diff --git a/internal/selfcompose/entries_test.go b/internal/selfcompose/entries_test.go
index ec56a5ce..15b6dd4e 100644
--- a/internal/selfcompose/entries_test.go
+++ b/internal/selfcompose/entries_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-contracts/go/clients/nodeengineclient"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-contracts/go/seats/meshmoduleassigner"
@@ -57,7 +58,16 @@ func composeFromEntries(t *testing.T) {
 	var held map[string]string
 	env := b.env()
 	env.Entry, env.ComposedState = EntryCall(ask), state
-	env.Refused = func(_ string, h map[string]string) { mu.Lock(); held = h; mu.Unlock() }
+	refused := make(chan struct{}, 1) // fed at each refusal the composer says, so a wait follows what it says, not a pause
+	env.Refused = func(_ string, h map[string]string) {
+		mu.Lock()
+		held = h
+		mu.Unlock()
+		select {
+		case refused <- struct{}{}:
+		default:
+		}
+	}
 	told := map[string]bool{}
 	env.EntryNotFound = func(fp string, notFound bool) { mu.Lock(); told[fp] = notFound; mu.Unlock() }
 	c := New(env)
@@ -93,9 +103,21 @@ func composeFromEntries(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	b.mu.Unlock()
 	// A want whose entry the half holds none of is held, saying entry-missing and the fingerprint; the rest is composed.
-	mu.Lock()
-	why := held["ghost"]
-	mu.Unlock()
+	// The ghost's entry is asked first and answered not found after: wait until the refusal says entry-missing.
+	var why string
+	for deadline := time.After(10 * time.Second); !strings.HasPrefix(why, agent.EntryMissing); {
+		mu.Lock()
+		why = held["ghost"]
+		mu.Unlock()
+		if strings.HasPrefix(why, agent.EntryMissing) {
+			break
+		}
+		select {
+		case <-refused:
+		case <-deadline:
+			t.Fatalf("the ghost's reason is still %q after 10 s, want %s", why, agent.EntryMissing)
+		}
+	}
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(why, agent.EntryMissing) || !strings.Contains(why, ghost) || held["lemurs"] != "" {
 		t.Errorf("held %q, want ghost held with %s naming %s", held, agent.EntryMissing, ghost)
 	}