diff --git a/internal/userlist/userlist.go b/internal/userlist/userlist.go
index 536da9b..bfeaf3d 100644
--- a/internal/userlist/userlist.go
+++ b/internal/userlist/userlist.go
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@
 // against the key's digest, and written to the same file (mode 0600) only when the file's digest differs; otherwise the
 // controller's compositions are the source, as before. Never both. The have says which it follows and this node's key,
 // which the grants part seals to.
+//
+// **From the lease write it never follows the controller's list again** (ADR 0571 clause 8, ADR 0547 clause 11). The
+// grants part's key then says the lease is handed (delivery.GrantsUserList.LeaseHanded): a key that later cannot be read or
+// is deleted is said, the key last heard stands, and the list loaded stays; no list is written from a composition of the
+// controller.
 package userlist
 
 import (
@@ -250,23 +255,36 @@ func (f *Follower) busNode() bool {
 }
 
 // takeGrants keeps the grants part's key as heard; a value it cannot read is said and leaves the controller's list
-// followed (no list is followed that the node cannot check).
+// followed (no list is followed that the node cannot check), unless the key last heard says the lease is handed: then
+// the controller's list is never followed again (novox/hq ADR 0571 clause 8, ADR 0547 clause 11), the key as last heard
+// stands, and the list loaded stays.
 func (f *Follower) takeGrants(u agent.Update) {
 	f.mu.Lock()
 	defer f.mu.Unlock()
-	f.grantsRev = u.Revision
+	handed := f.grants != nil && f.grants.LeaseHanded
 	if u.Deleted {
+		if handed {
+			f.sayOnceLocked("the grants part's user-list key is deleted, and the lease is handed, so the list loaded is kept")
+			return
+		}
+		f.grantsRev = u.Revision
 		f.grants = nil
 		f.keep(nil, 0)
 		return
 	}
 	g, err := delivery.DecodeGrantsUserList(u.Value)
 	if err != nil {
+		if handed {
+			f.sayOnceLocked("the grants part's user-list key cannot be read, and the lease is handed, so the list loaded is kept: " + err.Error())
+			return
+		}
+		f.grantsRev = u.Revision
 		f.grants = nil
 		f.keep(nil, 0)
 		f.sayOnceLocked("the grants part's user-list key cannot be read, so the controller's list is followed: " + err.Error())
 		return
 	}
+	f.grantsRev = u.Revision
 	f.grants = &g
 	f.keep(u.Value, u.Revision)
 }
@@ -278,7 +296,8 @@ func (f *Follower) keep(value []byte, rev uint64) {
 	}
 }
 
-// Following is which list the follower takes now: the grants part's while its key says so, the controller's otherwise.
+// Following is which list the follower takes now: the grants part's while its key says so or says the lease is handed, the
+// controller's otherwise.
 func (f *Follower) Following() string {
 	f.mu.Lock()
 	defer f.mu.Unlock()
@@ -286,7 +305,7 @@ func (f *Follower) Following() string {
 }
 
 func (f *Follower) followingLocked() string {
-	if f.grants != nil && f.grants.Follow == delivery.FollowGrants {
+	if f.grants != nil && (f.grants.Follow == delivery.FollowGrants || f.grants.LeaseHanded) {
 		return delivery.FollowGrants
 	}
 	return delivery.FollowController
diff --git a/internal/userlist/userlist_test.go b/internal/userlist/userlist_test.go
index 94e89b3..e43240c 100644
--- a/internal/userlist/userlist_test.go
+++ b/internal/userlist/userlist_test.go
@@ -132,6 +132,9 @@ type gput struct {
 	otherKey, badDigest bool
 	// after puts it once the grants part's list was written, as a hand-back comes after a take-over.
 	after bool
+	// handed says the controller's lease is handed (ADR 0582 clause 3); unreadable and deleted make the key a value that
+	// does not read, or a deleted key, instead of a list (774/S31).
+	handed, unreadable, deleted bool
 }
 
