diff --git a/go/compose/frombus/answer.go b/go/compose/frombus/answer.go
index 078dbbc..0f0bfe9 100644
--- a/go/compose/frombus/answer.go
+++ b/go/compose/frombus/answer.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func Answer(ctx context.Context, r Reader, mesh Mesh, s Scope, fps map[string]st
 	}
 	composed, skipped, stood, err := compose.CompositionsShadow(in, s.Node, fps)
 	for err != nil {
-		module := culprit(in, s.Node, fps, failed, err)
+		module, bare := culprit(in, s.Node, fps, failed, err)
 		if module == "" {
 			// Not one module's: the node's own (a value served elsewhere, the mesh's network), said once as the node's.
 			if len(failed) == 0 {
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ func Answer(ctx context.Context, r Reader, mesh Mesh, s Scope, fps map[string]st
 			break
 		}
 		failed[module] = err.Error()
-		in = stubbed(in, s.Node, module)
+		in = stubbed(in, s.Node, module, bare)
 		composed, skipped, stood, err = compose.CompositionsShadow(in, s.Node, fps)
 	}
 	// The node's own composition is judged only where the node runs one: one that runs none applies it only once a want
@@ -246,8 +246,10 @@ func standsInFor(x, node string) (string, string) {
 
 // culprit is the module placed on node whose composition the error is of: the first, in placement order, whose stub
 // (compose.Stub) makes the composition succeed or fail otherwise; empty when none does (the error is not one module's).
-// Modules already refused are passed over.
-func culprit(in compose.Input, node string, fps map[string]string, failed map[string]string, err error) string {
+// Modules already refused are passed over. A module whose stub still fails the same is tried bare (its stub contributing
+// nothing, bare true): a refusal of what it contributes is its own, which the stub keeps (issue 1126, seed-8: de-spiegel's
+// route names on novox, an unset required value, refused the whole node).
+func culprit(in compose.Input, node string, fps map[string]string, failed map[string]string, err error) (string, bool) {
 	var assigned []string
 	for _, n := range in.Nodes {
 		if n.Name == node {
@@ -263,19 +265,32 @@ func culprit(in compose.Input, node string, fps map[string]string, failed map[st
 			order = append(order, m)
 		}
 	}
+	changes := func(m string, bare bool) bool {
+		_, _, _, again := compose.CompositionsShadow(stubbed(in, node, m, bare), node, fps)
+		return again == nil || again.Error() != err.Error()
+	}
 	for _, m := range order {
 		if _, done := failed[m]; done {
 			continue
 		}
-		if _, _, _, again := compose.CompositionsShadow(stubbed(in, node, m), node, fps); again == nil || again.Error() != err.Error() {
-			return m
+		if changes(m, false) {
+			return m, false
 		}
 	}
-	return ""
+	for _, m := range order {
+		if _, done := failed[m]; done {
+			continue
+		}
+		if changes(m, true) {
+			return m, true
+		}
+	}
+	return "", false
 }
 
-// stubbed is in with module composed as a stub on node alone (compose.Stub, as node's Kept).
-func stubbed(in compose.Input, node, module string) compose.Input {
+// stubbed is in with module composed as a stub on node alone (compose.Stub, as node's Kept); bare, a stub that also
+// contributes nothing to what it requires.
+func stubbed(in compose.Input, node, module string, bare bool) compose.Input {
 	out := in
 	out.Nodes = append([]compose.Node(nil), in.Nodes...)
 	for i := range out.Nodes {
@@ -292,7 +307,11 @@ func stubbed(in compose.Input, node, module string) compose.Input {
 		for k, v := range out.Nodes[i].Kept {
 			kept[k] = v
 		}
-		kept[module] = compose.Stub(man)
+		stub := compose.Stub(man)
+		if bare {
+			stub.Contributes, stub.ContributesMany = nil, nil
+		}
+		kept[module] = stub
 		out.Nodes[i].Kept = kept
 	}
 	return out
diff --git a/go/compose/frombus/answer_rows_test.go b/go/compose/frombus/answer_rows_test.go
index b1a463c..b90e2a1 100644
--- a/go/compose/frombus/answer_rows_test.go
+++ b/go/compose/frombus/answer_rows_test.go
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func answerNamesEveryRefusalAndLeavesAnOldBuildToTheNode(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	// A refusal naming no module placed here is no module's: no compose is spent stubbing each in turn (issue 1126: ace's
 	// answer took 7m46s, one compose per module), though here a stub would compose.
