diff --git a/node-tools/internal/console/address.go b/node-tools/internal/console/address.go
index 2d53464..3754936 100644
--- a/node-tools/internal/console/address.go
+++ b/node-tools/internal/console/address.go
@@ -552,7 +552,71 @@ func firstLine(s string) string {
 	return s
 }
 
-// schemaWithoutNode is a tool's schema as an agent passes it: the machine is in the address.
+// schemaAsPassed is a tool's schema as an agent passes it at this address. Where the address names
+// the machine, `node` is taken out: the machine is in the address. Where it does not — a seat held
+// once for the mesh, or an interchangeable module — `node` is the tool's own argument, and is kept.
+//
+// **Taking it out everywhere made the mesh's own verbs lie** (novox/hq issue 244): the controller's
+// `push`, `plan`, `assign`, `pin` and `settings` take the machine they act on as `node`, and were
+// described without it — `push` as taking nothing at all, so a push naming one machine arrived as a
+// push of every machine behind.
+func schemaAsPassed(t target) map[string]any {
+	if t.Node == "" {
+		return asSchema(t.Tool.Input)
+	}
+	return schemaWithoutNode(t.Tool.Input)
+}
+
+// argumentsAsSent are a call's arguments as the tool at this address receives them, or why the call
+// is refused. **Nothing given is dropped without a word** (novox/hq issue 244):
+//   - where the address names the machine, a `node` naming the same machine is redundant and taken
+//     out; one naming another machine is refused — which of the two was meant is not guessed;
+//   - where it does not, `node` is the tool's own argument and goes to it like any other;
+//   - a seat's schema is the mesh's record of the verb, so an argument a seat's verb does not
+//     declare is refused here, naming it, rather than sent to be passed over.
+func argumentsAsSent(t target, given map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
+	args := map[string]any{}
+	for k, v := range given {
+		args[k] = v
+	}
+	if n, has := args["node"]; has && t.Node != "" {
+		if named, _ := n.(string); strings.TrimSpace(named) != t.Node {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s names the machine %s in its address and %v in its arguments: say it once, in the address",
+				t.Address, t.Node, n)
+		}
+		delete(args, "node")
+	}
+	if !t.Seat {
+		return args, nil
+	}
+	declared := map[string]bool{}
+	var names []string
+	if p, ok := schemaAsPassed(t)["properties"].(map[string]any); ok {
+		for k := range p {
+			declared[k] = true
+			names = append(names, k)
+		}
+	}
+	sort.Strings(names)
+	var strangers []string
+	for k := range args {
+		if !declared[k] {
+			strangers = append(strangers, k)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(strangers) > 0 {
+		sort.Strings(strangers)
+		takes := "nothing"
+		if len(names) > 0 {
+			takes = strings.Join(names, ", ")
+		}
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s takes no argument %s — it takes %s (mesh_describe %s); nothing was sent",
+			t.Address, strings.Join(strangers, ", "), takes, t.Address)
+	}
+	return args, nil
+}
+
+// schemaWithoutNode is a tool's schema with `node` taken out, for an address that names the machine.
 func schemaWithoutNode(raw json.RawMessage) map[string]any {
 	schema := asSchema(raw)
 	out := map[string]any{}
@@ -805,20 +869,17 @@ func (s *Surface) discover(name string, args map[string]any) map[string]any {
 			description = t.Name
 		}
 		return answerText(map[string]any{"address": t.Address, "description": description,
-			"arguments": schemaWithoutNode(t.Tool.Input)})
+			"arguments": schemaAsPassed(t)})
 
 	case verbCall:
 		t, err := resolve(x, str("address"))
 		if err != nil {
 			return failure(err.Error())
 		}
-		callArgs := map[string]any{}
-		if a, ok := args["arguments"].(map[string]any); ok {
-			for k, v := range a {
-				if k != "node" {
-					callArgs[k] = v
-				}
-			}
+		given, _ := args["arguments"].(map[string]any)
+		callArgs, err := argumentsAsSent(t, given)
+		if err != nil {
+			return failure(err.Error())
 		}
 		var got bus.Answered
 		if t.Seat {
diff --git a/node-tools/internal/console/node_argument_test.go b/node-tools/internal/console/node_argument_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..23f0030
--- /dev/null
+++ b/node-tools/internal/console/node_argument_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+package console
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// novox/hq issue 244: `node` is taken out only where the address names the machine. A seat held once
+// for the mesh takes the machine it acts on as `node`, and is described and called with it — on
+// 2026-10-05 the controller's push was described as taking nothing, and a push naming one machine
+// ran as a push of every machine behind.
+func TestAMeshSeatsNodeIsItsOwnArgument(t *testing.T) {
+	push := Tool{Module: "mesh-controller", Name: "push", Seat: true, Scope: "mesh",
+		Input: json.RawMessage(`{"type":"object","properties":{"node":{"type":"string"},"behind":{"type":"string"}}}`)}
+	mesh := target{Address: "mesh-controller.push", Tool: push, Seat: true}
+
+	props := schemaAsPassed(mesh)["properties"].(map[string]any)
+	if _, has := props["node"]; !has {
+		t.Fatalf("a mesh seat's verb was described without its node: %v", props)
+	}
+	sent, err := argumentsAsSent(mesh, map[string]any{"node": "g1"})
+	if err != nil || sent["node"] != "g1" {
+		t.Fatalf("a mesh seat's verb was called without the machine it was given: %v %v", sent, err)
+	}
+
+	// An argument the seat's verb does not declare is refused, naming it, never sent to be dropped.
+	if _, err := argumentsAsSent(mesh, map[string]any{"machine": "g1"}); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "machine") {
+		t.Fatalf("an undeclared argument was sent: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// A machine's seat: the address names the machine, so `node` is out of the schema; given the same
+	// machine again it is taken out, given another it is refused.
+	shelf := Tool{Module: "node-shelf", Name: "list", Seat: true, Scope: "node",
+		Input: json.RawMessage(`{"type":"object","properties":{"limit":{"type":"string"}}}`)}
+	onDesk := target{Address: "desk/node-shelf.list", Node: "desk", Tool: shelf, Seat: true}
+	if _, has := schemaAsPassed(onDesk)["properties"].(map[string]any)["node"]; has {
+		t.Fatal("a machine's seat was described with a node the address already names")
+	}
+	if sent, err := argumentsAsSent(onDesk, map[string]any{"node": "desk", "limit": "3"}); err != nil || sent["node"] != nil || sent["limit"] != "3" {
+		t.Fatalf("the same machine named twice: %v %v", sent, err)
+	}
+	if _, err := argumentsAsSent(onDesk, map[string]any{"node": "bench"}); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "bench") {
+		t.Fatalf("another machine in the arguments than in the address was dropped: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// A module's tool is its own: what it takes beyond node is the module's to judge.
+	beta := target{Address: "desk/beta.three", Node: "desk", Tool: Tool{Module: "beta", Name: "three"}}
+	if sent, err := argumentsAsSent(beta, map[string]any{"node": "desk", "verbose": true}); err != nil || sent["verbose"] != true || sent["node"] != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("a module's tool: %v %v", sent, err)
+	}
+}