 type put struct {
@@ -226,6 +229,20 @@ func TestTheBusNodeWritesTheNewestSignedUserListAlone(t *testing.T) {
 		{name: "in shadow the grants part's list is not taken",
 			before: []put{{module: "nats", fp: fpOf("a"), content: two}}, grants: []gput{{follow: delivery.FollowController, content: three}},
 			wantWrites: []string{two}, wantUsers: 3, wantSource: "novox.nats." + fpOf("a")[len(delivery.SourcePrefix2):], wantFollows: delivery.FollowController},
+		// 774/S31 (ADR 0571 clause 8, ADR 0547 clause 11): once the key says the lease is handed, the controller's list is never
+		// followed again, whatever becomes of the key; without the flag the controller's list is still the fallback.
+		{name: "a handed lease: a grants key that turns unreadable keeps the loaded list and never writes the controller's",
+			before:     []put{{module: "nats", fp: fpOf("a"), content: two}},
+			grants:     []gput{{follow: delivery.FollowGrants, content: three, handed: true}, {unreadable: true, after: true}},
+			wantWrites: []string{three}, wantUsers: 4, wantSource: delivery.GrantsUserListSource, wantFollows: delivery.FollowGrants},
+		{name: "a handed lease: a grants key that is deleted keeps the loaded list and never writes the controller's",
+			before:     []put{{module: "nats", fp: fpOf("a"), content: two}},
+			grants:     []gput{{follow: delivery.FollowGrants, content: three, handed: true}, {deleted: true, after: true}},
+			wantWrites: []string{three}, wantUsers: 4, wantSource: delivery.GrantsUserListSource, wantFollows: delivery.FollowGrants},
+		{name: "no handed lease: a grants key that turns unreadable falls back to the controller's list",
+			before:     []put{{module: "nats", fp: fpOf("a"), content: two}},
+			grants:     []gput{{follow: delivery.FollowGrants, content: three}, {unreadable: true, after: true}},
+			wantWrites: []string{three, two}, wantUsers: 3, wantSource: "novox.nats." + fpOf("a")[len(delivery.SourcePrefix2):], wantFollows: delivery.FollowController},
 		{name: "a grants list that does not open to its digest is refused and the file kept",
 			before: []put{{module: "nats", fp: fpOf("a"), content: two}}, grants: []gput{{follow: delivery.FollowGrants, content: three, badDigest: true}},
 			onDisk: two, wantErr: "could not be had", wantRefused: true, wantSource: delivery.GrantsUserListSource},
@@ -256,6 +273,11 @@ func TestTheBusNodeWritesTheNewestSignedUserListAlone(t *testing.T) {
 				gs = append(append([]gput(nil), gs...), *c.kept)
 			}
 			for i, g := range gs {
+				if g.unreadable || g.deleted {
+					u := agent.Update{Key: delivery.GrantsUserListKey, Value: []byte("not a user-list key"), Revision: uint64(i + 1), Deleted: g.deleted}
+					grantsAfter = append(grantsAfter, u)
+					continue
+				}
 				to := nodeKey.PublicKey
 				if g.otherKey {
 					other, _ := seal.GenerateKeyPair()
@@ -271,7 +293,7 @@ func TestTheBusNodeWritesTheNewestSignedUserListAlone(t *testing.T) {
 				}
 				sealed[delivery.UserListObjectName(digest)] = object
 				raw, err := delivery.EncodeGrantsUserList(delivery.GrantsUserList{Follow: g.follow, Digest: digest,
-					Object: delivery.UserListObjectName(digest), SealedTo: delivery.SealingKeyID(to), Node: node, Revision: uint64(i + 1)})
+					Object: delivery.UserListObjectName(digest), SealedTo: delivery.SealingKeyID(to), Node: node, Revision: uint64(i + 1), LeaseHanded: g.handed})
 				if err != nil {
 					t.Fatal(err)
 				}