diff --git a/go/buildstep/pull.go b/go/buildstep/pull.go
index 32f243e..9fb676b 100644
--- a/go/buildstep/pull.go
+++ b/go/buildstep/pull.go
@@ -281,6 +281,15 @@ func (p *Puller) take(ctx context.Context, msg *Pulled) {
 		_ = msg.Nak()
 		return
 	}
+	if msg.Delivered > delivery.AskRuns {
+		// Run AskRuns times and never ended: each run took its node down or died with it. It is run no more, and said
+		// (issue 1907): the asker's key fails with why.
+		why := fmt.Errorf("the ask was taken %d times and no run of it ended: each took its build node down or died with it, so it is run no more (poison)", msg.Delivered-1)
+		p.logf("the ask %s is ended on %s: %v", ask.ID, p.Node, why)
+		finish(p.Put, key, step, nil, why)
+		_ = msg.Term()
+		return
+	}
 	module := ""
 	if ask.Build != nil {
 		module = ask.Build.Module
diff --git a/go/buildstep/pull_fake.go b/go/buildstep/pull_fake.go
index 2e6624d..1e10e4a 100644
--- a/go/buildstep/pull_fake.go
+++ b/go/buildstep/pull_fake.go
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ type FakeAsks struct {
 	// Acked, Termed and Naked are the asks' ids or data by fate, InProgress how many heartbeats were given.
 	Acked, Termed, Naked []string
 	InProgress           int
+	// Delivered, when set, is the delivery count every ask handed over says (1 when 0): a test of a poisoned ask sets it.
+	Delivered uint64
 }
 
 // NewFakeAsks is an empty double.
@@ -102,6 +104,10 @@ func (f *FakeAsks) pulled(data []byte) *Pulled {
 			return nil
 		}
 	}
-	return &Pulled{Data: data, Delivered: 1, Ack: fate(&f.Acked), Nak: fate(&f.Naked), Term: fate(&f.Termed),
+	delivered := f.Delivered
+	if delivered == 0 {
+		delivered = 1
+	}
+	return &Pulled{Data: data, Delivered: delivered, Ack: fate(&f.Acked), Nak: fate(&f.Naked), Term: fate(&f.Termed),
 		InProgress: func() error { f.mu.Lock(); f.InProgress++; f.mu.Unlock(); return nil }}
 }
diff --git a/go/buildstep/pull_test.go b/go/buildstep/pull_test.go
index 10fdedb..6d0b326 100644
--- a/go/buildstep/pull_test.go
+++ b/go/buildstep/pull_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package buildstep
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -263,3 +264,27 @@ func TestPullHeartbeatAndStop(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("the step %s = %+v, want left running", key, s)
 	}
 }
+
+// 1907: an ask taken past AskRuns (each run took its node down) is run no more: its step ends failed saying why, so the
+// asker's key fails, and it is ended on the stream, not offered to another node.
+func TestAPoisonedAskIsSaidAndRunNoMore(t *testing.T) {
+	src, st := NewFakeAsks(), newSteps()
+	src.Delivered = delivery.AskRuns + 1
+	a := testAsk(delivery.AskDelivery)
+	_ = src.PublishAsk(a)
+	ran := false
+	p := &Puller{Source: src, Language: delivery.AskGo, Node: "shanks", Put: st.put, Capacity: func() int { return 1 },
+		PullWait: 10 * time.Millisecond, Run: func(ctx context.Context, a delivery.StepAsk) (any, error) { ran = true; return nil, nil }}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+	go p.Pull(ctx)
+	waitFor(t, "the ask termed", func() bool { _, tm, _ := src.Fates(); return len(tm) == 1 })
+	key, _ := delivery.AskStepKey("shanks", a.ID)
+	s, ok := st.get(key)
+	if ran || !ok || s.State != delivery.StepFailed || !strings.Contains(s.Reason, "taken 3 times") || !strings.Contains(s.Reason, "poison") {
+		t.Fatalf("ran %v, step %+v", ran, s)
+	}
+	if acked, _, naked := src.Fates(); len(acked)+len(naked) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("acked %v naked %v, want it termed alone", acked, naked)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/go/delivery/stepasks.go b/go/delivery/stepasks.go
index a7ae9d2..4e1f001 100644
--- a/go/delivery/stepasks.go
+++ b/go/delivery/stepasks.go
@@ -41,6 +41,17 @@ const (
 // AskLanguages are the build seats' languages.
 var AskLanguages = []string{AskGo, AskNode, AskImage}
 
+// AskRuns is how many times an ask is run before it is taken for poison (issue 1907): an ask whose run never ends (it
+// takes its node down, or its process dies with it) is delivered again by its stream to the next free node (ADR 0525
+// §6); the holder that takes it past AskRuns runs it no more, writes its step failed saying so, and ends it, so the
+// asker's key fails with why and no further node is taken down. NATS-native: the count is the stream's own delivery
+// count of the message, no timer.
+const AskRuns = 3
+
+// AskMaxDeliver is the build seats' workers' bound of deliveries (the broker's MaxDeliver): past AskRuns, so the holder
+// that says the poison gets its delivery, with one more for a holder that dies saying it.
+const AskMaxDeliver = AskRuns + 2
+
 // StepAskVersion is the version of an Ask value; a reader refuses another (ErrUnknownVersion).
 const StepAskVersion = 1