diff --git a/internal/apply/apply.go b/internal/apply/apply.go
index 2e570db..4128d54 100644
--- a/internal/apply/apply.go
+++ b/internal/apply/apply.go
@@ -199,6 +199,22 @@ func ApplyKeeping(
 		} else {
 			action, detail, err = remove(ctx, sys, orphan, run, made)
 		}
+		if errors.Is(err, errNoRemoval) && store.IsFormer(orphan.ID) {
+			// **A former target of a kind the host cannot remove is left in place and forgotten,
+			// never fatal.** The host's own archive is the case: every version it delivers itself
+			// has a new target, so the one before is a former target on the first apply of the new
+			// host — and a removal that refused there stopped every machine applying anything, the
+			// moment the host that carried former targets (novox/hq ADR 0163, rule 5) first
+			// replaced itself. What was written stays where it is, said, and the record no longer
+			// names it; whether an archive gets a removal is issue 162's question, not this apply's.
+			known.Forget(orphan.ID)
+			report.Outcomes = append(report.Outcomes, Outcome{
+				ID: orphan.ID, Type: orphan.Type, Target: orphan.Target,
+				Action: "forgotten", Detail: "a former target left in place: " + err.Error() + " (novox/hq issue 162)",
+			})
+			log(fmt.Sprintf("  forgotten %s (%s): a former target left in place: %v", orphan.ID, orphan.Target, err))
+			return nil
+		}
 		if err != nil {
 			return &Error{Resource: orphan.ID, Err: err, Done: report}
 		}
@@ -1340,10 +1356,15 @@ func remove(ctx context.Context, sys system.System, a store.Applied, run Runner,
 		return "removed", "no longer declared", nil
 
 	default:
-		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("no way to remove a %q", a.Type)
+		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("%w: a %q", errNoRemoval, a.Type)
 	}
 }
 
+// errNoRemoval is remove's answer for a kind the host has no removal for (novox/hq issue 162): an
+// archive, among others. Fatal for an orphan the declaration dropped, so an unassignment nothing can
+// undo is never reported as done; not fatal for a former target, which was never dropped by anyone.
+var errNoRemoval = errors.New("no way to remove")
+
 // ExecRunner runs a real command, with stdin closed and output captured.
 func ExecRunner(ctx context.Context, name string, args ...string) (string, error) {
 	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, name, args...)
diff --git a/internal/apply/former_archive_test.go b/internal/apply/former_archive_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c7d401
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/apply/former_archive_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+package apply
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/novox/mesh-host/internal/store"
+)
+
+// The host's own former archive stops nothing (novox/hq issue 194). A new host's first apply finds
+// the version before it as a former target of the archive that delivered it; an archive has no
+// removal (issue 162), and the refusal stopped every machine applying anything. A former target of
+// such a kind is left in place, said, and forgotten. An archive the declaration dropped still fails,
+// as 162 has it.
+func TestTheHostsOwnFormerArchiveIsLeftInPlaceNotFatal(t *testing.T) {
+	run := func(_ context.Context, name string, args ...string) (string, error) {
+		if name == "docker" && args[0] == "info" {
+			return "29.0.0\n", nil
+		}
+		return "", nil
+	}
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	former := store.FormerID("mesh-host.next", dir+"/versions/old")
+	known := store.State{Resources: []store.Applied{
+		{ID: "mesh-host.next", Type: "archive", Target: dir + "/versions/new", Origin: store.OriginDeclared},
+		{ID: former, Type: "archive", Target: dir + "/versions/old", Origin: store.OriginDeclared},
+	}}
+	body, digest := anArchive(t, map[string]string{"nox-mesh-host": "#!/bin/sh\n"})
+	d := parse(t, `{"declaration":1,"resources":[
+	  {"id":"mesh-host.next","type":"archive","path":"`+dir+`/versions/new","source":"`+serving(t, body)+`","digest":"`+digest+`"},
+	  {"id":"notes.conf","type":"file","path":"`+dir+`/notes.conf","content":"x"}
+	]}`)
+	report, state, err := Apply(context.Background(), archHost(t), d, known, store.OriginDeclared, run, nil, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("the apply failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, still := state.HeldAt(former); still {
+		t.Fatal("held?")
+	}
+	for _, r := range state.Resources {
+		if r.ID == former {
+			t.Fatal("the former archive is still on record")
+		}
+	}
+	said := false
+	for _, o := range report.Outcomes {
+		if o.ID == former && o.Action == "forgotten" && strings.Contains(o.Detail, "left in place") {
+			said = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !said {
+		t.Fatalf("leaving the former archive was not said: %+v", report.Outcomes)
+	}
+	applied := false
+	for _, o := range report.Outcomes {
+		if o.ID == "notes.conf" && o.Action == "created" {
+			applied = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !applied {
+		t.Fatalf("the rest of the declaration was not applied: %+v", report.Outcomes)
+	}
+
+	// An archive the declaration dropped is a different matter: nothing can undo it, and saying
+	// it was would report an effect the host declined to have (issue 162).
+	dropped := store.State{Resources: []store.Applied{
+		{ID: "tool.next", Type: "archive", Target: "/usr/lib/tool/versions/old", Origin: store.OriginDeclared},
+	}}
+	only := parse(t, `{"declaration":1,"resources":[{"id":"notes.conf","type":"file","path":"`+dir+`/notes.conf","content":"x"}]}`)
+	if _, _, err := Apply(context.Background(), archHost(t), only, dropped, store.OriginDeclared, run, nil, nil); err == nil ||
+		!strings.Contains(err.Error(), "no way to remove") {
+		t.Fatalf("a dropped archive was passed over: %v", err)
+	}
+}