diff --git a/node-tools/internal/bus/caller.go b/node-tools/internal/bus/caller.go
index 7222627..5a817bb 100644
--- a/node-tools/internal/bus/caller.go
+++ b/node-tools/internal/bus/caller.go
@@ -91,7 +91,11 @@ func calledPattern(subject string) string {
 // callerOn is the bus user a call names, from the subject it arrived on: its last token, under a pattern
 // calledPattern made. "" — said by the module as Unproven — for a call on the subject that names no caller.
 func callerOn(pattern, subject string) string {
-	if !strings.HasSuffix(pattern, ".*") {
+	// Only the `call` kind names a caller: a `tool` pattern ending in a wildcard (a node seat's verb on any
+	// machine) is never read as one.
+	parts := strings.SplitN(pattern, ".", 5)
+	if len(parts) != 5 || parts[0] != "mesh" || (parts[1] != "mod" && parts[1] != "seat") || parts[3] != CallKind ||
+		!strings.HasSuffix(pattern, ".*") {
 		return ""
 	}
 	dot := strings.LastIndex(subject, ".")
@@ -107,9 +111,11 @@ type CalledHandler func(caller string, body json.RawMessage) (any, error)
 // callers is what a connection keeps of its caller-named calls: those in flight, by subject, so a refused
 // publish ends its call at once instead of after RequestTimeout.
 type callers struct {
-	mu      sync.Mutex
-	next    uint64
-	pending map[string]map[uint64]context.CancelCauseFunc
+	mu sync.Mutex
+	// fellBack are the caller-named subjects already said to have reached nobody, so each is said once.
+	fellBack map[string]bool
+	next     uint64
+	pending  map[string]map[uint64]context.CancelCauseFunc
 }
 
 // errCallRefused is the bus refusing a caller-named publish: this user is not granted it yet (the controller's
@@ -176,6 +182,7 @@ func (c *Conn) askCalled(subject string, data []byte) (answered Answered, handin
 		case errors.Is(context.Cause(ctx), errCallRefused):
 			return Answered{}, false, true, nil
 		case errors.Is(err, nats.ErrNoResponders):
+			c.saidFallBack(subject)
 			return Answered{}, false, true, nil
 		case errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded) || errors.Is(err, nats.ErrTimeout):
 			return Answered{}, false, false, errors.New("timeout")
@@ -185,3 +192,21 @@ func (c *Conn) askCalled(subject string, data []byte) (answered Answered, handin
 	answered, handingOver, err = c.answerOf(subject, msg.Data)
 	return answered, handingOver, false, err
 }
+
+// saidFallBack says, once per subject, that a caller-named call reached nobody and is asked on the subject that
+// names no caller: a runtime or holder not yet serving it, or a grant that drifted, is seen in the log rather
+// than read later as a quiet "unproven" (novox/hq issue 365; expected for the controller's seat until hq issue
+// 464).
+func (c *Conn) saidFallBack(subject string) {
+	c.calls.mu.Lock()
+	if c.calls.fellBack == nil {
+		c.calls.fellBack = map[string]bool{}
+	}
+	first := !c.calls.fellBack[subject]
+	c.calls.fellBack[subject] = true
+	c.calls.mu.Unlock()
+	if first {
+		c.Logf("[mesh-tools] nothing answers the caller-named %s; asked on the subject that names no caller, where "+
+			"the module is told no caller (said once per subject; novox/hq issue 365)", subject)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/node-tools/internal/bus/caller_bus_test.go b/node-tools/internal/bus/caller_bus_test.go
index 1ea2d6d..625c7fd 100644
--- a/node-tools/internal/bus/caller_bus_test.go
+++ b/node-tools/internal/bus/caller_bus_test.go
@@ -180,3 +180,39 @@ func TestAGrantedCallerIsHeardAsItselfAndCannotNameAnother(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("heard %v; want the asker alone, as itself", got)
 	}
 }
+
+// A fall-back for want of a responder on the caller-named subject is said, once per subject, so a runtime or
+// grant that drifted behind is seen rather than read as a quiet "unproven".
+func TestAFallBackForWantOfAResponderIsSaidOncePerSubject(t *testing.T) {
+	url := mt.URL(t)
+	// A runtime from before issue 365: the subject that names no caller, alone.
+	older, err := nats.Connect(url)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer older.Close()
+	if _, err := older.Subscribe("mesh.mod.ledger.tool.who", func(m *nats.Msg) { _ = m.Respond([]byte(`{"result":{}}`)) }); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	_ = older.Flush()
+	asker := dial(t, url, "node-tools", "shanks", "shanks.node-tools")
+	var mu sync.Mutex
+	var said []string
+	asker.Logf = func(f string, a ...any) { mu.Lock(); said = append(said, fmt.Sprintf(f, a...)); mu.Unlock() }
+	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+		if _, err := asker.Ask("ledger.who", map[string]any{}, ""); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+	mu.Lock()
+	defer mu.Unlock()
+	n := 0
+	for _, s := range said {
+		if strings.Contains(s, "nothing answers the caller-named mesh.mod.ledger.call.who.shanks~node-tools") {
+			n++
+		}
+	}
+	if n != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("the fall-back was said %d times, want once: %v", n, said)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/node-tools/internal/bus/caller_test.go b/node-tools/internal/bus/caller_test.go
index 23e9356..5c4da68 100644
--- a/node-tools/internal/bus/caller_test.go
+++ b/node-tools/internal/bus/caller_test.go
@@ -56,3 +56,17 @@ func TestTheCallerIsTheLastTokenOfTheSubjectTheCallArrivedOn(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// Only a pattern of the `call` kind names a caller: a `tool` subscription with a wildcard last — a node seat's
+// verb on any machine, say — never yields one, whatever token a call arrived with.
+func TestAToolPatternNeverYieldsACaller(t *testing.T) {
+	for pattern, subject := range map[string]string{
+		"mesh.mod.ledger.tool.who.*":     "mesh.mod.ledger.tool.who.controller",
+		"mesh.seat.node-desk.tool.who.*": "mesh.seat.node-desk.tool.who.shanks~node-tools",
+		"mesh.mod.ledger.event.*":        "mesh.mod.ledger.event.controller",
+	} {
+		if got := callerOn(pattern, subject); got != "" {
+			t.Errorf("%s on %s yielded caller %q", pattern, subject, got)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/node-tools/internal/runtime/caller_test.go b/node-tools/internal/runtime/caller_test.go
index 2aa5da0..54ca2fe 100644
--- a/node-tools/internal/runtime/caller_test.go
+++ b/node-tools/internal/runtime/caller_test.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func TestACallOnTheCallerNamedSubjectReachesTheModuleWithItsCaller(t *testing.T)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	defer stop()
+	defer settled(stop)
 	asker, err := bus.Connect(bus.Credential{URL: mt.URL(t), Module: "node-tools", Node: "shanks",
 		User: "shanks.node-tools", Password: "unused"})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func TestTheSubjectThatNamesNoCallerStillWorksAndNamesNone(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	defer stop()
+	defer settled(stop)
 	old, err := nats.Connect(mt.URL(t))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -89,3 +89,11 @@ func TestTheSubjectThatNamesNoCallerStillWorksAndNamesNone(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// settled stops a runtime and waits for its bundle's exit to be handled: the launcher reads its restart pauses
+// (launch.RestartFirst) as a bundle exits, and a later test in this package sets them, so a test that leaves its
+// bundle exiting behind it races the next one.
+func settled(stop func()) {
+	stop()
+	time.Sleep(500 * time.Millisecond)
+}