diff --git a/internal/compose/frombus/frombus.go b/internal/compose/frombus/frombus.go
index c17e0f2..3478df6 100644
--- a/internal/compose/frombus/frombus.go
+++ b/internal/compose/frombus/frombus.go
@@ -607,11 +607,13 @@ func ComposeSent(in compose.Input, node string) (map[string]delivery.Composed, b
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, true, err
 	}
-	// A module the sandbox held that the node-engine did not is the change refusing it: the node does not compose, said
-	// in that module's words, never passed with the rest composed (issue 774, review of the sandbox input).
+	// A module the sandbox held that the node-engine held neither in the read nor composing without the change is the change
+	// refusing it: the node does not compose, said in that module's words, never passed with the rest composed (issue 774,
+	// review of the sandbox input).
 	var refused []string
 	for _, m := range sortedKeys(held) {
-		if _, was := c.Held[m]; !was {
+		_, was := c.Held[m]
+		if _, before := c.HeldBefore[m]; !was && !before {
 			refused = append(refused, m+": "+held[m])
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/internal/compose/input.go b/internal/compose/input.go
index 4471e5e..d8eae82 100644
--- a/internal/compose/input.go
+++ b/internal/compose/input.go
@@ -249,6 +249,9 @@ type ComposedHow struct {
 	Held map[string]string
 	// Running is what runs of each held module, its own composition, by which it is carried as it runs.
 	Running []delivery.Composed
+	// HeldBefore is each module the node holds composing without the change (the candidate's base), held by the read or
+	// blamed later for a refusal: the change refuses none of them (issue 774, review round 1).
+	HeldBefore map[string]string
 }
 
 // Place is where a node is, as its placement says (inv.Overlay).
diff --git a/internal/composer/composer_test.go b/internal/composer/composer_test.go
index 7ae1e90..3e669aa 100644
--- a/internal/composer/composer_test.go
+++ b/internal/composer/composer_test.go
@@ -159,6 +159,17 @@ func TestARequestItCannotRunIsRefused(t *testing.T) {
 		if m := refused.Cases[0].Machines["a"]; m.Composes || !strings.Contains(m.Reason, "app: ") || !strings.Contains(m.Reason, "repository") {
 			t.Errorf("a module the change refuses on a node composed as its node-engine does: %+v", m)
 		}
+		// Held composing without the change, blamed for a refusal beyond the read (issue 1960's unset names): no refusal of
+		// the change either (review round 1).
+		in.ComposedHow.HeldBefore = map[string]string{"app": "its route names are unset"}
+		before, err := Run(request(in))
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if m := before.Cases[0].Machines["a"]; !m.Composes {
+			t.Errorf("a module the node holds composing without the change: %+v", m)
+		}
+		in.ComposedHow.HeldBefore = nil
 		in.ComposedHow.Held = map[string]string{"app": "held on the node"}
 		held, err := Run(request(in))
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/selfcompose/candidate.go b/internal/selfcompose/candidate.go
index 4e00674..1176808 100644
--- a/internal/selfcompose/candidate.go
+++ b/internal/selfcompose/candidate.go
@@ -191,6 +191,9 @@ func (s *Shadow) composeCandidate(ctx context.Context, c *Composer, ask delivery
 		if err != nil {
 			return
 		}
+		// What the node holds composing without the candidate, a module blamed for a refusal among them, is no refusal of
+		// the change (review round 1).
+		in.ComposedHow.HeldBefore = maps.Clone(baseHeld)
 		// As the sandbox reads it (composer.SentInput, the one shape): this node's own modules as taken in from their
 		// builds, every other module's manifest left to the cases.
 		if body, err := json.Marshal(composer.SentInput(in, laid.env.Node)); err == nil {