diff --git a/cmd/mesh-host/seatlist.go b/cmd/mesh-host/seatlist.go
index f9b8072..a480650 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-host/seatlist.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-host/seatlist.go
@@ -135,7 +135,8 @@ func (w findingsOfTheNode) Delete(f views.Finding) error {
 }
 
 // startSeatList starts this run's reader: its bootstrapped seats are given to catalogue at once, and every change of what
-// it holds again, saying so to the composer and to the waiter that writes the five-minute finding.
+// it holds again, saying so to the composer and to the waiter that writes the five-minute finding, and stating again what
+// the engine reads (link.Session.RestateReads, ADR 0618 §4): the seats it states are those of the list it holds.
 func startSeatList(ctx context.Context, session *link.Session, node string, say func(string)) (*seatListState, error) {
 	st := &seatListState{changed: make(chan struct{}, 1)}
 	// Start returns at once and reads the seat on a goroutine, which may announce a change before the waiter exists.
@@ -143,6 +144,9 @@ func startSeatList(ctx context.Context, session *link.Session, node string, say
 	reader, err := seatlist.Start(seatlist.Config{Bus: sessionBus{ctx, session}, Bootstrap: seatlist.Bootstrapped(),
 		OnChange: func(seats []catalogue.Seat) {
 			catalogue.UseSeats(seats)
+			// What the engine reads changed with the list: its record and its event say it (ADR 0618 §4), off the
+			// reader's goroutine, which returns quickly.
+			go session.RestateReads(ctx)
 			if f := announce.Load(); f != nil { // the first read may end before the waiter exists
 				(*f)()
 			}
@@ -162,6 +166,7 @@ func startSeatList(ctx context.Context, session *link.Session, node string, say
 	}
 	announce.Store(&told)
 	catalogue.UseSeats(reader.Seats())
+	session.RestateReads(ctx) // its first statement holds the bootstrapped seats at least (issue 1966)
 	told()
 	// The first read ends whether the seat answered or not, and a read that held what the reader held already says no
 	// change: its end is told to the waiter and the composer, so a status that moved from reading to heard starts or ends
@@ -170,6 +175,7 @@ func startSeatList(ctx context.Context, session *link.Session, node string, say
 		select {
 		case <-reader.Ready():
 			catalogue.UseSeats(reader.Seats())
+			session.RestateReads(ctx)
 			told()
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 		}
diff --git a/internal/link/have_test.go b/internal/link/have_test.go
index 71c841b..225cd5b 100644
--- a/internal/link/have_test.go
+++ b/internal/link/have_test.go
@@ -38,6 +38,17 @@ type haveLink struct {
 	// stated is what the tool runner's PING says of itself (Stater); statedErr is the runner not answering.
 	stated    map[string]string
 	statedErr error
+	// readsSaid are the node seat's manifest-reads-changed events said on the link (ADR 0618 §4).
+	readsSaid []nodeengine.ManifestReadsChangedEvent
+}
+
+func (l *haveLink) SayEngine(event string, body any) error {
+	if e, ok := body.(nodeengine.ManifestReadsChangedEvent); ok && event == nodeengine.EventManifestReadsChanged {
+		l.hmu.Lock()
+		l.readsSaid = append(l.readsSaid, e)
+		l.hmu.Unlock()
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (l *haveLink) Stated(context.Context, string, string) (map[string]string, error) {
@@ -330,6 +341,37 @@ func TestTheNodeKeyCarriesTheNodesFacts(t *testing.T) {
 	if got, _ = nodeengineclient.DecodeHaveNode(l.kv["n1.node"].value); got.Record.Contract != NodeKeyContract {
 		t.Errorf("a report without a health statement dropped the contract: %+v", got.Record)
 	}
+
+	// Issue 1966 (ADR 0618 §4): the seats the engine states are those of the seat list it holds now. A change of the list
+	// writes the record once and says manifest-reads-changed with the new statement; a restatement that changes nothing
+	// writes and says nothing; the verb answers the statement and when it was made.
+	all := catalogue.Seats()
+	defer catalogue.UseSeats(all)
+	q.RestateReads(context.Background()) // the statement as the list stands, whatever an earlier test left
+	_, before := q.StatedReads()
+	at, saidBefore := l.kv["n1.node"].rev, len(l.readsSaid)
+	catalogue.UseSeats(slices.DeleteFunc(slices.Clone(all), func(s catalogue.Seat) bool { return s.Name == "mesh-vault" }))
+	q.RestateReads(context.Background())
+	got, _ = nodeengineclient.DecodeHaveNode(l.kv["n1.node"].value)
+	if l.kv["n1.node"].rev != at+1 || slices.Contains(got.Record.ManifestReads, "seat:mesh-vault") ||
+		!slices.Contains(got.Record.ManifestReads, "seat:mesh-catalog") || !slices.Contains(got.Record.ManifestReads, "word:claims") {
+		t.Errorf("a seat list without mesh-vault: revision %d (was %d), the record states %v", l.kv["n1.node"].rev, at, got.Record.ManifestReads)
+	}
+	if said := l.readsSaid[saidBefore:]; len(said) != 1 || said[0].Why != ReadsStarted || !slices.Equal(said[0].ManifestReads, got.Record.ManifestReads) {
+		t.Errorf("a changed statement said %+v, want one manifest-reads-changed carrying the record's", said)
+	}
+	if reads, made := q.StatedReads(); !slices.Equal(reads, got.Record.ManifestReads) || made.Before(before) {
+		t.Errorf("the verb answers %v made at %v (was %v), want the record's", reads, made, before)
+	}
+	q.RestateReads(context.Background())
+	if l.kv["n1.node"].rev != at+1 || len(l.readsSaid) != saidBefore+1 {
+		t.Errorf("an unchanged statement wrote the record or said it again")
+	}
+	catalogue.UseSeats(all)
+	q.RestateReads(context.Background())
+	if got, _ = nodeengineclient.DecodeHaveNode(l.kv["n1.node"].value); !slices.Equal(got.Record.ManifestReads, catalogue.ManifestReads()) {
+		t.Errorf("the list back whole: the record states %v, want its contract's", got.Record.ManifestReads)
+	}
 }
 
