a build carrying {old,new}: moves", "mail", nil, map[string][]string{"g14": {"word:module"}}, false,
 			[]string{"form:artifact-store", "form:new"}, ""},
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/holds.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/holds.go
index 6fe11414..3847a1ec 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/holds.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/holds.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-delivery/contracts/go/clients/meshcatalogclient"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-delivery/contracts/go/seats/meshcatalog"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-delivery/sdk/graph"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-delivery/sdk/trunk"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/catalogue"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/process"
@@ -129,6 +130,7 @@ func meshWide(needs []string) []string {
 const noneCounted = "no node is counted yet (the assignments is not read), so the hold stays until it is"
 
 // lacking is, of the counted nodes, each whose engine lacks some of needs, with what it lacks; or why no node is counted.
+// It judges as the assigner does (graph.MissingReads): a bootstrapped seat is read by every engine.
 func (ix *Indexer) lacking(needs []string) (map[string][]string, string) {
 	counted, known := ix.Counted()
 	if !known || len(counted) == 0 {
@@ -136,7 +138,7 @@ func (ix *Indexer) lacking(needs []string) (map[string][]string, string) {
 	}
 	out := map[string][]string{}
 	for node, stated := range counted {
-		if miss := catalogue.MissingManifestReads(needs, stated); len(miss) > 0 {
+		if miss := graph.MissingReads(needs, stated); len(miss) > 0 {
 			out[node] = miss
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/holds_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/holds_test.go
index 6c5bdc13..5466786f 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/holds_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-indexer/internal/index/holds_test.go
@@ -112,4 +112,10 @@ func storeHoldersNewManifestWaitsForEveryCountedEngine(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("once every counted engine states form:seat-reach modules.distribution = manifest %s commit %s, %d holds, finding %s, bounds %v; want the new entry and none",
 			m.Manifest, m.Commit, len(holds.vals), findings.vals[heldKey], bounds)
 	}
+	// Issue 1966: the hold judges as the assigner does (graph.MissingReads): a bootstrapped seat is read by every engine,
+	// so one whose statement names no seat lacks none of it (ADR 0636 §2).
+	stated = map[string][]string{"n1": {"word:module"}}
+	if l, why := ix.lacking([]string{"seat:mesh-catalog", "form:seat-reach"}); why != "" || len(l) != 1 || !slices.Equal(l["n1"], []string{"form:seat-reach"}) {
+		t.Fatalf("an engine stating no seat lacks %v (%s), want form:seat-reach alone", l, why)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/sdk/graph/graph_test.go b/sdk/graph/graph_test.go
index 71bef6ce..54379bba 100644
--- a/sdk/graph/graph_test.go
+++ b/sdk/graph/graph_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,25 @@ func TestGraphEdges(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("a node's value", nodeValues)
 	t.Run("a reader of the seat list waits for its holder", readersOfTheSeatList)
 	t.Run("a verb is served by a running healthy have of the node-engine contract", servedByHaves)
+	// ADR 0636 §2, issue 1966: a need of a bootstrapped seat is read by every engine whatever its statement names; a seat
+	// not bootstrapped and a word stay missing, and an engine stating none is read as the baseline.
+	t.Run("a bootstrapped seat is read by every engine", func(t *testing.T) {
+		stated := []string{"word:claims", "word:invokes"}
+		for _, c := range []struct {
+			name          string
+			needs, stated []string
+			want          []string
+		}{
+			{"mesh-catalog and node-backup", []string{"seat:mesh-catalog", "seat:node-backup", "word:invokes"}, stated, nil},
+			{"a seat not bootstrapped", []string{"seat:mesh-catalog", "seat:mesh-vault"}, stated, []string{"seat:mesh-vault"}},
+			{"a word", []string{"seat:node-engine", "word:zone"}, stated, []string{"word:zone"}},
+			{"the baseline", []string{"seat:mesh-catalog", "form:seat-reach"}, nil, []string{"form:seat-reach"}},
+		} {
+			if got := MissingReads(c.needs, c.stated); !slices.Equal(got, c.want) {
+				t.Errorf("%s: missing %v, want %v", c.name, got, c.want)
+			}
+		}
+	})
 	fp := "src2:" + strings.Repeat("b", 64)
 	node := func(repository, path string, edit func(*Node)) Node {
 		n := Node{FP: fp, Repository: repository, Path: path}
diff --git a/sdk/graph/reads.go b/sdk/graph/reads.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1ac59974
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sdk/graph/reads.go
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+package graph
+
+import (
+	"slices"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/catalogue"
+	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/seatlist"
+)
+
+// bootstrappedReads are the reader capabilities `seat:<seat>` of the bootstrapped seats: the embedded files' own, so
+// computed once.
+var bootstrappedReads = sync.OnceValue(func() []string {
+	var out []string
+	for _, d := range seatlist.Bootstrapped() {
+		out = append(out, catalogue.ReadSeat+d.Seat)
+	}
+	return out
+})
+
+// MissingReads is catalogue.MissingManifestReads with every need of a bootstrapped seat counted as read (novox/hq ADR 0614
+// §4, ADR 0636 §2): every reader of the seat list holds the bootstrapped seats from its start, before it has read the list,
+// so a manifest naming one is read by every node-engine whatever its statement names. Without it an engine whose statement
+// was made before its list was in use states no seat, and the node-engine's own build naming mesh-catalog is held on the
+// very engine that would state it (issue 1966). The assigner's capability hold and the indexer's hold both judge with it,
+// so the rule is one.
+func MissingReads(needs, stated []string) []string {
+	boot := bootstrappedReads()
+	missing := slices.DeleteFunc(catalogue.MissingManifestReads(needs, stated), func(n string) bool {
+		return strings.HasPrefix(n, catalogue.ReadSeat) && slices.Contains(boot, n)
+	})
+	if len(missing) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return missing
+}