-	if m := culprit(in, "n1", fps, map[string]string{}, fmt.Errorf("nothing in this mesh provides \"artifact-store\"")); m != "" {
+	if m, _ := culprit(in, "n1", fps, map[string]string{}, fmt.Errorf("nothing in this mesh provides \"artifact-store\"")); m != "" {
 		t.Errorf("a refusal naming no placed module was laid on %s", m)
 	}
 	ownKey, _ := delivery.ComposedNodeKey("n1")
@@ -274,6 +274,40 @@ func answerNamesEveryRefusalAndLeavesAnOldBuildToTheNode(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("the operator export is composed as %s, want the file that runs %s", keptComposed, keptFile)
 	}
 
+	// (D) Issue 1126, seed-8 (mesh-catalog #542): a module's own refusal refuses that module, never the node. novox runs
+	// de-spiegel folded, and its manifest at the indexer's commit (e25e1beb, captured) asks four required config values
+	// for its route names that nothing sets. novox answered the whole candidate refused ("de-spiegel contributing
+	// praktijk to route says ${setting:praktijk-name} ...": its stub still contributed the route). Only de-spiegel is
+	// refused, in the config form's words, and the rest is judged.
+	spiegel, err := os.ReadFile("testdata/de-spiegel-e25e1beb.module.json")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	proxy := []byte(`{"module":"proxy","version":"1","capabilities":["systemd"],"provides":[{"name":"route","scope":"mesh"},{"name":"smtp","scope":"mesh"}],` +
+		`"resources":[{"id":"service","type":"service","unit":"proxy.service","state":"running","boot":"enabled"}]}`)
+	b = mk("lemurs", overlay.Name, "proxy", "de-spiegel")
+	for m, raw := range map[string][]byte{"de-spiegel": spiegel, "proxy": proxy} {
+		b.manifests[delivery.ManifestDigest(raw)] = raw
+		b.modules[m] = delivery.Module{Manifest: delivery.ManifestDigest(raw)}
+	}
+	p = b.placements["n1"]
+	p.Decided.Endpoint = "n1.example:51820"
+	b.placements["n1"] = p
+	fps = map[string]string{"lemurs": fp("e"), "proxy": fp("f")}
+	a = Answer(ctx, b, Mesh{}, Scope{Node: "n1", Placements: given(b), InOwn: []string{"de-spiegel"}}, fps, nil, "h1", 3)
+	refused = nil
+	for _, r := range a.Refusals {
+		refused = append(refused, r.Module)
+		if r.Module == "de-spiegel" && (!strings.Contains(r.Why, "${config:praktijk-name}") || strings.Contains(r.Why, "${setting:")) {
+			t.Errorf("de-spiegel is refused in other words than its config form's: %s", r.Why)
+		}
+	}
+	if a.Refused != "" || !reflect.DeepEqual(refused, []string{"de-spiegel"}) {
+		t.Errorf("a module's own refusal: %+v, want de-spiegel refused alone, the node not", a)
+	}
+	if !slices.ContainsFunc(a.Added, func(m delivery.ModuleAdded) bool { return m.Module == "proxy" }) {
+		t.Errorf("proxy, which composes, is not judged beside de-spiegel's refusal: %+v", a)
+	}
 }
 
 // A module another node cannot run in this composition offers nothing in it: the refusal names it and why
diff --git a/go/compose/frombus/testdata/de-spiegel-e25e1beb.module.json b/go/compose/frombus/testdata/de-spiegel-e25e1beb.module.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4c4bd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go/compose/frombus/testdata/de-spiegel-e25e1beb.module.json
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+{
+  "module": "de-spiegel",
+  "version": "1",
+  "slug": "spiegel",
+  "capabilities": [
+    "container-runtime"
+  ],
+  "requires": [
+    "route",
+    "smtp"
+  ],
+  "contributes": {
+    "route": {
+      "site": {