 // 1132/AC7: a write the bucket refuses is said in the log, and the next apply writes again.
diff --git a/internal/link/record.go b/internal/link/record.go
index b228959..6ce8983 100644
--- a/internal/link/record.go
+++ b/internal/link/record.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	sdkkeys "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/keys"
 	"slices"
 	"sort"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -34,13 +35,68 @@ type RecordKeys struct {
 	Stated []string
 }
 
-// manifestReads is what this engine reads of a manifest (novox/hq ADR 0614 §4): the reader capabilities of the mesh-sdk it
-// is built with, stated in its record so the assigner moves a want only to an engine that reads its manifest. Computed
-// once: it is the build's, and never changes while it runs.
-var manifestReads = sync.OnceValue(catalogue.ManifestReads)
+// buildReads are the words and forms this engine reads of a manifest (novox/hq ADR 0614 §4): the reader capabilities of
+// the mesh-sdk it is built with, its seats left out. Computed once: they are the build's, and never change while it runs.
+var buildReads = sync.OnceValue(func() []string {
+	return slices.DeleteFunc(catalogue.ManifestReads(), func(r string) bool { return strings.HasPrefix(r, catalogue.ReadSeat) })
+})
 
-// readsStatedAt is when this engine computed what it reads: its start (the verb manifest-reads, ADR 0618 §3).
-var readsStatedAt = time.Now().UTC()
+// readsNow is what this engine reads of a manifest now: its build's words and forms, and the seats of the seat list it
+// holds now (catalogue.Seats, which the engine's reader of the list gives catalogue: bootstrapped or read; ADR 0636).
+func readsNow() []string {
+	set := map[string]bool{}
+	for _, r := range buildReads() {
+		set[r] = true
+	}
+	for _, seat := range catalogue.Seats() {
+		set[catalogue.ReadSeat+seat.Name] = true
+	}
+	out := make([]string, 0, len(set))
+	for r := range set {
+		out = append(out, r)
+	}
+	sort.Strings(out)
+	return out
+}
+
+// readsStatement is what this engine states it reads and since when (the verb manifest-reads, ADR 0618 §3): made at its
+// first reading, and made again by Restate whenever the seat list it holds changes what it reads (ADR 0618 §4). The seat
+// list is the process's, so the statement is too.
+type readsStatement struct {
+	mu    sync.Mutex
+	reads []string
+	at    time.Time
+}
+
+var stated readsStatement
+
+// now is the statement, made at the first reading.
+func (s *readsStatement) now() ([]string, time.Time) {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	if s.reads == nil {
+		s.reads, s.at = readsNow(), time.Now().UTC()
+	}
+	return slices.Clone(s.reads), s.at
+}
+
+// restate makes the statement again from what the engine reads now, and says whether it changed.
+func (s *readsStatement) restate() ([]string, bool) {
+	cur := readsNow()
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	if s.reads != nil && slices.Equal(cur, s.reads) {
+		return slices.Clone(cur), false
+	}
+	s.reads, s.at = cur, time.Now().UTC()
+	return slices.Clone(cur), true
+}
+
+// manifestReads is what this engine states it reads of a manifest now, which its record carries.
