diff --git a/internal/compose/frombus/frombustest/frombustest_test.go b/internal/compose/frombus/frombustest/frombustest_test.go
index 4264ff3..b6b8cdf 100644
--- a/internal/compose/frombus/frombustest/frombustest_test.go
+++ b/internal/compose/frombus/frombustest/frombustest_test.go
@@ -228,7 +228,11 @@ func TestTheProvisionedMeshHandsAPlanWithItsProvision(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, row := range []struct {
 		own, placed bool // the account read from the running own composition, else the client's running process; the client placed
 		userless    bool // the client placed and not held, its process naming no user: it composes no account
-	}{{true, true, false}, {false, true, false}, {true, false, false}, {false, false, false}, {true, true, true}} {
+		// filledHeld holds every module with a filled file (restic, its build not done) and not the client: the node still
+		// names the account (issue 774, ace 2026-11-04: its build modules and ssh-client held, no filled file, no account)
+		filledHeld bool
+	}{{true, true, false, false}, {false, true, false, false}, {true, false, false, false}, {false, false, false, false},
+		{true, true, true, false}, {true, true, false, true}} {
 		own := row.own
 		runs := running
 		if !own { // what runs names no account of its own: the client's running process says it
@@ -262,6 +266,8 @@ func TestTheProvisionedMeshHandsAPlanWithItsProvision(t *testing.T) {
 			built.Manifest = mod.Manifest
 			bb.Builds["mesh-provisioner-client "+fps["mesh-provisioner-client"]] = &built
 			want = ""
+		} else if row.filledHeld {
+			bb.Builds["restic "+fps["restic"]] = &delivery.BuilderBuild{State: delivery.BuildBuilding}
 		} else if row.placed {
 			// held: its build not done while it runs
 			bb.Builds["mesh-provisioner-client "+fps["mesh-provisioner-client"]] = &delivery.BuilderBuild{State: delivery.BuildBuilding}
@@ -273,13 +279,16 @@ func TestTheProvisionedMeshHandsAPlanWithItsProvision(t *testing.T) {
 			want = ""
 		}
 		after, _, held, err := frombus.Compose(context.Background(), bb, frombus.Mesh{}, frombus.Scope{Node: Node, Running: runs}, fps)
-		if _, isHeld := held["mesh-provisioner-client"]; err != nil || isHeld != (row.placed && !row.userless) {
+		if _, isHeld := held["mesh-provisioner-client"]; err != nil || isHeld != (row.placed && !row.userless && !row.filledHeld) {
 			t.Fatalf("%+v: held %v: %v", row, held, err)
 		}
 		if got := after[ownKey].Own.Provisioner; got != want {
 			t.Errorf("%+v: the node's own names %q, want %q", row, got, want)
 		}
-		if row.placed && !row.userless && !reflect.DeepEqual(after[resticKey].Filled, before[resticKey].Filled) {
+		if _, resticHeld := held["restic"]; row.filledHeld && !resticHeld {
+			t.Errorf("%+v: restic held %v", row, resticHeld)
+		}
+		if row.placed && !row.userless && !row.filledHeld && !reflect.DeepEqual(after[resticKey].Filled, before[resticKey].Filled) {
 			t.Errorf("%+v: restic's filled files %v, want %v", row, after[resticKey].Filled, before[resticKey].Filled)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/internal/compose/node.go b/internal/compose/node.go
index 0aff1dc..9238ed0 100644
--- a/internal/compose/node.go
+++ b/internal/compose/node.go
@@ -115,6 +115,11 @@ func (d Declared) Body() ([]byte, error) {
 	}
 	if len(d.Filled) > 0 {
 		envelope["filled_files"] = d.Filled
+	}
+	// The provisioner client's account is the node's, named whenever a client runs here, filled files or not: a node
+	// whose every filled-file module is held this pass names none of its files, and still keeps them, so the client's
+	// writes of them must be accepted (issue 774, ace 2026-11-04: its build modules and ssh-client held, no account).
+	if d.Provisioner != "" {
 		envelope["provisioner_account"] = d.Provisioner
 	}
 	// An empty declaration is deliberate: the node owns nothing the mesh put there (novox/hq issue 127), and the host refuses an
@@ -202,9 +207,7 @@ func (c *composer) declaration(nodeName string, mode Mode) (Declared, error) {
 		Filled: composed.Filled, LocalNetwork: resolution.LocalNetworkPorts(rules, with.LocalNetworks),
 		CoreBoxesWanted: rendered.CoreBoxesWanted, Said: rendered.Said,
 		Sequence: node.Sequence, Epoch: node.Epoch, Generation: node.Generation}
-	if len(composed.Filled) > 0 {
-		out.Provisioner = with.Provisioner
-	}
+	out.Provisioner = with.Provisioner
 	// A handed module only pulled in by another keeps what requires it, for its value of its own in the assignments mirror (issue 765).
 	for module := range composed.Plans {
 		if by := resolution.RequiredBy(plan, module); by != "" {