diff --git a/go/compose/input.go b/go/compose/input.go
index d8f773d..a5d5c7d 100644
--- a/go/compose/input.go
+++ b/go/compose/input.go
@@ -247,7 +247,8 @@ type Licence struct {
 	Serves  map[string]any
 	Holders []Holder
 	// Keys is, by holder, the licence's key sealed to that holder's machine (held.KeyFor), empty where the mesh holds none:
-	// the plaintext was discarded when it was supplied. Optional; the composition needs no value of it.
+	// the plaintext was discarded when it was supplied. Optional: nil means not given, and the composition uses a stand-in named
+	// foreseen; given (even empty), a holder with no entry is one the mesh holds no key for.
 	Keys map[Holder]string
 	// Manager is the holder of a refreshable-grant licence that manages it (held.ManagerOf); the zero Holder when none.
 	Manager Holder
diff --git a/go/compose/resolve.go b/go/compose/resolve.go
index 9154f45..8665086 100644
--- a/go/compose/resolve.go
+++ b/go/compose/resolve.go
@@ -56,7 +56,14 @@ func (c *composer) planFor(nodeName string) (Resolved, error) {
 		if n.ByRecord {
 			// Answered by something the mesh holds, so there is no pair-wise secret between two machines.
 			licence, _ := c.licence(n.From)
-			resolved.Needs[i].Sealed = licence.Keys[Holder{Node: nodeName, Module: n.For}]
+			if licence.Keys == nil {
+				// The keys are not given: composed with a stand-in and named, not failed for a value only a send reads.
+				resolved.Needs[i].Sealed = catalogue.ForeseenSealed
+				out.Foreseen = append(out.Foreseen, fmt.Sprintf("%s on %s needs %s from %s", n.For, nodeName, n.Name, n.From))
+			} else {
+				// Given, and none for this holder: the mesh holds none.
+				resolved.Needs[i].Sealed = licence.Keys[Holder{Node: nodeName, Module: n.For}]
+			}
 			// If this holder is the licence's manager, hand it the manager node's PUBLIC sealing key in its bound facts
 			// (novox/hq ADR 0050).
 			if pub := c.managerPublicKeyFor(licence, nodeName, n.For); pub != "" {
diff --git a/go/compose/resolve_test.go b/go/compose/resolve_test.go
index f33eab4..ef250af 100644
--- a/go/compose/resolve_test.go
+++ b/go/compose/resolve_test.go
@@ -325,3 +325,36 @@ func TestSettingsAreReturnedForEveryResolvedModuleIncludingOneThatWasPulledIn(t
 		t.Error("the settings returned share the Input's layers")
 	}
 }
+
+// Round 1, finding 3: a licence key the Input does not carry (Keys not given) is composed with a stand-in and named foreseen, so the
+// node still composes; Keys given that lack the holder is the mesh holding none, and the need stays empty.
+func TestALicenceKeyTheInputDoesNotCarryIsAStandInAndNamedForeseen(t *testing.T) {
+	in := aMesh(t)
+	in.Catalogue["assistant"] = catalogue.Manifest{Module: "assistant", Version: "1", Requires: []string{LicenceProvision}}
+	laptop := nodeOf(t, &in, "laptop")
+	laptop.Assigned = append(laptop.Assigned, "assistant")
+	in.Licences = []Licence{{Name: "personal", Serves: map[string]any{"model": "x"}, Holders: []Holder{{Node: "laptop", Module: "assistant"}}}}
+	got, err := Resolve(in, "laptop")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if n := need(t, got.Plan, "assistant", LicenceProvision); n.Sealed != catalogue.ForeseenSealed {
+		t.Errorf("a key not given is composed as %q", n.Sealed)
+	}
+	if len(got.Foreseen) != 1 || !strings.Contains(got.Foreseen[0], "assistant on laptop needs model-access") {
+		t.Errorf("foreseen %v", got.Foreseen)
+	}
+	// And a whole node composes with it.
+	if _, problems, err := Compose(in, "laptop"); err != nil || len(problems) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("a node using a licence whose key is not carried: %v %v", err, problems)
+	}
+	// Keys given, and none for this holder: the mesh holds none.
+	in.Licences[0].Keys = map[Holder]string{}
+	got, err = Resolve(in, "laptop")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if n := need(t, got.Plan, "assistant", LicenceProvision); n.Sealed != "" || len(got.Foreseen) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("a key the mesh holds none of: %q %v", n.Sealed, got.Foreseen)
+	}
+}