+func manifestReads() []string {
+	reads, _ := stated.now()
+	return reads
+}
 
 // recordOf is the node's record from one facts report and its keys; nil for a report that carries no profile (one that
 // says nothing of the machine, such as a rekey), so the record last written stands.
diff --git a/internal/link/session.go b/internal/link/session.go
index a05b5f3..7068db1 100644
--- a/internal/link/session.go
+++ b/internal/link/session.go
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ type Session struct {
 		sync.Mutex
 		linked bool
 	}
+	// restating takes RestateReads one at a time.
+	restating sync.Mutex
 
 	// haves is what this node-engine writes beside its facts (novox/hq ADR 0429 §4, issue 1132).
 	haves haveState
@@ -390,10 +392,42 @@ func (q *Session) RouterRecord(key string) (*stdio.StateEntry, error) {
 	return asking.RouterRecord(key)
 }
 
-// StatedReads is what this engine states it reads of a manifest and when it computed them, which is its start (the
-// node seat's verb manifest-reads, novox/hq ADR 0618 §3): the record is written only when it differs, so its put says
-// nothing of when an unchanged statement was made.
-func (q *Session) StatedReads() ([]string, time.Time) { return manifestReads(), readsStatedAt }
+// StatedReads is what this engine states it reads of a manifest and when it made that statement, at its start or at the
+// last change of its seat list that changed it (the node seat's verb manifest-reads, novox/hq ADR 0618 §3): the record is
+// written only when it differs, so its put says nothing of when an unchanged statement was made.
+func (q *Session) StatedReads() ([]string, time.Time) { return stated.now() }
+
+// RestateReads states what this engine reads again, after the seat list it holds changed (novox/hq ADR 0618 §4, ADR
+// 0636): when the statement changed, its node record carries the new one at once, written where it differs, and the node
+// seat's event manifest-reads-changed says it ("started": what it states changed), so the assigner and the builder ask
+// the verb again. A statement that did not change writes and says nothing. Calls are taken one at a time, so the last
+// write is the newest statement.
+func (q *Session) RestateReads(ctx context.Context) {
+	q.init()
+	q.restating.Lock()
+	defer q.restating.Unlock()
+	reads, changed := stated.restate()
+	if !changed {
+		return
+	}
+	s := &q.haves
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	if s.node != nil && s.node.Record != nil {
+		node, rec := *s.node, *s.node.Record
+		rec.ManifestReads = reads
+		node.Record = &rec
+		s.node = &node
+	}
+	s.mu.Unlock()
+	q.mu.Lock()
+	bus := q.bus
+	q.mu.Unlock()
+	if bus != nil {
+		q.writeHaves(ctx, bus)
+	}
+	q.SayEngine(nodeengine.EventManifestReadsChanged, nodeengine.ManifestReadsChangedEvent{V: sdkkeys.Version,
+		Node: q.Membership.Node, ManifestReads: reads, At: time.Now().UTC().Format(time.RFC3339Nano), Why: ReadsStarted})
+}
 
 // The reasons the engine says its reads, in the event's why (novox/hq ADR 0618 §4): it started, or its node returned
 // after being away (a link after the first).