diff --git a/go/catalogue/manifest_reads.go b/go/catalogue/manifest_reads.go
index fb9add96..805bf130 100644
--- a/go/catalogue/manifest_reads.go
+++ b/go/catalogue/manifest_reads.go
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ const (
 var referenceForms = []string{"access", "backup", "bound", "collected", "config", "consumer", "consumers",
 	"contribution", "dir", "machine", "port", "seat", "secret", "setting"}
 
+// ifConfigWord is the reader capability for a resource's `if-config` (IfConfigField).
+const ifConfigWord = ReadWord + "resources." + IfConfigField
+
 // ReferenceFormSeat names the reference form a registry seat answers for a build's artifact,
 // `<seat>/<module>/<artifact>@sha256:<digest>` (novox/hq ADR 0605 §9; the registry clients' reference forms), as the reader capability
 // `form:seat-reference` a node-engine built with this contract states (ADR 0618 §1, ADR 0624 §1): the builder writes it
@@ -106,6 +109,7 @@ func ManifestReads() []string {
 		set[ReadForm+f] = true
 	}
 	set[ReadForm+ReferenceFormSeatReach] = true
+	set[ifConfigWord] = true
 	for _, s := range Seats() {
 		set[ReadSeat+s.Name] = true
 	}
@@ -171,6 +175,13 @@ func ManifestNeeds(raw []byte) ([]string, error) {
 	if claimsAtMesh(top, storeHolderSeat) {
 		used[ReadForm+ReferenceFormSeatReach] = true
 	}
+	for _, r := range asList(top["resources"]) {
+		if obj, ok := r.(map[string]any); ok {
+			if _, has := obj[IfConfigField]; has {
+				used[ifConfigWord] = true
+			}
+		}
+	}
 	if _, has := top[ConfigField]; has || takesConfigKey.Match(raw) {
 		used[ReadForm+"config"] = true
 	}
diff --git a/go/catalogue/own_manifest_test.go b/go/catalogue/own_manifest_test.go
index dae109f6..602cfd58 100644
--- a/go/catalogue/own_manifest_test.go
+++ b/go/catalogue/own_manifest_test.go
@@ -96,6 +96,11 @@ func TestOwnManifestUsesNoWordTheRunningControllerRefuses(t *testing.T) {
 		{"a template naming a seat's reach", `{"module":"d","version":"1","resources":[{"id":"daemon","type":"file",` +
 			`"path":"/etc/d.json","template":"files/daemon.json"}]}`, []string{"form:seat", "form:seat-reach"},
 			[]string{"form:seat-reach"}},
+		// A resource under a config condition (design 42 zfs-owns-zfs §4, A-13).
+		{"a resource under if-config", `{"module":"z","version":"1","config":{"k":{"type":"string"}},"resources":[{"id":"f","type":"file",` +
+			`"if-config":["k"]}]}`, []string{"word:resources.if-config"}, []string{"word:resources.if-config"}},
+		{"a resource without if-config", `{"module":"z","version":"1","resources":[{"id":"f","type":"file"}]}`,
+			[]string{"word:resources"}, nil},
 		{"a word this contract does not know", `{"module":"u","version":"1","newer-word":{"inside":1}}`, []string{"word:module"}, nil},
 	} {
 		templates := map[string]map[string]string{ // the templates' text a row's module names
@@ -119,6 +124,9 @@ func TestOwnManifestUsesNoWordTheRunningControllerRefuses(t *testing.T) {
 		if slices.ContainsFunc(needs, func(n string) bool { return n == "word:newer-word" || n == "form:count" }) {
 			t.Errorf("%s: needs %v, naming what the contract does not read", row.why, needs)
 		}
+		if slices.Contains(needs, "word:resources.if-config") != (row.why == "a resource under if-config") {
+			t.Errorf("%s: needs %v, if-config read wrongly", row.why, needs)
+		}
 		if got := MissingManifestReads(needs, nil); !slices.Equal(got, row.missing) {
 			t.Errorf("%s: an engine stating nothing lacks %v, want %v", row.why, got, row.missing)
 		}
diff --git a/go/catalogue/terminal_keys.go b/go/catalogue/terminal_keys.go
index fc3ff722..02d7ad88 100644
--- a/go/catalogue/terminal_keys.go
+++ b/go/catalogue/terminal_keys.go
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ import (
 // catalogue, never on the machine: the composer takes it out before the node-engine, which parses strictly.
 const TrustedField = "trusted"
 
+// IfConfigField is the key any resource may carry to be declared only while a config value of its module holds
+// (novox/hq design 42 zfs-owns-zfs §2, §4): a list of conditions, `<key>` or `<key>=<value>`. Said in the catalogue and
+// read by the node-engine, which states it as the reader capability `word:resources.if-config` (ManifestReads); a
+// manifest whose resource carries it needs that capability (ManifestNeeds).
+const IfConfigField = "if-config"
+
 // TerminalKeys are the settings keys of a module that are set at the controller's terminal alone: places and
 // accesses, every key its provisions serve and every setting a served value asks for, every setting a file
 // asks for unless it says `"trusted": false`, and every setting a directory's owner asks for. Places and accesses first, then the rest sorted.