diff --git a/internal/apply/apply.go b/internal/apply/apply.go
index e6c9e1e..e5ff726 100644
--- a/internal/apply/apply.go
+++ b/internal/apply/apply.go
@@ -1045,13 +1045,16 @@ func applyDirectory(r *declaration.Directory, previous store.Applied, wasBefore
 	if existed && !before.IsDir() {
 		return out, fmt.Errorf("%s exists and is not a directory", r.Path)
 	}
+	// Handed to the mesh by the operator (`nox node hand-over`, or `hand-over` at the machine): given the declared
+	// owner and mode through a descriptor that followed no link (giveHandedOver) — **on every apply, not only the
+	// first** (review of issue 356). After the first, the record is no longer used as found and would read as the
+	// mesh's own, whose mode and owner are set by path; a parent swapped for a link after that would carry root's
+	// chmod and chown to its target.
+	if existed && HandedOver()[handOverKey(r.ID, r.Path)] {
+		return applyHandedOver(r, out, mode)
+	}
 	if existed && wasBefore {
 		ours := previous.Target != "" && filepath.Clean(previous.Target) == filepath.Clean(r.Path) && !previous.AsFound
-		// Or handed to the mesh by the operator (`nox node hand-over`, or `hand-over` at the machine): then it is
-		// given the declared owner and mode — through a descriptor that followed no link (giveHandedOver).
-		if !ours && HandedOver()[handOverKey(r.ID, r.Path)] {
-			return applyHandedOver(r, out, mode)
-		}
 		if !ours {
 			owned, err := ownedBy(r.Path, r.Owner)
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/apply/found_is_said_test.go b/internal/apply/found_is_said_test.go
index 5510466..5155cce 100644
--- a/internal/apply/found_is_said_test.go
+++ b/internal/apply/found_is_said_test.go
@@ -142,8 +142,16 @@ func TestAHandOverIsForTheResourceThatAskedForIt(t *testing.T) {
 // a victim tree. The apply refuses, and the victim's directory keeps its mode — and so does a directory whose own
 // name became a link, and one whose grandparent did.
 func TestAHandedOverDirectoryIsChangedThroughNoLink(t *testing.T) {
-	for _, swap := range []string{"parent", "grandparent", "itself"} {
-		t.Run(swap, func(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, c := range []struct {
+		swap      string
+		applyOnce bool
+	}{{"parent", false}, {"grandparent", false}, {"itself", false}, {"parent", true}, {"grandparent", true}} {
+		swap, applyOnce := c.swap, c.applyOnce
+		name := swap
+		if applyOnce {
+			name += " after an apply gave it its owner"
+		}
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			dir, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(t.TempDir())
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatal(err)
@@ -164,6 +172,19 @@ func TestAHandedOverDirectoryIsChangedThroughNoLink(t *testing.T) {
 			before := HandedOver
 			HandedOver = func() map[string]bool { return map[string]bool{handOverKey("notes.data", found): true} }
 			t.Cleanup(func() { HandedOver = before })
+			if applyOnce {
+				// The hand-over takes: the directory is given its mode, and the record is no longer as found.
+				if _, state, err = Apply(context.Background(), archHost(t), declare(t, decl), state, store.OriginDeclared,
+					noServices, nil, nil); err != nil {
+					t.Fatal(err)
+				}
+				if a, _ := state.Find("notes.data"); a.AsFound {
+					t.Fatalf("still as found after the hand-over took: %+v", a)
+				}
+				if info, _ := os.Stat(found); info.Mode().Perm() != 0o755 {
+					t.Fatalf("the hand-over did not take: %o", info.Mode().Perm())
+				}
+			}
 
 			// The victim: a tree of the same shape somewhere else, its data directory mode 0700.
 			victim := filepath.Join(dir, "victim", "top", "parent", "data")