+        "label": "de-spiegel",
+        "port": 35621
+      },
+      "praktijk": {
+        "name": "${config:praktijk-name}",
+        "port": 35621
+      },
+      "praktijk-www": {
+        "name": "${config:praktijk-www-name}",
+        "redirect": "https://${config:praktijk-name}"
+      },
+      "psychologie": {
+        "name": "${config:psychologie-name}",
+        "port": 35621
+      },
+      "psychologie-www": {
+        "name": "${config:psychologie-www-name}",
+        "redirect": "https://${config:psychologie-name}"
+      }
+    },
+    "smtp": {
+      "account": "de-spiegel"
+    }
+  },
+  "binds": {
+    "route": "/var/lib/de-spiegel/route.json",
+    "smtp": "/var/lib/de-spiegel/smtp.json"
+  },
+  "config": {
+    "praktijk-name": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": "The public name the practice's site is served on; the operator's, with no default (novox/hq ADR 0112).",
+      "trusted": true,
+      "required": true
+    },
+    "praktijk-www-name": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": "The public name that redirects to the practice's site (its www form); the operator's, with no default (novox/hq ADR 0112).",
+      "trusted": true,
+      "required": true
+    },
+    "psychologie-name": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": "The public name the psychology practice's site is served on; the operator's, with no default (novox/hq ADR 0112).",
+      "trusted": true,
+      "required": true
+    },
+    "psychologie-www-name": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": "The public name that redirects to the psychology practice's site (its www form); the operator's, with no default (novox/hq ADR 0112).",
+      "trusted": true,
+      "required": true
+    }
+  },
+  "listens": [
+    {
+      "port": 35621,
+      "protocol": "tcp",
+      "from": "mesh",
+      "why": "the de-spiegel site and its /contact endpoint over http; the practice's three public names are route grants, and the proxy reaches every one of them here"
+    }
+  ],
+  "resources": [
+    {
+      "id": "state",
+      "type": "directory",
+      "path": "/var/lib/de-spiegel",
+      "mode": "0700"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "server-env",
+      "type": "file",
+      "path": "/var/lib/de-spiegel/server.env",
+      "mode": "0600",
+      "content": "SMTP_HOST=${bound:smtp:at}\nSMTP_PORT=${bound:smtp:port}\nSMTP_AUTH_USER=de-spiegel@${bound:smtp:domain}\nSMTP_AUTH_PASS=${secret:smtp}\n"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "net",
+      "type": "network",
+      "name": "de-spiegel"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "server",
+      "type": "container",
+      "name": "de-spiegel",
+      "artifact": "site",
+      "network": "de-spiegel",
+      "env-file": [
+        "/var/lib/de-spiegel/server.env"
+      ],
+      "ports": [
+        "35621"
+      ],
+      "secrets-in-environment": "the application's own code reads SMTP_AUTH_USER/PASS from the environment (server/index.js); converting is this repository's change"
+    }
+  ],
+  "build": {
+    "on": [
+      {
+        "arg": "NODE_BASE",
+        "image": "node@sha256:48e4b67d85f87bd551df43704e24d252f56cc5f8e9718841aace50f19948f0f9"
+      }
+    ],
+    "artifacts": [
+      {
+        "name": "site",
+        "kind": "image",
+        "from": "Dockerfile"
+      }
+    ]
+  },
+  "secrets": {
+    "smtp": "/var/lib/de-spiegel/smtp.secret"
+  }
+}