diff --git a/go/buildstep/askrun.go b/go/buildstep/askrun.go
index 1415331..06156e1 100644
--- a/go/buildstep/askrun.go
+++ b/go/buildstep/askrun.go
@@ -107,21 +107,32 @@ func (s AskSteps) fetch(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any) (json.RawMessa
 	return r, f, nil
 }
 
+// onToolchain is the toolchain this node builds with when the ask names one and this module reports its own, nil when
+// either is absent. A node on another toolchain than the ask names answers a Declining: it is not on the agreed one and
+// sits out, for a node that is to take the ask (novox/hq ADR 0584 clause 2).
+func (s AskSteps) onToolchain(ctx context.Context, want *delivery.ToolchainUsed) (*delivery.ToolchainUsed, error) {
+	if want == nil || s.Toolchain == nil {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	tc, err := s.Toolchain(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if tc.Version != want.Version || tc.Recipe != want.Recipe {
+		return nil, &Declining{Lacks: []string{fmt.Sprintf("the agreed toolchain %s (recipe %s)", want.Version, want.Recipe)},
+			Text: fmt.Sprintf("the ask is for %s (recipe %s) and this node builds with %s (recipe %s): it sits out, and the ask is left to a node on the agreed toolchain",
+				want.Version, want.Recipe, tc.Version, tc.Recipe)}
+	}
+	return &tc, nil
+}
+
 func (s AskSteps) build(ctx context.Context, job delivery.BuildJob) (any, error) {
 	answer := delivery.BuildAnswer{}
-	if job.Toolchain != nil && s.Toolchain != nil {
-		tc, err := s.Toolchain(ctx)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		if tc.Version != job.Toolchain.Version || tc.Recipe != job.Toolchain.Recipe {
-			// This node is not on the agreed toolchain: it declines the ask for a node that is (novox/hq ADR 0584 clause 2).
-			return nil, &Declining{Lacks: []string{fmt.Sprintf("the agreed toolchain %s (recipe %s)", job.Toolchain.Version, job.Toolchain.Recipe)},
-				Text: fmt.Sprintf("the ask is for %s (recipe %s) and this node builds with %s (recipe %s): it sits out, and the ask is left to a node on the agreed toolchain",
-					job.Toolchain.Version, job.Toolchain.Recipe, tc.Version, tc.Recipe)}
-		}
-		answer.Toolchain = &tc
+	tc, err := s.onToolchain(ctx, job.Toolchain)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
+	answer.Toolchain = tc
 	var f fetched
 	defer func() { s.release(f.Workspace) }()
 	for _, a := range job.Artifacts {
@@ -183,6 +194,9 @@ func (s AskSteps) build(ctx context.Context, job delivery.BuildJob) (any, error)
 }
 
 func (s AskSteps) check(ctx context.Context, job delivery.CheckJob) (any, error) {
+	if _, err := s.onToolchain(ctx, job.Toolchain); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	r, f, err := s.fetch(ctx, job.Fetch)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/go/buildstep/askrun_test.go b/go/buildstep/askrun_test.go
index 343bdc4..30d4072 100644
--- a/go/buildstep/askrun_test.go
+++ b/go/buildstep/askrun_test.go
@@ -116,6 +116,12 @@ func TestRunAskRefusesAnotherToolchain(t *testing.T) {
 	if !errors.As(err, &dec) || len(dec.Lacks) != 1 || len(r.calls) != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("err %v, calls %v", err, r.calls)
 	}
+	// A check ask names the toolchain too (ADR 0584), and a node on another declines it before it fetches.
+	_, err = RunAsk(context.Background(), s, ask(delivery.CheckJob{Fetch: map[string]any{"repository": "novox/x", "commit": runCommit}, Levels: []string{delivery.LevelUnit},
+		Toolchain: &delivery.ToolchainUsed{Version: "go1.26", Recipe: "3"}}))
+	if !errors.As(err, &dec) || len(r.calls) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("a check ask: err %v, calls %v", err, r.calls)
+	}
 }
 
 // 1887/A3, A5a: a check ask runs the levels of one check after one fetch: it digests the unit level, takes the kept
diff --git a/go/delivery/stepasks.go b/go/delivery/stepasks.go
index 17ec656..155a685 100644
--- a/go/delivery/stepasks.go
+++ b/go/delivery/stepasks.go
@@ -369,6 +369,9 @@ type CheckJob struct {
 	// has to list them. The build step hands them to its test tool as the argument NodeNamesArg, and the build module
 	// gives them to the tests in NodeNamesEnv.
 	NodeNames []string `json:"node-names,omitempty"`
+	// Toolchain is the toolchain the checker agreed for the check's language (novox/hq ADR 0584): a node building with
+	// another declines the ask, so a pass is never recorded as run on a version it did not run on. Nil names none.
+	Toolchain *ToolchainUsed `json:"toolchain,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // NodeNamesArg is the test tool's argument that carries a check's node names, and NodeNamesEnv the environment