diff --git a/cmd/mesh-host/nodeagent_integration_test.go b/cmd/mesh-host/nodeagent_integration_test.go
index 7a3551e..f8da072 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-host/nodeagent_integration_test.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-host/nodeagent_integration_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/ed25519"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-contracts/go/clients/meshmoduleassignerclient"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-contracts/go/seats/meshmoduleassigner"
 	nodeengine "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-contracts/go/seats/nodeengine"
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	engcomp "github.com/novox/mesh-host/internal/compositions"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
@@ -72,7 +74,10 @@ type itBed struct {
 	seatSilent atomic.Bool
 	// seatAsked counts the node's asks of the stand-in seat, answered or refused: the node reached the bus and asked.
 	seatAsked atomic.Int32
-	findings  nats.KeyValue
+	// seatAway makes the stand-in answer as the bus answers a subject nothing serves (no responders), as while the seat's
+	// holder re-serves (issue 1966).
+	seatAway atomic.Bool
+	findings nats.KeyValue
 }
 
 // aServer is an embedded bus with JetStream and two users: the test's, unrestricted, and the node's, granted exactly what
@@ -918,6 +923,10 @@ func (b *itBed) standInSeat() {
 		}
 		_ = json.Unmarshal(m.Data, &q)
 		b.seatAsked.Add(1)
+		if b.seatAway.Load() {
+			_ = m.RespondMsg(&nats.Msg{Header: nats.Header{"Status": []string{"503"}}}) // the bus's no responders
+			return
+		}
 		var result any
 		switch {
 		case b.seatSilent.Load():
@@ -1002,7 +1011,14 @@ func TestNatsANodeThatCannotReadTheSeatListActsOnNothingNew(t *testing.T) {
 		b.mu.Lock()
 		defer b.mu.Unlock()
 		said := strings.Join(b.said, "\n")
-		return strings.Contains(said, selfcompose.WaitsForTheSeatListOwn) && strings.Contains(said, selfcompose.WaitsForTheSeatList)
+		// web's reason names the bootstrapped seats the node holds (issue 1966).
+		var boot []string
+		for _, d := range seatlist.Bootstrapped() {
+			boot = append(boot, d.Seat)
+		}
+		sort.Strings(boot)
+		return strings.Contains(said, selfcompose.WaitsForTheSeatListOwn) &&
+			strings.Contains(said, "web: "+fmt.Sprintf(selfcompose.WaitsForTheSeatListHeld, len(boot), strings.Join(boot, ", ")))
 	})
 	if b.file("web") != "" {
 		t.Fatalf("the node applied web before it read the seat list: %q", b.file("web"))
@@ -1047,6 +1063,10 @@ func TestNatsANodeThatCannotReadTheSeatListActsOnNothingNew(t *testing.T) {
 
 // The first read of the seat list ends the wait whether or not it changed what the reader held: Start returns at once, and
 // the node waits on the reader's Ready before it says the read is over (ADR 0636 §1).
+//
+// Issue 1966, the live case of ace: the seat's holder re-serves while the node starts, so the node's reader is answered as
+// nothing serves the seat (no responders); once the holder serves again the reader reads the list within the bus's retry
+// bound, with no event of the seat and no hand act.
 func TestNatsTheFirstReadOfTheSeatListEndsTheNodesWait(t *testing.T) {
 	clock := &fiveMinutes{}
 	was := seatWaitClock
@@ -1054,8 +1074,17 @@ func TestNatsTheFirstReadOfTheSeatListEndsTheNodesWait(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Cleanup(func() { seatWaitClock = was })
 
 	b := newItBedAs(t, nodegrant.For(itNode, "it2.mailer.domain"))
+	b.seatAway.Store(true)
 	stop, _ := h8(t, b, false)
 	defer stop()
+	var st *seatListState
+	within(t, 5*time.Second, "the node started no reader of the seat list", func() bool { st = seatListNow.Load(); return st != nil })
+	asked := b.seatAsked.Load()
+	within(t, 10*time.Second, "the node's reader did not ask the seat while nothing served it", func() bool {
+		now := st.reader.Status()
+		return b.seatAsked.Load() > asked || (!now.Reading && !now.Heard)
+	})
+	b.seatAway.Store(false)
 	within(t, 30*time.Second, "the node did not end its wait at the first read of the seat list", func() bool {
 		st := seatListNow.Load()
 		if st == nil {
@@ -1065,4 +1094,7 @@ func TestNatsTheFirstReadOfTheSeatListEndsTheNodesWait(t *testing.T) {
 		waiting, _ := st.waiter.Waiting()
 		return st.reader.Status().Heard && !waiting
 	})
+	if seatListNow.Load() != st {
+		t.Error("the list was read by the reader of a run begun since, not by the one that met no responders")
+	}
 }