diff --git a/go/sdkversion/sdkversion.go b/go/sdkversion/sdkversion.go
index 46a705a..3cbb82e 100644
--- a/go/sdkversion/sdkversion.go
+++ b/go/sdkversion/sdkversion.go
@@ -24,7 +24,11 @@ func Version() string {
 
 // FromBuildInfo reads the SDK's version out of a build info. A dependency replaced by another module version is that
 // version; replaced by a local path it is the path, never empty. When the SDK is the main module it is "(devel)",
-// followed by a space and the vcs.revision when the build stamped one. Without the SDK in the build it is "unknown".
+// followed by a space and the vcs.revision when the build stamped one. An SDK command built from another module that
+// requires the SDK (`go build git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/cmd/mesh-compose` in a reader's tree, as mesh-build-go's
+// compose job builds it: novox/hq ADR 0482 clause 5) has the SDK as its main module at the version that module pins,
+// read from the module cache with no vcs stamp: it is that version, never a bare "(devel)" that names no SDK. Without
+// the SDK in the build it is "unknown".
 func FromBuildInfo(bi *debug.BuildInfo) string {
 	if bi == nil {
 		return "unknown"
@@ -35,6 +39,9 @@ func FromBuildInfo(bi *debug.BuildInfo) string {
 				return "(devel) " + s.Value
 			}
 		}
+		if v := bi.Main.Version; v != "" && v != "(devel)" {
+			return v
+		}
 		return "(devel)"
 	}
 	for _, d := range bi.Deps {
diff --git a/go/sdkversion/sdkversion_test.go b/go/sdkversion/sdkversion_test.go
index 7a4b04d..3cc60a2 100644
--- a/go/sdkversion/sdkversion_test.go
+++ b/go/sdkversion/sdkversion_test.go
@@ -42,6 +42,18 @@ func TestTheMainModuleIsDevelWithItsRevision(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// The shape go gives `go build <the SDK's command>` run in a module that requires the SDK (captured with go1.27 from
+// mesh-compose built in a reader's tree at bc0c25e51052: "mod git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go v0.1.14-…-bc0c25e51052",
+// no vcs settings): the SDK is the main module at the pinned version, which names the SDK the binary carries.
+func TestAnSDKCommandBuiltFromAReaderIsThePinnedVersion(t *testing.T) {
+	bi := &debug.BuildInfo{Path: sdkPath + "/cmd/mesh-compose",
+		Main:     debug.Module{Path: sdkPath, Version: "v0.1.14-0.20261024112544-bc0c25e51052"},
+		Settings: []debug.BuildSetting{{Key: "-trimpath", Value: "true"}, {Key: "CGO_ENABLED", Value: "0"}}}
+	if got := FromBuildInfo(bi); got != "v0.1.14-0.20261024112544-bc0c25e51052" {
+		t.Fatalf("got %q", got)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestNoBuildInfoIsUnknown(t *testing.T) {
 	if got := FromBuildInfo(nil); got != "unknown" {
 		t.Fatalf("got %q", got)