diff --git a/node-tools/internal/bus/state.go b/node-tools/internal/bus/state.go
index f4f6adb..d4dee76 100644
--- a/node-tools/internal/bus/state.go
+++ b/node-tools/internal/bus/state.go
@@ -391,9 +391,10 @@ func valueOf(raw []byte) json.RawMessage {
 var credentialEndings = []string{"password", "passwd", "secret", "token", "credential", "credentials",
 	"authorization", "apikey", "privatekey", "accesskey", "cookie"}
 
-// credentialField is the first field anywhere in a JSON value whose name says it is a credential, or "". A credential is
-// a value, so a name counts only where it holds one or a list of them: a name holding an object is data naming a structure (a
-// placement's binding of the provision "secret" to the vault, issue 1126), whose own fields are looked at in turn.
+// credentialField is the first field anywhere in a JSON value whose name says it is a credential, or "". The one shape a
+// credential-shaped name may hold is a provider reference, an object of exactly `node` and `module`, both strings: a
+// placement's binding of the provision "secret" to the vault (issue 1126) names who provides it, never its value. Any
+// other shape under such a name is refused.
 func credentialField(value json.RawMessage) string {
 	var v any
 	if json.Unmarshal(value, &v) != nil {
@@ -410,9 +411,8 @@ func credentialField(value json.RawMessage) string {
 			sort.Strings(keys)
 			for _, k := range keys {
 				norm := strings.NewReplacer("-", "", "_", "", " ", "").Replace(strings.ToLower(k))
-				_, object := t[k].(map[string]any)
 				for _, end := range credentialEndings {
-					if strings.HasSuffix(norm, end) && !object {
+					if strings.HasSuffix(norm, end) && !providerReference(t[k]) {
 						return k
 					}
 				}
@@ -431,3 +431,14 @@ func credentialField(value json.RawMessage) string {
 	}
 	return walk(v)
 }
+
+// providerReference says whether v is exactly {"node": <string>, "module": <string>}.
+func providerReference(v any) bool {
+	m, ok := v.(map[string]any)
+	if !ok || len(m) != 2 {
+		return false
+	}
+	node, okN := m["node"].(string)
+	module, okM := m["module"].(string)
+	return okN && okM && node != "" && module != ""
+}
diff --git a/node-tools/internal/bus/state_test.go b/node-tools/internal/bus/state_test.go
index f157be7..cc85f48 100644
--- a/node-tools/internal/bus/state_test.go
+++ b/node-tools/internal/bus/state_test.go
@@ -15,11 +15,13 @@ func TestACredentialNamedFieldIsFoundAnywhereInAValue(t *testing.T) {
 		`{"clientSecret":"s"}`:                                      "clientSecret",
 		`{"maxTokens":4096,"name":"a","generation":3}`:              "",
 		`"just a string"`:                                           "",
-		// Issue 1126: a placement binds the provision "secret" to the vault; the name holds a structure, not a value.
+		// Issue 1126: a placement binds the provision "secret" to the vault; only an exact provider reference passes.
 		`{"bindings":{"secret":{"node":"anchor","module":"mesh-vault"}}}`: "",
-		`{"secret":{"value":"s"}}`:              "",
-		`{"secret":["s"]}`:                      "secret",
-		`{"bindings":{"secret":{"token":"s"}}}`: "token",
+		`{"secret":{"value":"s"}}`:                                       "secret",
+		`{"secret":{"node":"anchor","module":"mesh-vault","value":"s"}}`: "secret",
+		`{"secret":{"node":"anchor","module":7}}`:                        "secret",
+		`{"secret":["s"]}`:                                               "secret",
+		`{"bindings":{"secret":{"token":"s"}}}`:                          "secret",
 	} {
 		if got := credentialField(json.RawMessage(value)); got != want {
 			t.Errorf("%s: found %q, want %q", value, got, want)