diff --git a/internal/bootstrap/enrol.go b/internal/bootstrap/enrol.go
index a8f39ff..c6b83b9 100644
--- a/internal/bootstrap/enrol.go
+++ b/internal/bootstrap/enrol.go
@@ -111,6 +111,11 @@ func Enrol(ctx context.Context, o Options, sys system.System, control controlPla
 		if err != nil {
 			return out, err
 		}
+		// The enrolment account the token's secret is the password of exists in the mesh's records
+		// and nowhere on the bus yet (novox/hq 04-ISSUES/146): placed before the machine presents it.
+		if err := placeTheBusUsers(ctx, control, say); err != nil {
+			return out, err
+		}
 		joining, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, o.Wait)
 		args := []string{"enrol", "--token", token, "--state", o.State}
 		if o.Tunnel != "" {
@@ -119,11 +124,6 @@ func Enrol(ctx context.Context, o Options, sys system.System, control controlPla
 			// its ports and range on and not another that came up since.
 			args = append(args, "--tunnel", o.Tunnel)
 		}
-		// The enrolment account the token's secret is the password of exists in the mesh's records
-		// and nowhere on the bus yet (novox/hq 04-ISSUES/146): placed before the machine presents it.
-		if err := placeTheBusUsers(ctx, control, say); err != nil {
-			return out, err
-		}
 		joined, err := control.run(joining, o.Host, args...)
 		cancel()
 		if err != nil {