diff --git a/go/catalogue/engine_seat.go b/go/catalogue/engine_seat.go
index a10e9ec..829143f 100644
--- a/go/catalogue/engine_seat.go
+++ b/go/catalogue/engine_seat.go
@@ -61,6 +61,14 @@ func EngineVerbs() []Verb {
 			Input: schema(map[string]string{"module": "the module, as placed on this machine; node for the node's own",
 				"digest": "a composition's digest (sha256:…), to read that revision rather than the latest",
 				"diff":   "\"true\": list the resources that differ from what runs"}, []string{"module"})},
+		// The recovery of a composition that failed (issue 774, 2026-10-31: ace kept route-proxy failed for a vault that
+		// answered again a minute later). Optional until every engine serves it.
+		{Name: "compose", Optional: true, Description: "Compose this machine's modules now and say how it went, so a " +
+			"composition that failed, or a module held, recovers without a restart: what the pass refused or held, each " +
+			"with why, and when the engine composes again on its own after a seat that did not answer (a deadline, no " +
+			"responders: retried with a growing wait; a refusal never). With module, that module's apply is also tried " +
+			"again. Changes only what a pass the engine makes on its own would change.",
+			Input: schema(map[string]string{"module": "a module placed on this machine whose apply is also tried again (optional)"}, nil)},
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/go/catalogue/seats_test.go b/go/catalogue/seats_test.go
index d18d35f..1a58ab1 100644
--- a/go/catalogue/seats_test.go
+++ b/go/catalogue/seats_test.go
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func TestTheSeatsAreAClosedSetAndEachNamesItsDecision(t *testing.T) {
 		if props, _ := engine.Serves[5].Input["properties"].(map[string]any); props["id"] == nil {
 			t.Errorf("acts takes no id: %v", engine.Serves[5].Input)
 		}
-		if strings.Join(verbs, ",") != "hand-over,access-act,judge-directories,setuid-search,root-free,acts,packages,composition" ||
+		if strings.Join(verbs, ",") != "hand-over,access-act,judge-directories,setuid-search,root-free,acts,packages,composition,compose" ||
 			strings.Join(engine.Emits, ",") != "asked,done,refused" {
 			t.Errorf("node-engine serves %v and emits %v", verbs, engine.Emits)
 		}