diff --git a/internal/agent/agent.go b/internal/agent/agent.go
index 2716419..40f6fe4 100644
--- a/internal/agent/agent.go
+++ b/internal/agent/agent.go
@@ -393,18 +393,39 @@ func (a *Agent) others(except string) []delivery.Composed {
 }
 
 // unreadableModules are the keys of the module compositions in the node's bucket that cannot be read or are refused, of a
-// module the assigner has not removed. Called holding a.mu.
+// module the assigner has not removed: for each module only the composition its want names, else its newest, since a
+// stale one nobody applies (written before a rule the SDK now holds) must not hold the node's own back. Called holding
+// a.mu.
 func (a *Agent) unreadableModules() []string {
-	var out []string
+	type pick struct {
+		key string
+		c   compNow
+	}
+	current := map[string]pick{}
 	for key, c := range a.comps {
-		_, m, _, isNode, err := delivery.ParseComposedKey(key)
-		if err != nil || isNode || c.Err == nil {
+		_, m, fp, isNode, err := delivery.ParseComposedKey(key)
+		if err != nil || isNode {
 			continue
 		}
-		if w := a.wants[m]; w.Present && w.Want.Removed {
+		w := a.wants[m]
+		if w.Present && w.Want.Removed {
 			continue
 		}
-		out = append(out, key)
+		if w.Present && w.Want.FP != "" {
+			if w.Want.FP == fp {
+				current[m] = pick{key, c}
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+		if prev, ok := current[m]; !ok || c.Rev > prev.c.Rev {
+			current[m] = pick{key, c}
+		}
+	}
+	var out []string
+	for _, p := range current {
+		if p.c.Err != nil {
+			out = append(out, p.key)
+		}
 	}
 	sort.Strings(out)
 	return out
diff --git a/internal/agent/agent_test.go b/internal/agent/agent_test.go
index 31b6b0a..793d9a3 100644
--- a/internal/agent/agent_test.go
+++ b/internal/agent/agent_test.go
@@ -760,3 +760,25 @@ func TestTheNodesOwnWaitsWhileAModulesCompositionCannotBeRead(t *testing.T) {
 	b.comps.put(gk, graw)
 	eventually(t, "the node's own not applied", func() bool { return len(b.appliedList()) == 1 })
 }
+
+// A stale refused composition beside a newer readable one of the same module does not hold the node's own apply back:
+// only the composition the module's want names, else its newest, counts (the review of issue 1945: the bucket keeps
+// compositions written before the filled paths, which the SDK now refuses, and nobody applies them).
+func TestAStaleRefusedCompositionDoesNotHoldTheNodesOwnBack(t *testing.T) {
+	b := newBed(t)
+	stale, err := delivery.ComposedKey(node, "power", fpOf("a"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	b.comps.before(stale, []byte(`{"v":1,"not":"a composition"}`))
+	gk, graw, _ := composition(t, "power", fpOf("b"), false, file("power", "x", "1"))
+	b.comps.before(gk, graw)
+	nk, nraw, ndig := composition(t, NodeModule, "", false)
+	nwk, _ := delivery.WantNodeKey(node)
+	nwraw, _ := delivery.EncodeNodeWant(delivery.NodeWant{Composed: ndig})
+	b.comps.before(nk, nraw)
+	b.wants.before(nwk, nwraw)
+	stop := b.run()
+	defer stop()
+	eventually(t, "the node's own not applied", func() bool { return len(b.appliedList()) == 1 })
+}